Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-01

orally, while he violated 1t in spirit by
tying the hands of young and old and
tramplinG them to death with horses, bury
ing others alive. and burning 1000 soldiers
to death. The Seljukian Turks, after cap
turing the city of Arzu. tried apparently,
to rival Tamerlane, for they massaCred in
cold blood 10000 people, carried as many
more into captivity and burned the city.
When the MOngolians, under Genghis
Khan, made their appearance in western
Asia they spread over Armenia, commit
ting wholesale massaCres, destroying the
towns and cities and carrying away hun
dreds of thousands into captivity. Then
followed the Mohammedans OF whom 1t
has been said that mo city, town or vii
lage; no building of any value; no human
being of any age or sex, was spared; they
slaughtered every human being and burnt
to ashes every building or RACED 1T to the
ground. In the execution of the unfortu-
nate victims falling into their hands they
did not leave any mode untried; the de-
PRAYED human heart could not have sug-
gested any new method of torture that
they had not tried" Thousands of chill
dren We're torn from their parents and
reared for the MOhammedan army, form
ing that terrible body of troops known as
the Janissaries. At another time the Per-
SLAMS, who had obtained control OF part
of the country, fearing that they might be
compelled by the Turks to cede the coun-
try to them. proceeded to make It valuelass
by driving the people out of the cities and
burning the buildings. sending the people
into captivity, excepting those who escaped
to caves or mountain Businesses. Many Of
these found a watery grave by being driv-
en- into a river and drowned.
Meantime Russia was not idle. and while
she did not visit the extreme cruelties upon
the people, she wanted slice Of the land
when the last Armenian ruler passed from
the stage OF action and opportunity was
offered to divide the spoils among the
great nations adjoining. She got some of
the land. but not sufficient for her pur~
rose. until after the Russo-Turksh war In
no COD1DallaH Turkey diSpOrpe
some OF the Armenian territory which she
had taken. The other European powers,
however. were on the alert to see that the
division was advantageous all round, II
possible, and at the Berlin conference,
which was attended by that distinguished
Armenian, Bishop Nerses, the following
clause was inserted In the treaty:
The Sublime Porte engages to realize
without delay those ameliOrations and re-
forms which local need require in the prov
inCes Inhabited by the Armenians, and
guarantees their security against the Cir
casSians and the kurds. It undertakes to
make known from time to time the meas
ures taken with this object, to the powers,
vic will watch over their application"
How well this agreement has been kept
Is seen by the frequent troubles and
slaughter OF Armenians of which we hear
at frequent intervals In that country. The
Circassians, Kurds and Turks are per-
mitted to go about armed in that country,
while IL a Christian does do he is thrown
into prison. 1t will be remembered that
there were numerous Incidents OF this kind
in 1870. the European papers containing
frequent reports of the murder of men
and women by half-starved Turkish SOL
diers, who roamed over the Armenian
country, committing all sorts of crimes
upon the people.
The recent slaughter IS said TO have been
committed as a punishment for the con-
duct OF some Armenians who resisted an
attempt OF some of the Kurds to drive off
their herds several OF the Kurds. who
were enrolled as Turkish troops, but not
under authority, having been killed in the
contest over the possession of the herds.