The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-16

with the kurds. Then the bugle blew ana
the soldiers, led by their commander,
withdrew to the city, dragging their can
non in a very leisurely fashion.
"After the soldiers had reached the city
the kurds and Turks came on, yelling and
firing. The soldiers made no attempt to
stop them. They fired their cannon once
harmlessly in the air toward the city, and
they fired off their guns over the heads OF
the enemy. The Turks of the city joined
in the plumber and attack. The Armenian
school was fired first, then the greater part
of the Christian quarter. Christians were
shot down everywhere.
"The Christians had given upl their
arms and cast thems elves on the protec-
ton of the Government. No Christian
fired on the assailants.
"The missionaries took refuge in the
girls school until that was attacked and
the mission-house of Rev. o. P. Allen and
wife burned and the school set on fire.
Then they gathered in the yard, prepared
to die together. DR.. Barnum spoke to the
military commander and he sent soldiers.
They all left but two, who demanded
backsheesh before they would go.
"The missionaries decided to go into the
college building. As they left the school.
yard a Turk fired upon them from across
the yard twice, first at Mr.. Allen and then
at Rev. G. Frank Gates. He was very
bad marksman or else God withheld him
from accomplishing his purpose. After
the missionaries got into the school
building the officers sent for them. to
come out.
"The missionaries told them they had
no confidence in the chief and the Multi,
or doctor of law and if they wished to
protect them they could protect them
there. If they did not the missionaries
would die there.
''At last the Alai Bey (Mehemet Bey).
Circassian, arrived. He was the first and
only man who acted as if he meant to do
anything for the missionaries. The SOL
diers left them and he called them back.
The missionaries got out the fire engine,
and fought the fire for three days. They
saved the house of President Gates, the
house of DIR. Barnum, the Normal school
and the college building. Eight of the
buildings were burned. All the houses
were plundered, and the soldiers made no
attempt to stop it. The missionaries were
stripped of everything but the clothes
they wore, but none were killed or
wounded.
THE Turks of the city were very much
disappointed that any of the missionary
buildings were spared, and they were de-
termined that DR.. Barnum should be
killed. Tuesday Alai Bey told them that
he could not protect them there. DR.. Bar
mum told him that they would not leave
the building. If it was fired they would
die in it, If they had left the assailants
would have burned the buildings and
forced the refugees to become Moslems or
suffer the penalty. Everywhere this alter
native was given to men. All the Chris
tian villages and Christian quarters of viii
lagos in the Harpoot field have been
burned with the possible exception of Gar
muri The need of help cannot be stated
too strongly.
Tuesday the Kurds returned to the
attack. An order came to stop them and
permission was given to shoot the Kurds
When this order came two soldiers laid
down their arms. Nine Kurds were killed
that day at Mezreh and five at Harpoot.
That finished the attack of the Kurds.
There was still danger from the Turks, and
there is now. Four hundred souls are
gathered in the college and missionaries
are feeding them.
"There will be need of thousands of
pounds to care for the needy. l counted
twenty-one ruined villages of which 1
knew, but there are said to be thirty-fve
villages in the Char Sandjak alone, and
no returns from Farkin yet. The mis-
sionaries may not yet escape with their
lives, but if they do there will be great
need of relief work. This whole business
has been hellish, and the Government de-
liberately abandoned Christians"