Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-05-30
copyrighted, 1S95l

Armenia, has furnished the following
correspondence:
The Turkish government is taking
prompt measures to prevent the up
rising of the Armenian reyolutionists
next month. Within the past few days
all roads leading from Persia to Van
have been closed by order of the Turk4
ish government, the intention being to
shut off communication between the
revolutionary leaders in Persia and
their agents in Armenia The last
caravan that tried to get through to
Van from Khoi was seized by Turkish
officials. On the person Of one of the
caravan drivers was a letter from an
unknown writer in Salinas, addressed
to an Armenian in Van. The writer
of the letter announced to mis- friend
that five hundred reyolutionists, armed
with rifles were waiting in the Persian
villages Of Salinas plain for an opoor-
tunity of making an attack on Van,
and asked for information with regard
to the disposition Of the government
troops
IN AND ABOUT VAN.
I have not yet heard what the loads
Of the caravan contained, nor have I
any reliable information as to the ex-
istence of the five hundred armed rev.
olutionists on Salinas plain There
are large numbers of Armenians on
Salinas plain, most of whom have arms
Of one sort or another. Salinas and
Khoi are the nearest places of import
ance 10 the Turkish frontier The
lofty snow-clad mountains of the Turk
ish border are in plain sight from both
places. The seizure of the caravan
and the prompt blocking of the roads
TO Van have caused no end of cOnster-
nation to the Armenian revOlutiOuist3
in Persia and this action seriously in
terferes with some OF their most i'm
portant arrangements. However, they
assure me that other ronds thrQHgh the
mountains MI be found and that he
work will so steadily forward. The
closing of the caravan, however viii
hamper the movements of the reyOlu-
tionists for several weeks, until the
long delayed spring weather shall meld
the snow which now
FILLS THE MOUNTAINS
From the lower valleys, where the
snow has begun to melt. comes word
that the Kurds are fighting among
themselves, probably a sort Of practice
for more serious work to come. The
Kurdish activity apparently extends al
far south as Mosoul on the Tigris river.
Within the past week the Turkish Con-
sui at Sautch-Bulak, i'm Persia tried TO
cross over into Turkey with an armed
escort of twelve men, but be was
turned back by the Kurds, who held
possession Of all the roads. The Con-
sui returned to Persia threatning all
sorts of vengeance on the heads Of tho
Kurds. At the same time the Turkish
officials in the town near the border
were chased out of the country By the
Kurds. They took refuge I'm Raven
duZ, where they are now. The kurd3
have warned them not 10 return. Tho
Armenians have received this news
with unspeakable JOY. They hope that
Kurds and Turks will get into fight
and eXtCrminate each other
A valley further north has been de-
serted by its HISTORIAN inhabitants,
who have fed in terror TO escape q
massacre by Kurds
Many well-informed persons in
Western Persia believe that Asia Minon
is on the verge Of a great religious war
which the Sultan of Turkey is foist-
ing upon the world i'm order 90 retain
his prestige among the Mohammedans,
many of whom have been found
grumbling at him at
HIS LUKE-WARlfNEsS
in the care Of their religion and threat.
ening to deprive him of his cafphatc.
The Persians are beginning 20 talk
of having a massacre of Christians on
their own account. / have been trank-
ly told in Persia that If nothing IS
done to punish the Turks for the sag
sOun affair the Jealous Moslems oi PER-
sia will seek to win the favor of their
god by scoUrging and driving ont tha
Christians.
Were it not for the strong hand OF
the Persian government and the good
will and the protection Of the Shah,
the Christian population of Persia
would be murdered within a week.
There are American, English and
French missionaries In many places
in Persia. but the nations most lmper-
illed were those at Ouruma. Salinas
Khoi and Tebriz, all of which are nea7
the Turkish border Near OWumia q
few days ago, the village %. bdOotan
was attacked by 400 Kurds aHd
SEVERAL MEN WERE KILLED.
Recently a fight took place in small
village on the Salinas plain. bht with
what result, I have not heard. Inc
village of Balootan is now serted by
all it's inhabitants, except f'" armed
men who are guarding the empty
houses The inhabitants have fed Ior
safety to Mawana, a na.gAh0rlng VII
lage. taking all of their iFe stock and
domestic property with them. A COM
mittee Of the citizens from Halootan IS
now seeking protection bufihs tne
Kurdish attack, a Christian woman vas
shot dead while bendiue over me DolN
Of her husband. who Wl7 sam WINS
defending his home Another attack
is looked for daily. as rae hurd5 nave
sent word that they mean 10 remove
Balootan from the face OF the eartn
in revenge for the death OF one OF theil
man There is no doubt whatever tha1