The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-17
none SPARED.
British Troops Said to Have
Slaughtered Armenians.
An Armenian's Story OF Doings in
Africa.


LoNDoN, Nov l7--phe chairman Of the
Armenian Patrlotic association, q. Hago-
plan. has sent the following letter, re-
oeived from an Armenian, whose name is
not given. because it would ieopafdize his
life, 10 the Earl of Kimberly, the secretary
OF state for foreign affairs The letter is
accompanied by one from HagopiGn, in
which ho says:
IL have no reason to doubt the authen-
ticity OF the details. They will be borne
out by fuller official reports which have
been, or which will soon be, received from
the British agents in Armenia. Tho
events reported are but ro-enactments or
the Bulgarian atrocities, with all their
most sickoning details of fiendish lust ana
atrocions cruelty on unarmcd Christians,
and defcncelcss innocent women and
children deliberately planned and ruth
lessly executed under orders received from
headquarters AT Constantinople.
Hagopian concludes with appealing
that the time has come to abolish in toto
the existing administration of Armenia.
The letter OF the Armenian previously
referred TO is dated Bitlis, Oct. 9, and com
mences by saying that the chief magnate
appears to be second Nero, and con-
tinues: 'sThe so-called rebellion of tho
Armenans In 1898 was a got up affair for
the repression OF which the chief magnate
got decoration.
Started by Kurds.
"This year the Kurds carried off Arme-
nian oxen, and the Armenians' appeal for
their restoration was refused. A fight en-
sued. Two Kurds were killed and three
were wounded The kurds Immediately
a.. ~. L.f. fI,. do
claring that the Armenian soldiers had
overrun the land, killing and plundering
the Kurds.
"This furnished pretext for mass
ing the troops from far and near. The
troops were commanded by pasha aud
marshal and were hurried TO the
district The pasha is said TO have hung
from his breast, after reading it TO his sol
diers, an order from Constantinople TO cut
the Armenians up root and branch, and adj
jurinr them 70 do so if they loved their
king and government.
s'Nearly oil these things were related
here and there by soldiers who took part
I'm the horrible carnage. Some of them
weeping claim that the Kurds did more,
and declare that they only obeyed the or
ders of others II il said that 100 fell to
each of them TO dispose of. No compass
sion was shown 10 age or sex, even by che
regular soldiery, not even when the VIE
Tins fell suppliant Mt their feet.
''Six to ten thousand persons met such a
fate as even the darkest ages of Africa
hardly witnessed, for there women and ten
der babies might at least have had a
chance OF life of slavery, while here
womanhood and innocence were but
mockery before the cruel lust that ended
a. Al, cfa fro rfa A.
with the bayonet. while tender babies
were impnled with tho same weapon on
their dead mothers breasts or perhaps
seized by the hair tY have their heads
Topped Off with the sword.
Terrible outrages.
ain one place 300 or 400 women, after
being forced 10 servo vile purposes by the
merclless soidiery, were hacked to pieces by
sword and bayonet In the valley below.
"ln another place some 200 weeping and
walling women begged for compassion,
falling at the commanders feet, but the
blood thirsty wretch, after ordering their
violation, directed his soldiers to dispatch
them in a similar way
''In another place some 90 young brides
and the moro attractive girls were crowded
into a church, and, after violation, were
slaughtered, and human gore was seen
flowing from the church door.
.In another place STILL large company
under the lead of their priest fell down
before them. begging for compassion and
sverring that they had nothing TO do with
the calprits But all TO no purpose.
"But why prolong the sickening talel
There must be God in heaven who will
do right In all these matters, or some of us
would lose faith.
zone or more consuls have been or
dered that way TO investigate the matter
n the Christians instead Of the Turks re-
ported these things, the case would be diff
fcrent, but now we are compelled 10 bo-
leve most of IL.
"The magnates are having papers cir
culated and are trying TO compel the
Christians TO sign them, expressing salts
faction that justice has been dealt TO che
rebels and thanking the king and tho
chief moRnate himself.
"The circulars have not yet been offered
60 Protestants, and as yet the Protestants
have not been thrust into chains or black
mailed very much, though lately things
are becoming to lock that way"
Another letter says that some of the
regular soldiers themselves admit that
they killed 100 persons each in fendlsh
manner. and that rape was followed by
the bayonot
Twenty or 30 Armenian villages, IL
would seem, have been wholly destroyed,
and some persons were burned TO death
with kerosene in their own houses.
The "oToiaI" Account.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Nov. 1.-THE follow
ing official account of the Armenian
troubles was issued yesterday. Some Ar
inenian brigands provided with arms Of
foreign origin joined an iusurgent Kurd
tribe for the purpose OF committing ex-
ccsses. They burned and devastated several
Mussulman villages
Regular troops were sent TO the scene Ln
order TO protect peaceabls inhabitants
against these dcpredations. The Ottoman