The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-05
BUTCHERED BY TURKS.
SIX THOUSAND CHRISTIAN
ARMENIANS MASSACRED.

Equals the Bulgarian Atrocities
Which Led to War-Women and
Girls by the Hundred Assaulted
and Murdered - Innocent. Babes
Impaled-Horror Upon Horror.
The London Standards correspondent in
Varna describes the massacre Of Armenian
Christians As Of equal importance with the
Bulgarian butcheries which led to the Russo.
Turkish war. He says:
"The trouble began with the refusal OF the
Armenians to pay taxes on the ground that
the Kurdish raids had 80 impoverished them
as to render 1t impossible. This probably
was true. Troops were sent to enforce tho
payments, but were beaten Off :
1.-The Governor OF Bitlis then arrived with
an imposing force OF regulars. The people,
seeing that the struggle was hopeless, yield.
ed, but tho Governor resolved to make an
example OF them. He ordered the troops
to fire on the defenseless populace, and they
o6eyed with alacrity. They only ceased
when the residents OF twenty-five villages,
Killed. Some reports say 5000 were slain. !.
"Great Britain sent her Consul IN Vans
Mr.. Hallward, to report on the slaughter.
The British Ambassador IN Constantinople
upon receiving the report communicated it
to the Porte. .--.-,. y h,I
''The Sultan was horriaed, and he ordered
the local military commander, Zed Pacha,
to make his report on the matter at once.
"Zekt had been originally instructed to
proceed TO the scene after the repulse OF the
troops, but the Governor Of Bitils arrived
there ahead ofhim. 1t seems that Zeki's re-
port confirmed Mr.. Hallward's, whereupon
11ofa fba aI,o
that the latter was melting the Armenfans to
revolt, thus causing the whole original dis,
turbance. This was submitted to Sir Philip
Currie, who has sent out British officials to
mako inquiries"
Mr.. Hagopian, Chairman OF the Armenian
Patriotic Association r London, has sent
Lord Kimberley, Foreign Secretary, a letter
sent from Bitlis. Mr.. Hagopian, after de-
claring his belief In the reports OF the mas
sacre, submits that, In view OF the horrible
tortures and prosecutions Of the Arme-
mans, the time has come to abolish the adj
ministration OF the Porte and substitute q
regime approved by the stgnatories OF the
Berlin treaty. e.. ~
The letter from Bitlis gives details Of the
origin Of the disturbances. There was
Kurdish raid on Armenian cattle, resulting
In fight In which two Kurts were killed.
The friends OF the Kurds took the corpses to
Moush and declared that the Armenians had
overrun the land and were killing and plum. J
dering right and left. This furnished the
prete1t for the massing Of the troops.
The latter then describes the horrors OF the
massacre. II says that on the admissions
of the Turkish soldiers, some Of whom tear
FULLY protested that they merely obeyed or
ders, 1t Ia asserted that no compassion was
shown to age or sex In one place 400
women after having been forced repeatedly
to submit to the soldiery. were hacked to
pieces with swords and bayonets.
In another place 200 weeping women
begged at the commanders feet for mercy.
The commander. after ordering that they be
outraged, had them all dispatched with the
sword.
Similar scenes were enacted In other
places. In one case sixty young brides and
maidens were driven into church, and af.
ter being violated, were butchered until
their blood flowed from the doors.
A large company, headed by priest,
knelt near the church begging for compass
sion, averring that they had nothing to do
with the culprits who killed the Kurds. II
was In vain; all were killed. Several at
tractive women were told they might live II,
piled. "Why should we deny Christi We
have no more reason to do so than had
these pointing to. the mangled bodies OF
their husbands and brothers. "Kill lus, too"
This was done. q
The letter says that between 5000 and TO-
600 were killed. Babes were impaled Oh
the same weapon with their mothers. Sew
eral soldiers admitted they had disposed OF a
hundred victims each. Nearly thirty VII
lages were destroyed. Some families were
burned with kerosene In their own houses.