The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-08
AN ENGlIsHMAN THE LEADER.
Prisoners Tortured and Subjected 10
Shameful Personal Indignities.
Never Before Were the Armenians I'm
such Misery-They Had Expected
Relief From England. and Now.
Finding Their Hope Vain, Are in
Despair.
From the correspondent of the Associated
Press in Armenia


guard OF the revolutionary party which,
as announced week ago, was betrayed
to the Turkish government by the Yezides
at Tchibou ukla on the night of Sunday,
May II, is now in prison in the city OF
Nan- Only one member of the party Ss-
capped, and he. AT the earliest possible mo-
ment, and at great risk 10 himself. put
himself in communication with the corre-
spondent of the Associated Press. The
latter Is now in possession of complete in
formation with respect to the prisoners.
but as he is not disposed to assist the Tur-
kish government so long as there remains
the slightest chance that these men may
escape death. he holds, for the present. at
least, a considerable part of the facts con-
corning them
The men had been hiding in the noun
tains. waiting for reuforcements and max
ing plans for carrying on their work, and.
the weather having turned cold and wet.
they went 10 the house of Hahto. head
man Of Tchiboukla. TO warm themselves
and dry their clothing. Hahto was sup
posed TO be friendly to the Armenian
cause, as he was not a Turk and great
numbers of his fellow eountrymen had
been massacred by the Turkish govern
ment in the Mosul district in 1892. Upon
arriving at Hahto's house the men stacked
their arms in the corner and gathered
about the fire. While there Hahtos scribe,
Turk, called his master out of the house
and insisted that they be handed over 10
the Turkish government. The scribe
threatened TO denounce Hahto to the gov
ernment unless the men were betrayed.
Hahto then called together a force of
Kurds and Yezides and ordered them to
make the capture. The villagers went in
TO the room one by one and took part in
the conversation.
At a signal they seized the guns and
commanded the men to surrender. Taken
by surprise, the revolutionsts made no re-
sistance. OF the fourteen members in the
party only one escaped. Each man had
Bedouin rifle, and six of the party had re-
volvers.
The prisoners were taken to Sevi the
next day by the soldiers, and they were
marched sixty miles TO Van, where they
arrived Wednesday evening. Their ar
rival was witnessed by a large number
of Turks and Armenians. on the way
they were beaten by gun butts and prod
ded with bayonets and otherwise mall
treated. AS the English member of the
party was unable TO walk the whole dis
tance, he was given horse 10 ride the
last twenty niles. The Englishman told
the officials that he was Harry Williams.
of y Ormiston Road. Shepherdsburg. Lon
the officials that he was Harry Williams,
OF the same address. He had with him
photograph OF a young woman, and an
English passport made out TO Harry Will
Jams on June Il, 1892. He declared that
ne was a correspondent of telegraphic
agency in London. and that his card of
credentials was made out in the name
OF Paul Quesenel. He was, he said. on
his way to the Moush and Sassoun re-
gion TO investigate the Armenian situa-
ton His thirteen companions were in
his pay guards against attacks by
Kurds The other prisoners told the
xan drae a
Kurds, including Williams. At first Will
Jams denied that he could speak Arme-
nian, bat subsequently. under pressure
OF torture. he admitted that he could.
After week of experiments with various
kinds of persuasions known to the Turk
ish jaiiers the governor OF Van said
Williams had confessed everything Mo-
body believes this Up TO May 30 Will
Jams had been unable 20 see the British
vice consul at Van. although Mr.. Hail
ward went as far as 20 ask the governor
unofficially TO let him see Williams but
the request was refused All OF the
prisoners have been tortured during the
week. and their persons have been vio-
lated by the prison officials In the most
revolving and disgusting manner
The situation in Armenia grows worse
daily The Associated Press is CONSTANT
Iy I'm receipt of stories OF robbery, outrage
and murder The condition OF the Ar
six months than ever before. Even in
the city OF Van soldiers have been placed
on guard at the Armenian churches. the
officials fearing an uprising.
THE correspondent had a talk yester-
dav with the leader Of the revolutionary
party in the province of van lie stateh
that, so far as he is concerned. me reVo-
luttonists will hold their hands unth IL
is known what Great Britain VIII DO
He admits also that the capture OF VIII
Jams had very seriously disarra1gea the
revolutionary plans for the lime belhs.
No other leader is AZ present aFaiiaple-
Van. Armenia July The Armenian
revolutionIsts prisoners who ware be-
,raved 70 the Turkish government AZ
Tnhfbo4kla on Nav 10 were taken from
tbe prison al Van Sunday morning June
and started on their way 70 Cohstah-
,,unnle by order of the sultan NO one
,,rau, +nev were 70 he transferred tii
80. haa left Van the order having come
f-o,, t,onsfantinople last Sunday night.
t,staaa ~ being dragged along On loot,
~, nan were mounted on caravan
horses. ..,. -
The Associated Press correspondent ~
now IN a position 30 say that strong rev.
olutioarv hand is about 10 cross the Per-
sfan frontier. hut of It's immediate plans
ha res not been able TO learn The leaders
- ,bfs hand we're among those met ~ the
corrasnon4ent in a Persian city early IN
Nfav The hand was divided one part 60
i,, forward under Harry Williams ana
,he other remaining I'm Persia 70 furnish
rerr,its The news from cons'antinople
ana London that Armenian reforms are
"a he carried out by the Turks has caused
,ba mos, intense despair and consterns-
,ton among the Armenians Of Eastern Tur-
Lav The people expected a mountain of
bair from Great Britain. and they have
recteved nothing. The situation is most
Aesoerate | am informed by all classes
t ~ Arrnenians that unless the reforms are
carried out under the control Of the Chris
,t,s nowers the Aru1enians wIll have 10
rh,s,sa between emigration ard revolution
7,ha nsorle are worse of now than they
have been AT any tirne In their history,
ana the persecution goes steadily on The
vo,,ernr1srt - now collecting the whole
( years fees In advance. which is a most un-
hoard OF ana cruel proceeding. The de-
/ vnaoa IL accentuated by beatings and hay
or.* thrt,sts. Thousands Of poor villagers
ara living on roots and greens. and on the
No,szh riains the wretched Sassouns are
literally starving 20 death. The protests
~ Great Britain and America have fallen
( ~, eonternptuogisly deaf ears. That the
E Turks have no intention OF carrying out
any sort of reform is shown by the daily
Increase OF pressure now being put upon
The helpless Armenians- Eastern Turkey
I IS surprisingly fuil OF revolutionary
/ agents. one left for Persia last night, aad