Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-12-26
ARMENIAN MASSACRES.
American Missionaries Tell the Story
of the Butchcries in Kurdistan.
Fully Ten Thousand Christians Muir.
dered by MOSlems.. s..Attempt to
Thwart an Investigation.

va Non'ooiohOio o Aoi IOielSu mi5olOu6
in the Bible House lately important let
ters were received from missionaries of
the board who are stationed near the
scene of the wholesale slaughter of Ar
menians by the Kurds. These letters
tell not only facts concerning the mas
sacre which have not been published,
but also refer to an outbreak of cholera
which has followed the awful carnage,
and to famine which is now dsvastat.
ing Eastern Turkey. Following is a
copy of a letter received from Bitlis,
from which village the first information
of the massacre was sent to the outside
world, and although its date is so re-
mote as October 8, it is one of the first
letters to reach this country from the
neighborhood of the crime:
"A recent letter from Moosh shows
that violent and virulent form of
cholera is spreading in that city. From
twenty five to thirty five deaths day
occur. Only about 10 per cent of those
seized recover, and death ensues in
from five to ten hours after the first
symptoms appear. A peculiar circum-
stance connected with the plague Is
that 1t does not seem to touch the old
or those under 10. 1t is more fatal
among Moslem women than among the
others. We believe that this virulent
form of the disease is due in part to the
stencil of the carnage which took place
not far back from here among the
mountains. As time goes on, the ex-
tent of the slaughter seems to grow in
magnitude. 1t is certain that 5000 VIC
Tins is low figure, the number being
probably nearer 10000. Mr.. Halward,
the new Consul at Van, has gone di-
rectly there, and it is said that the other
Consuls from Erzroom have also been
sent to investigate. The Government
tried to get the people here to sign an
address to the Sovereign expressing sat-
isfaction with his rule and disclaiming
sympathy with Armenians who have
stirred matters up" stating that the
thousands slain in Talvoreeg met their
just deserts, and that the four outsiders
captured should be summarily punish
ed, and at the same time expressing re-
gret that it has been found necessary
to send Consuls to investigate, as there
was no need for their coming. From
this document we at least get some
facts that were before suppositions. 1t
consisted of about 1000 wor Is, and it
was expected that 1t would be tele-
graphed to the Sultan with at least
1000 signatures. The Armenians here
have not yet signed it, though in four
districts similar papers have been se-
cured and properly sealed. The effect
of such paper on foreigners will be
much modified when they know the
means used to procure it. Sword, fam
inc, pestilence, all at once-pity this
poor country"
From Constantinople comes letter,
inclosing communication from Sas.
SCUM, which confirms the facts of the
massacre, under date of October 81,
and says:
This awful story is only just begin
ming to be known here, although the
massacre took place early in Septem
Der. The Turks have used infinite pains
to prevent news from leaking out, even
going to the length of sending back
from Trebizond many hundreds of
those who had come here from Moosh
region on business. This massacre was
ordered flom here, in the sense that
some Kurds, having robbed Armenian
villages of their fiocks, the Armenians
pursued and tried to recover their prop.
erty, and fight ensued, in which a
dozen Kurds were killed. The slain
men were semi official robbers that
is, enrolled as troops and armed as
such, but not under control. The au.
thorities there telegraphed here that
Armenians have killed some of the Sui
tan's troops. The Sultan at once Or
dered infantry and cavalry to put down
the Armenian rebellion, and they did
it.n q
Following are the names Of the Amer
ican missionaries stationed at Bitlis
and in the region where the massacre
occurred: Royal N. Cole, Charlotte E.
Ely. Mary A.. G. Ely, George F. Knapp
and Grace II. Knapp, at Bitlis; and
Laurette E. Robinson, Grace M. Kim
ball, MD, and George G. Reynolds,
MD, at Van. The Rev. Wilson A.
Farnsworth, one of the oldest mission.
aries in the employ of the American
board, was attacked recently at Cesarea
and was robbed of all his valuables,
and even his clothing. The matter has
been brought to the attention of the
State Department at Washington.