The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-11-21
AND THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY
BUILDINGS AT KHARPUT
BURNED BY TURKS.
THE SITUATION IS EXTREMELY GRAVE
4 Powerful Fleet is Being Assembled
at Solonica Bay by the Powers.
Over 60 Neutrality-suspicious.
Ask for Help.

COnStantln0ple, NOV. III, via ooLd, Dur
garia, Nov. 16.-(Copyrighted, 1895, by
the Associated Press.) 1.-The news from
the different provinces in Asia Minor
continues to be grave, confirming beyond
doubt the impression which has pre-
vailed here for long time past that the
movement has now assumed proportions
which have placed it beyond the con-
troll of the Turkish authorities, even If
the latter were really DESTROYS of punish
ing the Mussulmans for massacreing
Armenians. In fact, it is considered
very doubtful whether the Turkish
troops would fire on the Mussulmans if
ordered to do so.
1t is now known that there are about
500 victims of the Kharput massacre,
and that eight of the twelve buildings
belonging to the American missionaries
there were sacked and burned, in spite
of the assurance of the port to the United
States minister, Terrell, that lives and
property of Americans would be pro-
tected.
The American missionaries, however,
escaped and are now in place of safety
Mr.. Terrell has notified the porte that
the United States will hold Turkey re-
sponsible. The inhabitants of Kharput
are in great distress from hunger, and if
cold weather suddenly sets in there Will
be much suffering.
In the district of Mardin, where there
is a large Christian population of Chal-
deans and Syreans, a number OF VII
lagos have been burned to the ground;
the people are destitute and suffering
from sickness, due to exposure and hun
ger.
This outbreak is regarded here as be-
ing very significant and as indicating
that a systematic campaign has been
directed from Yildiz Kiosk, against all
Christians, and naming the Armenian
Christians in particular, as mas generaily
been believed to be the case. This puts
quite a different and more serious COM
pexion upon the whole matter and is
feature which will Immediately attract
the attention of the powers, even II 1t
has not already done so.
At Siyas and elsewhere the Turks
have claimed that the Armenians are
the aggressors and the former simply de-
| Tended themselves when attacked by the
latter. The weakness of this plea can
be Judged from the fact that during the
| were killed and only 10 Turks met death
| during the rioting.
1t is, therefore, safe to presume that
| it was massacre pure and simple, and
not an ordinary disturbance which re-
suited in such great loss of life among
the Armenians.
The report that four Jesuit priests I'M
| der French protection had been murdered
| at Malitus turns out to be false. There
Il. ,lN,, fhnt. for n
| lives of the priests We're in danger and
| they were said to have been killed, but
! they escaped and are now in safety.
| The police here continue making uneX-
| planned arrests, and not day passes
without revolutionary posters being pla-
carded on the walls or distributed on the
streets. The real state of affairs can not
| be ascertained by the representatives OF
the embassies, much less by the represen-
| tatives of the press, but it is currently
reported that 400 softas (Turkish theo-
logical students) have recently been ar
rested. The cause of their imprisonment
is said to be their refusal to return to
| their homes without receiving the money
which is due them from the government
! for expenses, etc, in undergoing their
course of study. But another and more
likely version of the affair is that the
students have been proved to be implicat-
| eu Ill pOSlllS tle IeNOlutlohuiS pietNoi
continually found in and about the pub
lie thoroughfares of this city.
The porte is said to be anxious about
the attitude of the military cadets. The
latter are said to be strongly imbued with
the revolutionary spirit which prevails IN
the army and navy, and it is reported that
the government has decided to transfer
the pancaldi military school to the bar
racks at Schutari.
No definite action is known to have
been taken by the ambassadors of the
powers, but it is reported that they will
Join in a note informing the government
of the sultan that in spite of the remon-
strances and recommendations of the
powers matters have now reached a stage
in Asia Minor where it is evident that
the sultan's authority is not sufficient to
quell the repeated disturbances which are
continually breaking out and it has be-
come necessary for the powers to put an
end to this disorder by occupying various
portions of the Turkish empire until sys-
TEN is restored and good government is
inaugurated.
In order to carry out the intentions OF
the powers powerful fleet is being as
sembled at Salonica Bay. 1t will consist
of about 80 British ships, including q
dozen warships of the first class; dozen
French ships, including half dozen bat,
tleships; II Russian warships; eight ltal'
ian warships, of which number four at
least will be frst-class battleships, and
several Austrian and German warships
The British fleet includes the flower of the
British navy, and is constantly being re-
inforced.