The herald., 1894-02-12

If he cultivates any ground he must
pay 81 piastres per year per thousand IN
the value of the ground cultivated, and
10 per cent OF the value of the crops.
Orchards and vineyards pay a tax OF
10 per cent on the value OF the product,
which product is estimated from the
blossoms in the spring and collected in
the fall on that basis, even though, on
account of an unfavorable season, no
fruit is raised.
Cows, sheep and goats are taxed 8
piastree each.
II any two European nations go to
war a special impost of from to 500
piastres each is levied upon the Chris
tians for the mobilization of the Turkish
army.
Every Armenian laborer who owns an
implement, such as an ak or a pickax,
is taxed piastres.
Day by day the tax gatherers. accom-
panied by one or more gems d'armes,
go from house to house. The delin-
quent is dragged unceremoniously into
the street by the coat collar and the I'M
paid tax demanded. Perhaps he is en-
gagged in weaving piece of cloth or a
rug, from the sale of which he expects
to realize money to pay the impost. In
that case few paisters dropped into
the palm OF the official will give him
immunity for the time being, but If he
has nothing with which to pay the tax
or bride the tax gatherer with what is
known as Tobacco money" he is
trotted off to prison. Confined there,
his wife or other relatives must feed
him, for the government will not,
though he etarve.
ut ~
ever part of the taxes remains unpaid
is returned as delinque to the elders
OF the Christian church of the district,
who are compelled to assess the amount
against those of the members who are
able to pay.
In the city of Zaytoon, in the province
of Cilicis, the taxes were so inordinate
that the inhabitants offered to surrender
the land, with all of the improvements
upon 1t, to the government in payment
OF the impost. As matter of fact, the
taxes amounted to five times the value
of the property and the government re-
fused to accept it. AS the inhabitants
could not endure it they tried to rebel,
and the government sent six regiments
of soldiers there. The people, driven
to desperation, defended themselves as
best they could, being without firearms,
and many were killed before the 80.
called sedition was put down.
Moossa Bey is name more or less
familiar in America. He was for eight
years governor of Upper Armenia.
During that time his cruelties were I'M
speakable. He destroyed and burned
towns and villages within his governor
chip; burned ripe crops in the field, and
carried off any of his subjects wives
and daughters whose beauty struck his
fancy. Finally come of the best citi-
zens, unable to endure his cruelties any
longer, drew up and signed a petition
for his recall, to be forwarded 70 the
Patriarch in Constantinople, with the
request that he lay it before the govern.
ment. Moossa Bey learned of the
movement, intercepted the petition,
called the signers before him and asked
them in turn: "Are these the fingers
which signed the petition ?" When
answered in the affirmative he caused
their fingers to be cut off, and then
made them stand on loose powder,
which was exploded beneath them.
This sort of thing went on year after
year, and the outside world never heard
OF the name OF Moossa Rey, till one gay
he interfered with an American mis-
sionary.
Complaint was at once made to the
United States government, which, in
turn, demanded that Moossa Bey be
punished. Turkey, not caring to incur
the ill-will of the United States, sent
for Moossa Boy. He came to Constan-
tinople in state and was given q palace
with a retinue of servants.
Then word was sent to the local gov
eminent in Upper Armenia to ask all
who had complaints against the late
governor to come to Constantinople.
Twenty-six prominent Armenians ex.
pressed their desire to 60 for the pur.
pose OF testifying against the denosed
governor. They were taken to Con
stantinople in chains and cast in prison.
where % of them died of torture. The
other three were set at liberty, and
were only too glad to be allowed to re-
turn to their homes without giving tes-
timony against Moossa Bey. As there
was no evidence against him when his
case was called for trial, he was exon
Grated and sent back to the same prov
ince to continue his cruelties. i.
A method OF torture of Armenians in
prison is to put live Goals in the pslme
of their hands and burn around the
eyes with hot irons.
Language is not strong enough to de-
scribe the horrors which the Armenians
suffer. They must be seen to be real
lied.
Occasionally something OF the
barbarities practiced on the Armenian
people finds its way into the daily and
religious press of this country.
The following is from the New York
Press:
"Private advices from Constantinople
give the Press information of a tragic
discovery. The harbor of that city has
no wharves. Vessels, after discharging
their cargoes at the custom house,
anchor in the harbor and receive their
return cargoes. September 30th last, a
Russian merchantmen anchored off
Sersglio Point, and, having received her
cargo, raised her anchor TO sail for
home. The.anchor seemed to be caught
in something heavy. After long efforts
it was raised. 1t brought up with it 10
large haircloth sacks, eueh as are used
by Turkish merchants in packing
goods for shipment. At first
the Russian captain thought he
had disclosed smuggling scheme. Upon
investigation he discovered that the
sacks were filled with human bodies,
each sack containing from Is to 20. Fur
Their investigation disclosed that they
were the bodies of Armenian political
So