The record-union., 1894-12-17
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoS.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIOS.
TIFLIS (Russian Trans Caucasia), Dec.
l6.-A letter which appeared in a paper
here states that for nineteen days resi-
dents of Armenian villages where the
outrages were perpetrated fought against
the kurds. The Armenians lost only ten
warriors, while the kurds lost 569. When
the troops under Zekki Pasba appeared
the Armenians were compelled 10 sue
cumb. After Zekki Pasha's treachery III
offering peace, sixty young Armenian
men We're seized and tortured horribly
for three days. Then all were murdered,
and their bodies buried i'll a ditch.
Among the Armenian heroes who lost
their lives the writer mentions DerbedoZ,
who with his own hand killed seven
kurds in a fair fight. He was captured
and tlayed to the waist. Pieces of his
flesh were cooked and eaten by the savage
Turks while he was yet alive.
STATEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN COM
MISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BoSToN, Dec. I6.-The American Board
OF Commissioners for Foreign Missions,
more than any other missionary Organi-
Zation in America, centraliZes is work in
Its western Turkey mission began in 1919;
its eastern Turkish mission i'll 1896, and
its central Turkish mission in 1871. These
three missions comprise 10 stations 2OS
out-stations, 10 missionaries. one medical
missionary in eastern Turkey, Y married
women and 10 unmarried women; in fact it
employs 79l native laDorers. These Labor
ers occupy 599 places OF stated preaching,
and secure average congregations of 30
4J1 persons. The Sabbath schools num-
Der 26i. The adherents are estimated at
46, SO4. There are III churches, with
mem Dership of IL, ISL, OF which 49o were
received within year.
The educational work is extensive.
There are four theological schools, thirty
one colleges, high and boarding schools
Tor boys; twenty colleges, high and
boarding schools for girls. There are 352
common schools, containing Ii, ,S33 pupils.
The contributions OF the natives last year
to the American Board amounted to
S34, I0S. These facts do not include the
work in European Turkey.
Numerous inquiries have been received
from the press and from the congrega-
tlonal constituency in the United STATES,
which has induced these organizations to
furnish the following statement relating
to affairs IN Turkey: I'VE are not uncon-
cerned by the reports of massacres in
Eastern Turkey. The position of the
missionaries OF the American Board
within the Turkish Empire is an eX-
tremely delicate one. Sympathizing
deeply on the one side with all who are
suffering by reason OF poverty, oppres-
sion and misrule, they have yet been
loyal TO the Government under which
they have lived, and have never counte-
nanced sedition or rebellion. 1t 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 deliver from unjust
officials the multitudes VINO have been
arrested or imprisoned.
ut is not necessary for our mission
aries, after these scores of years OF de-
votion and devoted LABOR for the native
race OF Turkey, to prove their sympathy
with the suffering ana oppressed by Join
ing others who, at safe distance from
the scene of danger, are passing vigor-
Gus resolutions III 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 for the helped, it is ineXpe-
dient for us to present full statement OF
all we hear and believe
Some things we may properly say
prior to the full investigation of the al
legged atrocities, which we trust will be
made by the representatives of both our
Government and OF the European powers
In the SaSSoun region south OF Moosh
plain, there are, or were, many villages
Inhabited by ArmenlanS These people
were Systematically robbed OF their flocks
by hurds, and III the latter part of the
summer the Armenians pursued the rob-
DerS In their enueaVor to recover their
property. In the fight which resulted
some OF the kurds were killed, among
whom were some who were enrolled as
Y,l, "a
given that the Armenians had killed some
of the Sultan's troops, the charge of rebel
lion was made, and orders were sent to
put down the lnSurrection. The result
was that these laWlesS aud uncontrolled
soldiers made indiscriminAte slaughter of
the people who had sought to defend their
property.
In the horrible massacrees which fol-
lowed thousands were 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 Gov
ernments insist upon thorough investi-
CATION conducted by foreigners. The
poor people are in terror, and do not
state the truth unless under protection.
document has been prepared near the
scene OF the carnage purpOrtiug 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 Consuls to
investigate, since there has been no need
for their coming, The value of such "a
document Will be understood when the
methods for securing signatures are
known. But such Investigations should
be made most vigorously either to re-
lleve the Government from unjust
charges, If the statements are Incorrect
or II they should be proven, to bring
about the conditioning punishment OF
the guilty parties.
Though our missionaries in Eastern
Turkey are often upon the Moosh plain,
where there are many out stations in
which the evangelical work is conducted
by them, yet their work has not ex-
tended into the Sassoun district, and
hence they have had no direct reports
from the scene OF the massacre. Papers
from Constantlnople, entirely under the
control of the Turkish censors OF the
press, announce that the Sultan has sent
one OF his imperial guards TO the city of
Erzingan, in Eastern Turkey, to carry a
decoration TO Eek ki Pasha. the COM
mander of the Fourth Army Corps,
which Is located there. Zekki Pasha is
the military commander who led the
troops against the deienseless villagers in
the Sassoun district at the time of the
massacres. Another envoy carries four
banners from the Sultan to the four lead
ing kurdish chiefs who were associated
with the military commandant in the re-
ported massacre, and who probably were
the instigators OF it. After the sultan has
thus approved of the action OF his troops
and of the kurds, it will be impossible
Tor any committee appointed by the