The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-02-28

| from the trustworthy couriers to establish
the main facts without the aid of the
more or less wild rumors of Armenian
origin, the very absurdity of which makes
the patient Investigator weary of his
task. If the detailed facts of the Sassoua
massacre are ever established, and they
probably never will be, they must be es-
| tablished independently of Armenian
testimony or their value may be seriously
questioned.
"This is open to reasonable explana-
| ton. In the first place every Armenian
with whom one comes in contrcte las a
very vague idea of the value of accuracy
and truth. In the second place in his
anxiety to make case against the Turks
he is willing to publish as facts any gor-
tesuue rumor that he may chance to fall
over in the street. In the third place he
does not really know what actually took
lplace in the Sassoun mountains, but his
vanity will not permit him to acknowl-
edge it and so, to be up with the times
and to help along the cause of his peo-
pie, he embellishes the rumor that he
hears and frequently says that he is in
direct communication with friends in
Moosh and Bitls, are harboring Sassoun
refuges. In this way while meaning to
do good to the cause of his people, he real
ly does harm for he effectually destroys
his own value as a witness. The fact is
greatly regretted that in this matter the
average Armenian cannot be believed
on oath Thus, whatever help is to be
rendered to oppressed Armenians IN
Turkey must be decided upon without
Armenian testimony.
"An Armenian came to me lately and
said: Seventeen hundred Armenians
have Just been massacred by Turks
"How do you know? l asked:
"a refugee has just come in.n
"You wish me to publish TINS as Il
fact?"
"Yes. why not The people of England
and America wish to know the facts.
every well bring the refugee to me
that | may write down his story
"The refugee was not refugee at all
but a laborer from Ervan, in search of
work. His story amounted to this: In
Erwin he had heard a man say that
another man in Etchmedzin had said
that 100 people have been killed in the
Sassour massacre. Another Armenian
was willing to swear to me on the BlDie,
that 5000 persons had been killed in the
Sassoun massacre. In proof of this he
said that so many persons were living IN
the Sassoun mountains before the mas
sacre took place and that an estimated
number of thousands had escaped, hence
the missing 5000 and 5000 had been
killed. But this man was moderate.
"Some place the number at lO,oUO
arguing that only few persons escaped
from the mountains What is the pat
lent Investigator to do with such people?
''To such an extent has the fear of the
revolutionary movement taken hold of the
officials of Turkey that Americans and
Enplishmen find it next to impossible to
travel in any part of Armenia. To the
American citizen of Armenian birth it is
simply impossible to get into the country
at all, no matter on what preteXt
In connection with this matter, it may
be said that naturalized Armenians re-
turning from America with American
passports have tendency to making
life a burden to Mr.. Terrell. In seven
cases out of 10, the Armenian-American
on arrival at Constantinople goes straight
way to the American legation and asks
for financial assistance.