The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-07-08
BETRAYED BY HAHTO
Armenians Having a Very Serious
Siege Of II.
ALL KINDS OF OUTRAGES
Flendlsh Atrocities Practiced by
the Heathenish Kurds Even
Churches Guarded to Pre-
vent an Uprising.
From Correspondence Of the Associated Press
In Armenia.

From Correspondence Of the Associated Press
In Armenia.
Van. Armenia, May 3O.-The advance
guard of the revolutionary party.
which, as announced a week ago, was
betrayed to the Turkish government
by the Yezides of Tchiboukla, on the
night of Sunday. May 10. is now in
prison in the city Of Van. Only one
member of the party escaped. and he.
at the earliest possible moment. put
himself in communication with COR
respondent OF the Associated Press.
The latter is now in possession Of COM
plete information with respect to the
prisoners. but as he Is not disposed to
furnish the Turkish government with
information so long as there remains
the slightest chance that the men may
escape death. he holds. for the present
at least, considerable part Of the
facts concerning them.
The men had been hiding in noun
tains waiting for reinforcements, MAX
ing plans for carrying on their work.
and the weather having turned cold
and wet they went to the house of
Hahto. the head man of Tchiboulka. to
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 countrymen had
been massacred by the Turkish gov-
ernment in the Mosul district in 1892.
Upon arriving at Hahto's house. the
men stacked arms in the corner and
gathered about the fire. While there.
Hahto's scribe, a Turk. called his mas
ter out of the house and insisted that
they be handed TO the Turkish gov
ernmeht. The scribe threatened to de-
nounce Hahto to the government un-
less the men were betrayed. Hahto
then called together force of Kurds
and Yezides and ordered them to
make the capture. Villagers went into
the room one by one and took part i'm
the conversation. At a signal they
seized the guns and commanded the
men to surrender. Taken by surprise
the revolutionists made no resistance.
OF the IA members in the party only
one escaped. Each had a Boudin rifle
and six Of the party had revolvers.
The prisoners were taken to Sevi the
next day by the soldiers and then they
were marched 60 miles to Van. where
they arrived Wednesday evening. Their
arrival was watched by a large num-
ber of Turks and Armenians.
On the way they were beaten by gun
butts and prodded by bayonets and
otherwise maltreated. AS an English
member OF the party was unable to
walk the whole distance. he was given
"A horse to ride the last 20 miles. The
Englishman told the officials that ne
was Harry Williams Of London. His
father was William Williams. lie de-
clared that he was correspondent Of a
telegraphic agency Of London, and that
his card of credentials was made out
in the name of Paul Quesnel. He was.
he said, on his way TO the Moosh and
Sassoun region to investigate the Ar
menian situation. His Is companions
We're in his pay as guards against at
tacks by the Kudrs. The other pris-
oners told the same story. All were
well dressed as Kudrs, including Will
Jams. At first Williams denied that he
could speak Armenian, but subsequent
ly. under pressure of torture, ne ad-
mitted that he could. After week of
experiments with the various kinds of
persuasions known to the Turkish j9il
ers. the governor of Van said that
Williams had confessed everything.
Nobody believes this. Up to May 90
Williams had been unable to see the
British vice consul at Van, although
Mr.. Hallward went as far as TO esk
the governor unofficially to see Will
Jams. but the request was refused.
All OF the prisoners have been tor
tured during the week and their per-
sons have been violated by the prison
officials in the most revolving and dis
gusting manner. The situation in Ar
ciated press Is constantly in receipt of
stories of robbery. outrage and mur-
der. The condition of the Armenians
has been worse during the past six
months than ever before. Even In the
city of Van, soldiers have been placed
the officials fearing an uprising. The
correspondent had a talk vest .rday
with the leader Of the revolutionary
party in the province OF Van. He
stated that so far as he Is concerned
the revolutionists will hold their hands
until it is known what Great Britain
will do. He admitted also that the
capture of Williams had very seriously
disarranged the revolutionary plans for
the time being. No other leader is at
present available.