The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-07-11
ARE THE ADVANCE GUARD OF
THE ARMENIAN REVOLUTION
AIRY PARTY.
DETAILS OF THEIR BETRAYAL
AND CAPTURE.
The Leader an Englishman-The Situa
ton in Armenia is Growing Serious.
Waiting to See What Great
Britain Will Do.


revolutionary party, which, as announced
week ago, was betrayed to the Turkisl
government by the Yezides of Tchiboukl'
: on the night of Sunday, May 10, is now il
the prison of Van. Only one member OF
the party escaped and he, at the earliest
possible moment, and at great risk t
himself, put himself in communication
with the correspondent of the Associated
Press. The latter is now in possession Of
complete information with respect to the
prisoners, but as he is not disposed t
furnish the Turkish government informa
| ton, the matter is kept secret here.
The men have been hiding in the mount
aims, waiting for renforcements, making
plans for carrying ON their work, and the
weather having turned cold and wet, they
went to the house of Hahto, head man of
the Chiboukla, to warm themselves and
dry their clothing. Hahto was supposed
to be friendly to the Armenian cause, as
he was not Turk, and great numbers of
his fellow countrymen had been mas
sacred by the Turkish government in the
Mosul district in 1892.
On arriving at the Hahto house, the
men stacked their arms in the corner and
gathered about the fire. While they We're
/ squatting about the fire. Hahto's scribe.
a Turk, called his master out of the house
and insisted they be handed over to the
Turkish government. The scribe threat
ened to denounce Hahto to the govern
ment unless the men were betrayed.
Hahto then called together force of
Kurds and ordered them to make the
capture. The villagers went into the
room, one by one, and took part in the
A 4
the guns and ordered the men to surrend-
er. Taken completely by SURPRISE the
rebels made no resistance. OF the Is
men in the party only one escaped. Each
man had a Baden rifle and six of the party
had revolvers. There were large numbers
of cartridges some material for making
dynamite bombs and a gelatne copying
pad for making duplicates of letters. The
prisoners were taken to Svai, the next
day by soldiers and were then marched
60 miles to Van, where they arrived We'd
nesday evening. Their arrival was
watched by large crowd of Turks and
Armenians. On the way, they were
beaten by gun butts and prOdded with
bayonets and otherwise maltreated. As
the English member of the party was I'M
able to walk the whole distance, he was
given horse to ride the last 20 miles
of the way.
The Englishman told the officials that
he was Harry Williams of % Ormston
road, Shoppers Rush, London. His faith
er was William Williams of the same ad-
dress. He had with him photograph of
a young woman and an English passport.
Made to Harry Williams ON June 10,
1899.
He declared that he was the cores
pendent of Il Geographic agency of Lon
don and that his card of credentials was
made out in the name OF Paul Quesnel.
He was, he explained, on his way to
Moush and the SaSsoun region to inveSti-
gate the Armenian situation. His Is
companions We're in his pay as guards
against attacks by Kurds. The other
prisoners told the same story. All were
dressed as Kurds, including Williams. At
first Williams denied that he could speak
Armenian, but subsequently, under pres
sure of torture. he admitted that he could.
After Il week of experimenting with var
ious kinds of persuasions known to Turk
ish leaders, the government of Van said
that Williams could not 60.
Up to May 80. Williams had been I'M
able to see the British vice consul at Van,
although Mr.. Halward went 50 far as to
ask the governor of Van to let him see
Williams, but the request was refused.
All of the prisoners have been tortured
during the week and it is reported that
their persons have been violated by the
prison officials in the most revolving and
disgusting manner.
The situation in Armenia grows worse
day by day The Associated Press is con-
stantly in receipt of stories of robbery,
Dutrages and murder. The conditions of
the Armenians have been worse during
the past six months than it has ever been
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 talk yesterday,
with the leader of the revolutionary party
in the province of Van. He said that so
far as he is concerned the revolutionists
will hold their hands until it is seen 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. |
The Armenian revolutionary prisoners, |
who were betrayed by the Turkish gov
eminent at Thiboukla, May ID, were
taken from the prison at Van early on
the morning of June 2 and started to Con !
No one knew that the pris- |
oners were to be transferred until they |
left Van, the order having come from Con
late Saturday. Instead OF |
being dragged along on foot, the men were
on caravan horses.
The Associated Press correspondent is |
in a position ito say that second revolu- !
tonary band is in existence across the Per-
sian frontier. but what their plans are
he has not been able to learn. The lead |
ers of this band We're among those gath
cred early in May. The band is divided,
part going forward. under Harry Will
liamS, and the other remaining in Persia
to forward arms and secure recruits.
The news from London and CONSTANT
nople that Armenian reforms are to be
carried out by the Turks has caused de-
spair and CONSERVATION among the Ar
menians of Eastern Turkey. The Ar
menians expected mountain of help from
Great Britain, and they have received
nothing at all. The situation is most des-
perate.
| am informed by all classes of Armen-
merchants, school teach
ers. farmers and revolutionary leaders
that unless the reforms are carried ont
under the control of the Christian powers.
the Armenians will have to chose between
and revolution. The peonIe
are worse off now than they have bepn
at any time in their history. and thp
prosecutions 90 on steadily from day to
lay.
The government is now collecting the
whole years taxes in advance which is
4 most unheard of and most crpnI nro-
needing. The demand is accentuated by
oeatings and bayOnet thrusts.
Il.