The herald., 1894-12-31
ARMENIAN NEWS THRO7TLED.
How a Press Censor Checked
the Scandal.
Newspapers Compelled to Hide the
Truth.
Reports That Bandits Were Respons bl o
for the Atrocities Man ufsctursd
to Order.

BY lHE HERALDS Leased WIRE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.--The following
statement with reference to the con dis
tion OF affairs in eight districts of Ar.
menis, in which Christian mission aries
are stationed, was today issued by the
American board OF commissioners for
foreign missions: "OAicial letters sent
recently from the rooms of the Ameri-
can board of commissioners for foreign
missions containing accounts relating to
the Europesn-Turkey missions were
opened by the Turkish officials. The
letters were subsequently delivered. but
with the Turkish word "sxamine" writ
ten on the envelope. This indicated
that the Turkish government is at.
tempting to assume all authority over
the mail of foreigners.
NEWS SUPPRESSED.
when the reports OF the massacre
of Christiane in the Sassuun district of
Eastern Turkey became public, after
more than two months OF suppression
on the part OF the Turkish officials, the
Ottoman government was alarmed at
the widespread publication in the
American and English press. Under
pressure from foreign powers the sui
tan agreed to send a commissioner to
Investigate and report upon the out.
RACES. In view OF this promise of the
government the represen tatives of the
European powers at Constantinople de-
cided to wait for the report before tax
ing any positive action. But alter this
decision by the powers, and while they
were waiting for the departure of the
sultan's commission, which had been
appointed, and which was to make iull
and impartial investigation OF all the
affairs reported by the English consul,
as we'll as by many individuals from
the Saaaoun dsttict, the Turkish gov
ernment gave out the following official
statement of the case, which statement
was printed in the papers of Constanti-
nople. All papers printed in Turkey
are under close censorship, and no pa
per could refuse to print the state ment,
under penalty of immediate suspen-
sion. Hence, the Christian periodicals
were compelled TO print what they
knew to be false.
The statement is as follows: "Some OF
the European papers have stated, con-
trary to the truth, that a few Armenian
villages have been destroyed and in the
mean time persona have been mas
sacred by the Turkish soldiers in the
district OF Sassoun. Others, in order to
magnify these reports, have asserted
that the news of the outrage was pre-
vented from leaking out Py the obsta-
cles the government put ia the way OF
travellers from that district.
BLAMED ON BANDITS.
"The subjects of the Sassoun district
are quietly engaged with their business
and the people travel wherever they
wish in perfect safety. Some Armenian
bandits, being induced by agitators, be-
gan lately in and about Sassoun to dis
turb the peace and comfort OF the peo-
pie by numbering, plundering and block
ing the highways. In order to put sn
end to such disasters the government
employed the necessary means and con-
seouently ordered out sufficient body
of imperial soldiers Of the Fourth army
corps. Thus the extension OF the revolt
being checked, the troops were with
drawn to their headquarters.
"There was no interference by the
Kurds, but, as stated this morning some
Armenian bandits, having ventured TO
disobey. the Fourth imperial army corIs
and also the governor of Bitlis under
took to investigate as to the facts nd
subsequently mlseion OF inquiry,
composed of Abdaalsh Pasha, Emin Bey,
Mediid Effendin and Hefez Tevik Pash'
who will start this week by steamer tu
the scene of the trouble.
"In general the sublime porte will
never allow such outrsges to be perpe-
trated as published in foreign papers
upon her subjects"