New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-17
ARMENIAN TROUBLES.
THE STORM-CENTRE OF EASTERN POLITICS.

CousfoutinOplp. july !.
Not In the b kans but beyond the b"i"'-
neles, are the war clouds at present tni;keso
The courage and wisdom of three men have
bated Russia's aggressive designs III EUROPE
Those men are King Charles of Rumania, PIlhce
Ferdinand of bulgaria. and Mr. Stephen Stambu-
lofY Accordingly, finding not one but three lions
in that path the Gar seeks another way toward
CoDstantinope and now approaches 1t from the
East Armenia is now his hunting ground III
has several advantages over the Balkans. IL Is
more remote frou European observation. IL Is
in more turbulent and unsettled state And
there is no strong leader there ~ resist the in-
vader.
Already Russian expedition has entered
Armenia Ostensibly ii !, q scientific eNpeultloh'
its object being 10 make archaeological eNcaVa-
tions at Anne the ancient capital Of the country.
But Russia has sent out other SCIENTIFIC eNpedl-
lions before this. Several Of them have gone
into Central Asia And their science has been
found to consist chiefly in scientific warfare anu
land gra bling. Pricvaskv was Il scientific eN-
plorcr, and 40 WAS AShanoH. The nominal
leader Of the Armenian expedition is Professor
Mari, who fills the Armenian chair In tie Uni
versity Of 81. Petersburg lie is only twenty
seven years old His father vas an Ensllsliman
and his mother a Mingrelian; and he is SAID u
speak fourteen languages.
Simultaneously with the arrival OF these pros
pectors in Armenia political troubles occur in this
city, short time ago the Porte WAS greatly dis
turbed BIZ the alleged discovery OF various tfea-
sonablc plots among the Armenans. These plots
were aimed at the life Of the sultan himself, ana
were being directed, in par; at least, by Arine
mans living at Athens Forthwith the Porte DE-
manded Of the Greek Government that the con
spirators he expelled Then the Russian Minister
interfered claiming that tie accused men were
subjects Of the Gar. The situation begai! " looh
serious bit WAS solved by the consprator Eolul-
tarily leaving Athens for parts unknown, though
there is reason 70 believe that the Russian Minis
ter could tell where they are The incident en-
FILTERED the Porte against the ArmeDians, however.
AMI il has increased the severity OF lis dealings
with all that people, ~ that they are now protest
ing aud imploring aid from Russia
An incident Of some months ago. in Palu, l.
not forgotten and it has done much to incieas;
the bad feeling between the Port and the Arme
mans. and thus to further the ends OF Russia
According TO an official report OF the case, mum
Der OF bur2laries were committed in the Armenian
quarter Of Pau and in order to give the alarm
and 10 frichten and drive away the thieves, guns.
a, is the custom under like circumstances, were
fired for several ghts by the tenants Of the house,
One niAht however, they bred without internis'
sion several hundred times. The report oi Irine
and the tumult caused by il alarmed the kaulakain
and he thought something was going wrong III
the town, 50, accompanied BY several gendarmes.
lie FASTENED to the spot where he founA large
number Of Armenians. armed and in an excited
state assembled in the streets. whcreupon he
caused the arrest VI seventeen Of them az ring
leaders AMI lodged them in prison, no'withstand-
ing their protestatons Of innoccncy and statement
Of the cause OF their excitement The kaimakam
telcgraphed 10 the Goyernor-General OF Dlarbeklr
stating that the Armenians in Paln were attempt
ing TO rise against the Government. HE Vail. as
a matter Of course, communicated this TO The
Porte. at the same time instructnx the Governor
of Arghani MAIDEN TO proceed at once 10 Pau for
an investigation Of the affair. The result of this
inquiry was the removal Of the accused TO MAIDEN,
where they were put upon their trial after being
detained in prison there about five months. Nine Of
the prisoners acquitted and the rest convicted
OF sediton and senteuceJ to seven years i'm
prisonment The tria, took place in open court,
and there were either OuS Of interest or curiosity
a large number Of people present The evidence
produced by the Public Prosecute. proved nothing
vi u reasonable nature agdlns' the accused, eA-
cept the senaelcss act Of hiring guns aud their
shouting when arrested, that IL the Government
was unable 10 protect their persons and property
they would know how 10 do II for themselves IIie
court however held this 10 be grossly seditOus
and reasonable sentiment. he animation That
the Government Of the Porte was not able to give
all its subjects full protection was infamous!
How far the Government does or can protect Its
subjects may be seen in the innunerable Ouiragcs
that almost daily In Armenia and all through
Asia Minor Not long ago attention wns officially
called to q most brutal outrage, committed By the
kurus upon detencclebs party OF travellers III "a
place only a quarter Of an hours distance from
farkin, the seat OF the Sub-GoycrnOr OF the GAIA
OF Svan. 1t appears that an Armenian priest,
in the company OF his brother and the wife Of the
latter, started from Kharzan for KOreet. which IL
distant from Farkin only abou, twenty minutes.
and the native place of the priest. Within five or
six minutes of the village, the priest noticed
four Ave Withholding kurds. who were all
armed and apparently lying in wait few PAGES
of the road on which the travellers were
Suspecting that they might be brigands. the priest
hastenea 10 the village which was the decline
Of hill, to give the alarm. but as sOon he was
ont of sight another party OF Kurds. also armed
appeared from their place Of concealment and
Joined the first, thus constituting band Of
twelve men. They fell first upon the man and
robbing him OF all his effects, shot him dead on
the spot: then turning to the poor womnn who
was only sixteen years Of age and very handsome.
some PEOPLE from the village arrived al the scene
OF the tragedy, when the kurds took their flight
from the village was one of the brothers OF the
murdered man. who. finding his brother assassin
mated and his sister-in-aw outraged. lost the bal
ance Of his mind from his excessive grief. shot
himself and fell dead on the body OF his murdered
brother. The others took the woman and repaired
10 Farkin 10 lay the matter before the SubGov-
ernor but neither the history Of The outrageous
crime nor the most pitiable condition OF the
woman could arouse him from his apathy in
duce him to take Steps TO pursue the villan0us
oorpss of the victims were still living
These and hundreds of similar occurrences. that
make up the current history Of Armenia. will give
TO Russia pretext for interfering in the affairs of
that country. When she does So no European
Power will attempt to resist her, and Turkey will
be left 20 hght the battle alone. Under such
circumstances. the battle can have but one ending