New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-17
THE ARMENIAN ATROCITIES.
A STATEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN
BOARD.
WHAT THIS GREAT MISSIONARY ORGANIZATION
SAYS OF THE MASSACRE IN EASTERN

TURKEY-NEED OF INVESTIGATION.
Boston, Dec 1.-THE American Board OF Com
missioners FOR Foreign Missions, more than aIy
other missionary organization in America cen
trallzes its work in behalf of ArmemahS IN
Asatc Turkey Its Western Turkey Mission be
gan in 1873 its Eastern Turkey Mission In 1885, IFS
Central Turkey Mission in 1874 These three mis-
sions comprise fifteen stations and lss ou'-s'd''o'
4 total of 1853 American laborers are worhns th'''
Ii employs also 7el native laborcrs or 4 total OF
ga American and native laborcrs Inc Sdnpd'h-
school adherents are estimated at i6s'' Ihere are
ll2 churches with a membership Of ll.4sl, OF whom
49s were received within year The edu'a'oh'l
work Is extensive. There are -FOUR ih'Viosl'"I
schools twenty nine theological students. thiiiy-one
colleges high and boarding schools FOR boys con-
tanning l3iS pupils, twenty colleges hish ana
boarding schools for girls containing LIN pupils
There are 80 common schools containing l'N" FI-
nils There are l.JGO others under instruction. the
total OF persons under instruction consists ol l''
persons The contributions OF the natives Id9'
year 10 the American Board amounted to NL"N
Numerous inquiries have been received from the
nress and from the conversational constituency
in the United States. which have induced ms CON
servative organization to furnish statement Ie-
Iating TO affairs in Turkey. The board explain why
it is inexpelient for us TO present in our PAGES
a fun statement of all that We hear and believe
They relate the following facts however:
Some things we may properly say prior To ne
W. ,rmst viii he made bv the representatives both
OF our Government and OF me tuioi,"n TI,i,
In he. Sassoun region. south OF the MnuSi mn,
there are recently were many VILLAGES lnhpl', ,
robbed of their focks hy Koords. and in the latter
part OF the summer the ArmchlaHs pulSr'l we
robbers in the endcavor to recover their property
In the fight which ensued dozen of these NooidN
were killed among whom Mere some ehto"'L ~, 'n
Turkish soldiers When inioTmhuoi Va 81,
that the Armenians had killed some o. the SuI"h
troops the charge o. rebellion was made ana or @'
IeTs "ers s ,hat n hes aess and uncontrolled SOL
ders made indiscriminate slaughter oi me |'",''
horrible massacre which followed thousands M"Ir
slain-somc state 6vn others 100" ! ne uo,nas ~,
those near the scene. They never VIII be optAin,h
unless foreign Governments insist upon a thof"uth
investigation conducted by forelEnrrs' Tx nriss
"A in terror. and dare not sld'r III, H"'" "'a,,l
under protection. \ document has been prepdtrn
near the scene Of the carnage pu'pY'' ",f w So
the Judgment OF the people that me lhousa..s
Saa r@cre that i, has been thought best 10
send consuls TO investigate since thert VA "'
ment will be understood when the methods lo' r..
curing signatures are Known. a"o ,,n mo, IN.
Moush Plain. where there are many ON, -. , ,ionS
In which evangelical work Is c9nur' ,t,s u" assoun
district and hence they have no direct reports from
the scene OF the massacre ,.., - ,n,, .i.,
auI entirely under the control ~ me TURKISH t'h
one of his imperial guards to the city ~ Erzinzan;
In Eastern Turkey 10 carry decyi '.'om - ,r,e
when is located there. zek Pacha 8. the military
commander who le1 the troops against ne u'i'"''<
less villagers OF the Sassonn region a. Inc NH" OF
the massacre Another envoy carries also foui u'h-
ners from the Sultan 10 me ioui if'ulnS ~ -
chiefs who were associated with he military com
mander in the reported massacre anI VINO pt'uanps
were the instiga OF IT, A:ter the sultan ma mus
apDrovei Of the acton OF MS troops ana 'i 'N'
Kooris II will be impossible FOR any comm ..-on ar
nonte1 lv the Turk ish Government TO investigate
The outrage AMI bring IN any report maj I'llr.l ny
upon the action Of either th" k0ofis or ne army.
Nv This act tn. sultan seems 70 assume aH inc i'-
On siblitv OF what has been done.
These stories NJ wrong ana ppiit- ~.
.bo izaA Ne
that our Government has directed one II - consl-
10 make an independent Investigation oi All nt't'i'
connected with the reported mds-acr~s But our
Government does not stand In the sam" relation ''
Turkey as 10 the European Powers mat Nni"r 'Nr
Treaty OF Berlin secured IN" fight - seeing tnhi
good government mainialnci throughout inr
Turkish Empire The right thus guarantee "Hsh'
now to be exercised and the hrst step -n'uIl p'
most thorough interrogation a. 20 tn coWrloh %.
affairs throughout Armenia. We cannot llunt lnhi
the European Powers VIII attend 10 their dnit ~"
winter H. a favorable time for whiting Eastern
Turkey where the SHOWS often from eight 10
twevc feet deep Time ana patience VIII be required