The Portland daily press., 1895-12-02
PERPETRATED ON THE POOR
HELPLESS ARMENIANS.
The Heart Rending Narrative Of
Bye Witnesses.
VICTIMS SHOT, BURNED AT THE
STAKE AND TORN WITH KNIVES.

A Translation from an Armenian Paper
A Story That Turns One Sick With
&E EHorror-The Tortures of the Spanish
Inguisitions Were No Worse-Helpless
Mothers, Young Brides and Innocent
Children Among the victims-Torture
and Death-Numbers of Women stripp-
ed and Carried Off Prisoners-A Tale
Almost Too Terrible to Contemplate.
Boston, December 1.-The following
account of the massacre and plumber at
Baiboort has been translated from an
Armenian paper by an Armenian resident
of Boston.
Sunday, October 1st, was day Of
slaughter and plumber for Baiboort; o
day of joy for the Turks and of sorrow
and mourning for the Armenian people,
About O'Clock on the afternoon of
JORtCu4U0I COy AOW6 iOdOAOSA 05 VncbU AVO
hundred Lazes from Surmene were
marching on Baiboort for the purpose of
slaughtering the Armenians of the place.
The local government sent some in
| 6uential Lazes beys with the local meefi,
and other Turkish clergymen to meet
these savage northerners and dissuade
them from attacking the Arlnenians, as
they were inoffensiye people, were not
rebels but loyal subjects Of the Sultan.
| Their efforts were in vain. October first,
| Sunday, the Lazes, numbering nearly
one thousand persons and led by some
Turks belonging in Baiboort and de-
pendent villages, attacked the Armenian
villages, beginning with the village Of
Looshonk, which is entirely inhabited by
Armenians. This village is about six
hours ride in an easterly direction from
Baiboort The work of slaughter and
plumber, began as follows: About 10
O'Clock Sunday morning, Taipoor Agha,
| q notable of the village OF NeurIne,
accompanied by four armed Turks,
came to Looshenk to take away some
cattle belonging TO him.
This village Is going to be attacked, "he
said. II want to save my property"
| The villagers. suspecting some sinister
motives, delivered the cattle wiUnout
allowing Taipoor and his gang to enter
the village. The next day about three
O'Clock % a. m.) the village was
surrounded by mob numbering a
thousand, and armed with Martini rifles.
of burden, led by some seventy Turkish
women. Among the crowd, were seen q
number Of we'll known Turks from the
| city and neighbOring villages, some ci
| whom were the following: Pslid Ogloc
Hail Mehmed, from zBirghiji village, two
hours from Looshouk; Poosh Ogloe
Beshir, from Amer, the son Of Haj
brigand from Lurmens, Deryish from
Koshgoer, an hour and a half from
Looshok; Ibrahim Bey from Tahgb: ths
sons of Jinghon Yooso of from Kormans,
two hours from Looshook, and khalio
and Jiminni Husein from the city.
The last named individual and Tor some
time lived in Looshook and knew every
nook and corner of the place. He wa'
therefore chosen to lead tho attack on the
village. The mob was largely composed
of the followers of the above named in
dividuals. Upon the appearance OF this
armed force the villagers despatched 6
messenger to inform the government 01
the situation, and ask for immediate help.
In response to this appeal, the govern
ASA
the scene of the trouble with no particu-
lar haste staying over night in Roumeli
village, and when they arrived at
Looshuk the next day tho bloody work
was completed and the stiffness of death
reigned. The savage horde after a siege
Of seven hours, attacked tho village. Ihe
villagers had left their houses and taken
refuge in the school building, which was
quite large.
The barbarians, after plundering every
house and loading their mules with the
booty, set some of the buildings as well
as large stacks of hay on fire and then
proceeded to attack the schoolhouse.
What could the poor, unarIned people in
side do? The shrieks of women and cries
of children rent the air Bullets begar
showering in through the windows. Ii
the darkness none could tell who wa.
hurt or killed. The poor people cryine
piteously, ''take all we have, but fol
Gods sake spare our live." But non,
would listen to their entreaties. They
seemed rather to increase their fury a.
now they proceeded to set the building
on fire. Some who were wounded an(
lying on the floor begged those who wer,
rushing out of the building to save then
from being burned alive, not to trampl
upon them. but no voice could Re heart
or any object seen in the dim and dark
ness. But those who left the burning
schoolho1se could not escape their fate
as they were to be burnt on stakes which
the. fendish mob was preparing outside
The Spanish 1nquisitors never practicet
such cruelties. The stoutest heart woult
quail before such scene of unspeakabls
barbarities
Those coming out of the schoolhous
were surrounded and the space in from
; of the building soon took the aEpearanc
, of II slaughter house. One of Ha
Khoomriss' sons. assisted by thre
rutfians seized Mahdesi Idepan, thirty
, eight years old, stripped him naked ant
then killed him by shower of bullets
from their rifles. Thsn they seizet
Idepan' S brother Tevos, thirty years old