The San Francisco call., 1895-12-29
CRY LOUDLY FOR HELP,
Letters Tell of the Horrors in
Armenia and CrueltieS
to Christians.
Survivors Who Are in Danger of Per
iShing From Exposure and
Starvation.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 2S-The
following letters, containing the first news
from natives of Armenia, have just been
received here. The names, which are
omitted in publication for prudential rea.
sons, are given in the original letters:
HARP0OT, ARMENIA, Nov. 20, 1S95.-Hav.
ing passed through many an ill., some of us
live, though in extreme destitution Moslem
plunderers and murderers stripped us OF
everything, so that we have become in need
even of a morsel of bread. Sister - is
wounded. A young girl of 16 years was cut to
death because she would not yield TO them
her brother-in-law was shot.
Speedy help. Bed, coverlets, etc, everything
gone. We hardly found a little herbage to lie
down upon it, and turned to Mohammedanism.
In village with 600 Armenian houses, mile
off from the city of Harpoot, seventy-five per.
sons fell in the massacre. 1t is very dangerous
TO get out.
The Turks threaten death. Churches schools
and many houses are burned. Many have
turned to Mohammedanism by force. The
streets are filled with corpses There has not
been village left unburned. Oh, help u.s. for
Christ's sake. The loss of the missionaries
here has exceeded 25 900 Turkish pounds
equal to 100000 American money.
HADJIN, TURKEY, Nov. %, 1895.-Com-
mencing from Obruck to Saruse, all the Hadjin
Armenians were exterminated. Their houses
and domestic animals have been taken away
from them. The Armenians in Shar Valley
were attacked and plundered, and most of
them put to the sword. Every village is de-
stroyed. Everywhere governmental instruc-
tions are given to Moslems secretly to kill and
exterminate the Armenians.
There is no doubt that unless there should be
an effective and immediate interference from
Christian powers, Christian Armenians will
not be found, every one of them will be a
victim to the sword of the fanetical followers
of Mohammed.
In Marash the first two martyrs were the
most godly, wealthy and in every way prom.
nent men. The massacre in Marash was ter.
rible.
Thousands of them were unfortunately
slaughtered-men, women and children.
Many Christian women and children who
were sheltered in the massive church build.
ings were attacked and killed, and young girls
between the ages of ID and 20 were seized and
left mercilessly in the hands of their ca ptors.
Many provinces of the country are in this
condition, and those who are spared need the
help of money and prayers of Christian coun-
tries. The loss of the missionaries, though
great $50 1000, is confined only to property.
They who live cannot leave their hiding
places either day or night
We dare not write things in detail on ac-
count of fear, as such letters will be censured
and the writers punished. If help does not
reach us soon we will perish of starvation in
the cold winter.
Oh, brother, the church, schoolhouse and
nearly every Christian institution has been de-
stroyed. Where are our sister Christian
nations? We solicit them to hasten to our de-
liverance. Those wholive here are urged TO be-
come Mussulmans or be killed like the rest
LONDON, Eng, Dec. 2S.-A dispatch
from Constantinople to the Central News
says that the United States has demanded
from the Porte the payment of large in
demnity for the losses sustained by Amer
ican missionaries through the action OF
TIE mobs in Asia Minor