The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-07-18
PLANS OF BUTCHERY
Turkey Imported Oil for the Sas-
SCUM Massacre.
AND MADE LAVISH USE OF IT
Death Stalks Abroad Even Now in the
Valley That Was Once the Gar
d-n OF Eden.



Associated Press)
Van Armenia, May 24.-The Sassoun
massacre, it would appear, was one of
the most carefully planned outrages in
history. The evidences of this are cir
cumstantial only, but it is alleged to be
none the less conclusive During the
months of June, July and August pre-
ceding the Sassoun massacre the Kurd-
ish chiefs in the country surrounding
the Sassoun region, and particularly
the district to the southwark and south
westward, were apparently unusually
busy IN gathering up the scattered war
rlors OF their tribes for an invasion of
the Sassoun region. In July and August
enormous quantities of petroleum were
shipped from Erzeroum and Moush.
This petroleum was shipped from Rus
sla to Erzeroum, and so great was the
quantity brought over the mountain
roads that it was the subject of remark
to many persons. For a time it looked
as though nothing went over the road
between Erzeroum and Moush but pc
troleum. Now, it is a fact that Moush
does not use a great quantity of petro-
leum herself nor do her merchants sell
much of it to the surrounding country
are used for the lights
What Moush wanted with these count
less cans of petroleum was a mystery
but the mystery was a mystery no long
er after the Sassoun massacre for the
petroleum was used to burn the houses
OF Sassoun villages and to cremate the
bodies of the wretched villagers who fell
victims to the awful butchery. In
burning the houses the petroleum was
thrown upon the woodwork in generous
quantities and set on fire. In cremating
the dead they We're, in many cases.
placed in layers of wood and built UP
into a pile. The entire mass was then
saturated with petroleum and set on
fire. 1t is charged that living men were
cremated in the same way, but this was
merciful way of putting the unfort-
unate creatures to death in comparison
with the tortures inflicted upon many
others.
TROOPS MASSED.
The massing of troops near the Sas-
soun region, and particularly at Moush
was carried on for some time before the
beginning of the massacre, in order that
everything might be in readiness for the
program carefully made out at Con-
stantinople. Several weeks after the
We're sent from the palace at CONSTANT
nople for the massacre of the inhabi-
tants of Modikan, district lying to the
south and southeast of Sassoun, but
when it was seen that an investigation
of the massacre at Sassoun was newt
able the order, it is said, was recalled,
and Modikan was not molested except in
the ordinary course of persecution gen
eral in all parts of Armenia.
MARTYRS READY.
In the city of Van at this moment
there are 500 young men sworn to give
themselves as a sacrifice to Turkish
butchery in the hope that the attention
of England may be more strongly called
to the situation of their people. The Ar
menians can not accept any such
scheme of reform which does not have
| for its fundamental principles the alb
| solute control by European powers I'm
less Europe controls the reform there
will be a massacre of 1000 Christians in
| the city of Van in three months. The
| Armenians themselves will bring this
about rather than be cast about by
| their fellows of the west.
There is no language quite adequate
| to a description of the real condition oi
Armenia at present. Men are beaten
robbed and murdered, and women are
ravished by Kurds and Turkish sol
diers. Woe and want and despair anc
death stalk abroad in this beautiful
land that was once part of the garder
| of Eden. The inhabitants of Van ar,
living on the brink of a massacre from
| day to day.