The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-01-05
THE UNsPEAKABLE TURK.
of the sublime Pert Forced OF

Statement. of the Sublime Pert Forced on
t,sc Native Press.
: HosToN, Mass. Jan. 1.-The follow
ing statement with reference to the
condition of affairs in those Districts in
Armenia where Christian missionaries
are stationed was issued by tho Ameri-
can board of commissioners for foreign
missions:
Official letters sent recently from the
rooms of the American board of COM
missioners for foreign missions, con-
taining accounts relating to the Eu-
ropean-Turlley missions were opened
by Turkish officials. The letters were
subsequently delivered, but with the
Turkish word examine written OF
tho envelope. This Indicated that tile
Turkish government is attempting to
all authority. over the mails OF
foreigners.
When the reports of the massacre OF
Christians in the Sassouu district OF
eastern Turkey becnme public, after
0 than wv months of suppression
on the part of the Turkish officials, the
Ottoman government vas alarmed at
inc widespread publications in the
American and English press. Under
pressure from foreign powers the sultan
agreed to send Il commission to investi-
gate and report upon the outrages. In
view of this promise of the government
the representatives of the European
powers at Constantipople decided to
wait for the report before taking any
positive action.
But after this decision by the powers
end while they were waiting for the
departure of the sultun's commission.
which had been appointed and which
was to make full and impartial invcsti-
cations of all the affairs reported by
tile English consul, as we'll as by many
Individuals from the Snssoun district,
ttc Turkish government gave nut the
following official statement of the case,
which statement was printed in the
papers of Constantinople. All papers
printed in Turkey ure under close cen
sorship and no paper could refuse to
print the statement under penalty of
immediate suspension. Hence the
Christian periodicals were compelled to
print what they knew to be false. The
statement is as follows:
Some of the recent European papers
have stated, contrary to the truth, that
few Armenian villages have been de-
stroyed, and i'll the meantime persons
have been massacrcd by the Turkish,
soldiers in the district of Sassoun. 9th
ers, in order 10 magnify the reports.
have asserted that the news of the out
rage was prevented from leaking out
by the obstacles the government put in
the way of the travellers from that dis
trict.
The subjects of The empires Sas-
SCUM district are quietly engaged with
their business and tho people travel
wherever they wish in perfect safety.
Some Armenian bandits, being induced
by agitators, began lately in and about
Snssoun to disturb the peace and com
forte the people by Numbering. plum
dering and blocking the highways. In
order to put an end to such disasters,
the government employed the ncces-
sary means and consequently ordered
out II sufficient body of imperial sol
dicrs of the Fourth army corps. Thus
the extension of the revolt sbsine
checked, the troops were withdrawn to
their headquarters.
There was no interference by the
kurds. but, as stated above. some
Armenian bandits, having ventured to
d~isordcrly actions, the Fourth Imperial
army corps and also the governor OF
Bitlis, undertook to investigate as to
the facts and subsequently n commits
sion of inquiry, composed of Abdoollah
pashn, Fomer Bcy, Mediid Etfendi and
Hafez TevGk Pasha, was appointed,
which will start this week by steame.
to the scene of the trouble.
"In general, the Sublime Porte will
Icy allow such outrages to be per.
petrated as published in foreign papers
upon her subjects"