The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-16
THE HARp6oT MASSACRE.
Thrilling story OF 1t by Eyewitness
Cruel Treatment ofArmcnIAns.


Cruel Treatment of fArmCnians.
BOSTON, Dec. l5.-Letters at hand
from correspondents at Harpoot. Eas-
tern Turkey, give u detailed account
OF the scenes and Incidents attending
the recent massacre OF Armcninns
there as well as Of the massacre Itself.
'tThc first excitement over" says the
writer, Turkish atrocities were dying
out and tranquility was PRETTY well
restored when the Derslm Kourds be-
gan TO plunder the villages right and
left. six OF which were In the imme-
diate vicinity OF HRrpoot, the nearest
one being within two hours OF the city
The whole city was tossed with appre-
henslon and were expecting an attack.
Some said the Kurds had government
sanction; others that the Turks in the
city were In league with them. The
Kurds while plunderlnE the villages,
were heard to say we are going 10 Hnr-
poot' The Turks In the city said the
Rurds are coming here TO plunder the
Christian quarter One Agha, when
appealed to use means for defense OF
the city, said: Why should we pro-
tect the Giaours? Let them be killed
THE governor OF Malatia telegraph
cd here that two thousand Kurds had
come there and that he could not cope
with them. That threw the RESPONSE
blllty upon the Harpoot government.
The leading men OF Arabkir went to
the governor and asked for protection.
They were treated with contempt.
These disturbances could not have hap
pened II strong orders had becn sent to
the governor generals to preserve order
at any cost.
"The terror and distress In the de-
vnEtntcd villages can scarcely be pic
tured. Those who escaped with their
lives have been stripped OF everything
else with winter Just at their doors.
Where the Kurds alone have dcvasta-
ted the loss OF life is not great. The
Kurds piunder, but do not generally
kill unless resisted: but the Turks kill
In cold blood and IN any way suggest
cd by the urch-ficnd himself,
"Thc Idea OF an uprising among the
Armenlans is absurd. They nre In ter
ror Of their lives. They are prepared
TO surrender all their possessions II
only their lives can bc spared"
Another writer. describing the attack
upon the city, says:
"T'hc first attack began on Sunday,
November 10, by q few Kurds. These
were easily driven OF. Monday there
wus another attack In the morning.
This alao was repollcd. Theae attacks
amounted 10 little. Later, Monday. the
Kurdp and Turks from the surrounding
region attacked Huscnlk. Several were
killed The soldiers sent down the road
to meet them and come OF the principal
MoRIcma also went down. They had
conference with the Kurds. Then the
buElo blew and the soldiers led by their
commander, withdrew to the city, drag.
cling their Cannon In a very leiSurcly
fashion. After the roldlcrB Ind reach
cd the city the Kurdn and Turkg came
on yelling and firing. Tho soldiers
made no nttcmpt 20 stop them. They
fred their cannon once harmlCgsly into
the nir towards the city. and then over
tho heads OF tho enemy. The Turks OF
tho city Joined IN the plundCr and at
tack The Armenian school waB first
set on fire; then the grontcr part OF tho
ChrlHtlnn quarters. Christians were
shot down everywhere.
''l saw all these things with my own
eyes, for watched things with nNd
glass until II became perfectly plain
that the whole thing was definitely
planned and arranged. The Christians
had given up their arms and cast theme
selves on the protection OF the govern.
mont. No Christian fired on the ilsshll-
nnta. The missionaries took refuge IN
the glrlR' school until thui was attack.
cd and tho mi1Blun house Of RCv. o. T..
Allen nnd wife burned and the school
acl nn fire. Then thoy gathered In tho
yard prepared to die. Dr Bnrnum
spoke to the military commander aud
hn sent soldiers but only two remained
10 protect tho nisglonnrlCa, md thoy
demanded more money or they would