The herald., 1894-12-17
Armenian Heroes Fiendishly
Tortured.
Flayed Alive and Their Flesh
Eaten.
The Sultan's Tacit Approval of the
Slaughter.
Zskki Pasha Decorated for Con du citing
tho Butchery-A Statement by
the American Board
of Missionaries.

THRILLS, Russian Trans-Caucaeia, Dec.
16.-A letter which appeared in paper
here states that for 10 days the residents
OF Armenian villages where the outragea
were perpetrated fought against the
Kurds. The Armenians lost only 10
warriors, while the Kurds lost 500.
When the troops under Zskki Pasha
appeared the Armenians were compelled
to succumb. After Zskki Pasha's
treachery in Offering peace, go young
Armenian men were tortured horribly
for three days, then all were murdered
and their bodies buried in a ditch.
Among the Armenian heroes who lost
their lives, the writer mentions Derbe.
droz, who with his own hand killed
seven Kurds in q fair fight. He was
captured and hayed to the vaist. Pieces
of his flesh were cooked and eaten by
tho savage Turks. while he was still
alive.
MISSIONARY STATEMENT.
BosToN, Dec. 16-Ths American board
OF commissioners for foreign missioDs,
more than other missionary organiza-
tions in America, centralizes the work in
behalf of Armenians in Asiatic Turkey.
Its western Turkish mission began in
l819 it's eastern Turkish mission in 1885,
and its central Turkish mission in l847.
These three missions comprise Is sta
tions, 2GS out stations. 40 missionaries,
one medical missionary in eastern Tur-
key, AZ married women and 73 unmar-
ried women-in fact, it employs 79l ma
1t lat tr
places for stated preaching, securing
average congregations of 30,747 persona.
The Sabbath schools number 264. The
adherents are estimated at 46.864.
There are 1l2 churches. with a member
ship OF 1l,l81, of which 45S were re.
ceived within q year. The educational
work ia extensive. There are four thso-
logical schools, 81 colleges, high and
boarding schools for boys and 20 coll
leges, high and boarding schools for
girls. There are 375 common schools,
containing 1888 pupils. The oontri-
buttons OF the natives la6t year to the
American board amounted to $34, ,76S.
These facts do not include the work in
European Turkey.
Numerous inquiries have been re-
ceivsd from the press and from the Con-
gregational constituency in the United
States. which has induced theae organ
izations to furnish the following state-
ment relating to affairs in Turkey:
THE MISSIONARIES POSITION.
We are not unconcerned by the re-
ports of massacres in eastern Turkey.
The position of the missionaries OF the
American board within the Turkish en-
pire ia an extremely delicate one. SYM
pathizing deeply on the one side with
all who are suffering by reason OF pow
erty, oppression and misrule, they have
yet been loyal to the government under
which they have lived, and have never
countenancsd sedition or rebellion.
Il has been their blessed privilege,
while preaching the gospel of Jesus
Christ. to aid the poor, to protect, as
far as possible, the oppressed and to de-
liver from unjust officials multitudes
who have been arrested or Imprisoned.
1t ia not necessary for our missionaries
after these scores of years of devoted
labor to prove their sympathy with the
suffering and oppressed by joining 9TH
ers who, at safe distance from the
scene of danger. are passing vigorous
resolutions in condemnation of the
wrongs inflicted. They are doing their
best, amid no little peril to themselves,
in the interests of those for whom they
have long labored, but our readers can
we'll understand that for the sake, both
OF the helpers and the helped. it is in
expedient for US to make full state
ment of all we hear and believe. Some
things we may properly say prior to the
full investigation Of the alleged atroci>
ties, which we trust will be made by the
of both our government
and the European powers.
STORY OF THE MASSACRE.
In the Sassoun region. south OF the
Moosh plain, there are, or were, many
villages inhabited by Armenisns. These
people were systematically robbed of
their fiocks by Kurds, and in the latter
part of the summer the Armenians pur-
sued the robbers in their endeavor to
recover their property. In fight which
resulted some Kurds we're killed, among
whom were some who were enrolled as
Turkish soldiers.
When information was given that the
Avmenians had killed some of the sui
tan's troops, the charge OF
rebellion was made and orders
were sent to put down the
The result was that the
lawless and uncontrolled soldiers made
indiscriminate slaughter of the people
who had sought to defend their prop
erty. In the horrible maesacres which
thousands we're slain, some
state 5000. others 10000. The details of
this wretched affair are not obtainable,
even by those near the scene. They
will never be obtained unless foreign
governments insist upon thorough in-
conducted by foreigners.
The poor people are in terror and do not
state the truth unless under protection.
UNRELIABLE REPORTS.
A document has been prepared near
The scene of the carnage. purporting to
give the judgment OF the people. that
the thousands slain in Talvorie met their
just deserts, and expressing regret that
it had been thought best to send cons
auls to investigate, since there has been