The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-12-31
HAD TO PUBLISH IT.
HORROR SUPPRESSED TWO MONTHS
Turkish oilielals Examine All the Letter
Mail Going In and Out Of tho
County.

! Washington, Dec. 30-The following
statement with reference 90 the con-
dillon of AFFAIRS I'm eight districts of
Armenia, In which Christian mission
aries are stationed, was to-day issued
by the Armenian board Of commissions
ers for foreign missions. Omclal let
ters sent recently from the rooms OF the
/ American board of comm. .ssioncrs for
Foreign missions containing accounts
relating 10 Turkey missions.
were opened by the Turkish officials.
The letters were subsequently deliv-
cred, hut with the Turkish word "cx-
amined' written on the envelope. This
Indicated that the Turkish government
Is attempting Ia assume all authority
over the mail Of foreigners.
When reports of the massacre of
Christians in the Sassoun district of
eastern Turkey became public, after
more than two months OF suppression
on the part of the Turkish officials, the
ottoman government was alarmed at
the widespread publications in the
English press. Under pres
sure from foreign powers the sultan
agreed TO send a commissioner To I'm.
vestigate and report upon the outrages.
In view OF this promise Of the govern
ment, representatives of the European
powers at Constantlnople decided to
wait for the report before taking any
positive action. But after this decision
by the powers, and while they were
waiting for the departure Of the sultan's
commission, which had been appointed,
and which was to make full and impair
| tlal investigation OF all affairs reported
by the English consul. as well as by
many individuals from the Sassoun dis
trict, the Turkish government gave out
the following official statement of the
case. which statement was printed in
| the papers of Constantinople. All pa
pers printed in Turkey are under close
censorship, and no paper could refuse
10 print the statement under penalty
of immediate suspension. Hence, Chris
tlan periodicals were compelled to print
what they knew TO be false. The state
ment Is as follows:
Some of the European powers have
stated, contrary TO the truth, that a
few Armenian villages have been de-
stroyed and In the meantime persons
have been massacred by Turkish sol
diers I'm the district Of Sassoun. Others,
In order TO magnify these reports, have
asserted that the news Of the outrage
was prevented from leaking out by OBJ
stacles the government put In the way
| OF travellers from that district. The
subjects of the empire of Sassoun are
quietly engaged with their business and
people travel wherever they wish in
/ perfect safety. Some Armenian ban
| dts being induced by agitators, began
lately In and about Sassoun 10 disturb
the peace and comfort of the people by
numbering, plundering and blocking
| highways. In order To put an end 10
such disasters the government en-
ployed the necessary means, and con.
Isoquently ordered out sufficient body
OF imperial soldiers Of the Fourth army
corps.
Thus the extension II the revolt
| being checked, troops were withdrawn
10 their headquarters. There was no
| Interference by kurds, but, as stated
above, some Armenian bandits having
ventured to disobey, the Fourth imper-
| iul army corps, and also the governor
Of Bitlis, undertook TO investigate as
TO the facts. and subsequently a com
mission of inquiry, composed OF Abdol-
lah Pasha. Emer Bey MedJld Effendi
and Hafez Tevfik lAsha. who will start
| by this weeks steamer TO the scene Of
the trouble.
"1n general, the sublime porte will
never allow such outrages 10 be per-
petrated as published In foreign papers
upon her subjects"