The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-15
HORRORS ARE Increasing
Missionaries in Eastern Turkey Are
in Great Danger.
MINISTER TERRELL'S ACTION
Through Ills Demands Orders Have Been
Issued That Americans he Afforded
Protection from the MObs-Shock.
ing Cruelty to Christians.

Boston, Nov. 14.-TOday'S dispatches
from Constantinople state that the mis-
sionaries in Harpoot, eastern Turkey,
are in great danger. The missionaries
referred to are those of the American
board.
Secretary Rev. Judson Smith, ID. d.,
of the foreign department of the Ameri-
can board and Hon. Henry ID. Hyde, or
the prudential committee. left FOR
Washington today to confer with Sec
retary Olney tomorrow morning rela-
tive to the situation as 1t efects the
missionaries of the board.
St. Petersburg, Nov. 4.-Five Rus
sian warships have been ordered to
start Immediately for the Mediterra-
mean, in view of the proposed naval
demonstration of powers at Constanti-
nople.
A Butcher for Grand Vizicr.
Constantinople, Nov. 1.-THE latest
rumors here seem to indicate that
Shakir Pasha, the imperial high COM
missioner for Armenian reforms, Is
about to be recalled, in order that he
may be appointed grand vizier. to sue
ceed Hall Rifat Pasha. the present In
cumbent. If the rumors prove correct
this would be apparently another open
defiance of the powers, for Shakir
Pasha Is regarded as the chief butcher
of the Porte. Since his appearance at
Erzerum as high commissioner. the
massacres there have been more bloody
and frequent than ever before, and 1t Is
well known that he has done nothing
to punish the Offenders. In fact he has
been charged with calmly looking on
while the Turkish soldiers fired upon
every helpless Christian they caught
sight of.
Abdulla Pasha, formerly president Of
the Sassun commission of inquiry. and
Saabedin Pasha, have been sent to
Erzerum and Bitlis. respectively. to
take command of the Turkish troops
in those places. This lends color to the
report that Shakir Pasha is coming
back to Constantinople to be appointed
grand vizier.
News received here today from the
district of Van records fresh massacres
of Armenian Christians there, and
there seems to be no reason for doubt
ing the authenticity of the reports. The
Kurds of Van are said to be attacking
and plllaging the Armenian villages,
and the Turkish officials are powerless
to preserve order.
Horrors of Erzerum.
Every day brings further details of
the massacres at ErZerum, and each re-
port makes the story of the crimes there
more CHASTITY. Men, women, and chill
dren were shot, bayoneted, burned. and
outraged for days, the murders and out :
RACES lasting for weeks, though inter-
walls of rest are recorded. The orders
for these OutageS are said to have been
sent by the Porte. and they were car
ried out In the most cruel manner i'm
aginable. The number Of killed will
probably never be known, and Is esti-
mated at from 500 to 1000, according to
Turkish or Armenian versions Of the
affair. Certainly many hundreds were
killed, and Armenian accounts say that
some of the victims were skinned alive,
while others were covered with petro-
leum and then set on fire. The Turks
claim that the Armenians were the ag-
gressors, but independent reports ac-
quit the latter of doing anything more
than attempting to defend themselves
at Erzerum and Diarbekir., although at
Zeitun, where they captured Turkish
battalion, and at Marash, the Armeni-
ans are admitted to have taken the in
itiative. The TURKS may not always be
to blame for the outbreaks, but there
| seems to be no excuse for the massacres
which follow.
Further troubles are reported at
Kharput, Malatia, and Arabkir and at
Marash the bloodshed and outrages are
said to have been even more terrible
and prolonged than at Erzerum. Du-
ring the rioting at Marash, Hadjin, and
Orfah, the American missionaries, on
account of the strong representations
made on the subject to the Porte by
United States Minister Terrell, were
protected by Turkish gendarmes. This
1t Is known, was by direct order of the
Porte, telegraphed' to iLe Turkish Off
cials at the places mentioned. Owing
to additional disquieting news just re-
ceived here from Sivas, Mr. Terrell has
renewed his demand that the Porte pro.
! tect the missionaries, and he is hold
ing the Turkish government responsible
for the missionaries lives.