The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-20

of the American Missionaries De
stroyed by the Rioters-HInis'er ieF"
reil will Demand that hey he
Compensated Tor Their Losses.
BERLIN, Nov. ia dispatch from
Sofia, Bulgaria, says the Sultan Of Tur-
key has been poisoned No details
given.
$50 More Fana,icaI 1u breaks.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 10, via
Sofia, Bulgaria, Nov. 19.-In response
to kilograms sent to Kharput by the
United States minister, Mr.. Alexander
W. Terrell, inquiring into the burning
and pillaging of the American mis-
sions there Exclusively announced by
the Associated Press on Saturday
morning), the Porte has furnished
some information to Mr.. Terrell and
additional facts have been obtained
from other sources by the United
States minister. As Mr.. Terrell will
communicate direct with the State
Department at Washington on the sub
ject, the facts in his possession cannot
be given out here. But enough is
klOWH Vi LlIC ttStul eiL IAItcll pun
to enable the Associated Press to give
the following general outline of the
occurrences:
The trouble between the Kurds and
Mussumans at Kharput had been
brewing for some time. On one hand
it was claimed that the Armenians,
melted by the agents of their revolu-
tionary committee, had been arming
fhar11cp hnI6iAn rG
and preparing for revolt against the
Turkish authorities. The crisis was
to be precipitated by an attack upon
the Mussulman quarter.
A second version of the affair is that
the Turks, acting under instructions
from the Yildiz Kiosk officials, if not
from the Sultan himself, deliberately
planned to massacre the Armenians of
Kharput. The Kurds, who were not
armed with rifles, were provided with
weapons similar to those used by the
Turkish soldiery, and ammunition was
plentifully distributed among them.
At a signal agreed upon, quarrel was
picked with some Armenians, and the
attack upon their quarters was com
menced. The Armenians, however,
who had been anticipating an out
break for some time past, had armed
themselves as well as possible and had
barricaded their dwellings and made
so determined a resistance that the
first attack of the Kurds was repulsed.
AS announced in these dispatches,
exclusively at the time, when it first
became apparent that a disturbance
was imminent, the American mission
aries at kharput applied for protec-
tion to Mr.. Terrell.
The latter called personally at the
Porte and sent several notes on the
subject to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, insisting that the Turkish
officials should protect the American
missionaries, and notifying the Sultan
and his ministers they would be held
responsible for the safety of the mis-
sionaries. In view of these representa-
tions the Turkish officials promised to
protect the lives of the missionaries
and detailed gendarmes to protect the
property, the following was the re
suit:
When the Armenians repulsed the
first attack of the Kurds, the latter
were so infuriated at the check they
had received that they proceeded to
the quarter of kharput where the
American mission is located, and
quickly overcame any opposition of
the gendarmes, if there were any
present, "a point which has not been
definitely ascertained) they ransacked
the houses, including eight Of the
American mission buildings and ex-
ploded a shell in the house of the mis-
sonaries. The American missionaries,
however, escaped uninjured and
placed themselves under immediate
protection of the Turkish governor
who still has them safe under his care
During the piliaging, it has been as
certained beyond doubt, the kurds
were supported by the Turkish troops
in q number of instances, and in other
cases the soldiers remained passive
spectators of the rioting.
Later a second and more successful
attack was made by the Kurds upon
the Armenian quarter, and a terrible
massacre followed. The number oi
victims has not yet been ascertained
but it is declared TO be enormous
Conservative estimates say that from
500 to 900 persons were killed during
the Tioting.
The American missionaries have for
mally protested against the destruc
tion of their property to the Turkish
authorities and to Mr.. Terrell, who
when all the facts in the case are thor
oughly established will most likely de
mand that the Americans be compen
stated for their losses.
Ia fact, it is understood, Mr.. Terrell
has already been assured that The
Turkish government is prepared to dt
what is right in the case when all sides
have been heard and the blame is plac
ed where it belongs.
fresh fanatical outbreak has oc
CURED at Moosh, but it was supposed
by the Turkish authorities after fort,
Armenians had been killed.
The situation in Southwest Analolia
where the christians are revolving il
large numbers, is inspiring the mos
grave anxiety, not SO much at the 1il
diz Kiosk, as among the representa-
tives of the powers here as this out
braag complicates matters in manne