The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-11-28
THE AMERICAN MISSIONS,

Their Properly Destroyed In tho KhArput
MRSIacre-NO Protection to the Aneri-
cans,
Copyright, 1895. by tho Associated PreSs)
CoSsTASTGNoPLE, Nov, 70, VIA SOFIA,
BULGARIA, Nov. 27.-The Turkish min.
iSter Of foreign affairs, TewGk PaSha,
oallOd upon Sir Philip Currle, the
British ambassador, to-day 'and an-
nouncod that tho porte had decided to
issue the ArmanS providing for the pas.
sage through tho DardenelleS OF tho
extra guardships demanded by Great
Britain, Russia, Italy and Austria, ~
additional protection needed for the
safety Of the foreign population here, In
view Of the recent rloGlng in the streets
oil ConatanIinople.
More am pie details have just been re-
coIyed here Of the burning OF tho Amer
lean mission buildings at Kharput
They show that the Turkish govern
ment officials, In spite Of the abundance
OF promises OF protection for the
American missionaries and tholr prop.
srty. made by the porte to the United
States minister, Mr.. Alexander w.
Terrill, and to the Americans them
selves by authoritisSat Kharput, utterly
failed 10 guard the Americans. There
wAa no protection offered or given
them until after tho massacre had act
uaIy occurred, and after the American
mission buildings had been burned.
1t Is estimated that tho value OF the
American property. iB about 100000.
1t consisted Of the girls college, tke
theological seminary, the chapel and
fve residences. All tho burned build
ings wsro looted by tho mob before be.
ing set on FIRE, and ell the personal
effects OF the missionaries, the Libraries.
scientific instruments, etc, were stolen.
So far, only small portion Of the prop
orty has been recovered.
The lady missionaries, naturally, were
In great terror Ehllo the rioting was
going on, and Mrs. Gates, the wife OF
one OF tho missionaries, was 60 prostra-
ted with alarm that she gave premature
birth to a child which did not live, The
authorities OF Kharput, however, pro.
toctod the missionaries after the latter
fed from thslr residences TO the official
quarters. From that time on the
Americans were kept under guard aud
those who so desired wers furnished
with escorts to tho Black sea coast.
The failure Of the Turkish Uuthori-
ties to afford the promised protection to
the American missionaries Is con-
sidereI all the more remarkable be-
cause 1t was not upon one or two occa-
sions that Mr.. Terrell applied to the
porte in their behalf The governments
promises were reiterated upon quite
number OF occasions when tho United
States minister thought 1t advisable to
make representations in behalf Of his
compatriots.
All reports arEco establishing tho fact
that the rioting was Of most horrible
description, that several hundreds oil
Armeniars. men, women and children,
were buGchered; that the massacre
seemed to be premeditated. and that
tho Turkish troops, II they did not take
part 10 the slaughter, as the Armeniana
claim, certainly made no effort TO put
stop TO it
Mr. Terrell whom informed ot the de.
struclion OF the mission buildings at
Kharput, made strong formal protest
to the porto, and as soon as the work ol
collecting all tho data n6ois,ary, and
when com plOted how'll mako demand
for tho immediate payment Of an in.
demnity.