Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-17
TALES OF HORROR
Rehearsed by the Survivors,o Of
the Sassoun Massacre.
Terrible Cruelty and Barbarity Of
kourds Told by Many Lips.
Wen. Women and Children lII.treaied and
Muti'ated by Scores.

N~NFCNsAA
refugees. The story has been taken il
detail and forwarded for publication il
the United States. 1t comes from Bitlln
in the mountain region of eastern Turkey
and may be relied upon.
Parih of Dalvorig region, Hetink village
of some IS houses, says: 1--WE We're II
souls In our house, but three were killed
by soldiers. My husband, Boghas, wa.
shot through the head His brother, Har
ten. they killed with two bayonet wounds
on the head and 10 on the body After
thus mangling his body, they hung /,
from tree. exposed to the sun, and TO be
food for rapacious birds Khanadal Kur
dagha pleaded with the soldiers, falling al
their feet, and so we women and the chill
drcn, for the most part We're allowed to
escape, though other nomadic Kourds
from the south plundercd the village,
stripping us Of our clothing burning the
houses, etc. AT Aghpig, near the village,
Nero was burned in his house. Turro's
small children were hacked to pieces by
the soldiers, and woman's head found
and recognized"
Shammeh, a woman of the above vii
lage, says: "There were "a in the house
and two killed My son, Apkar, some II
years old, and little daughter were killed.
My father is Chalo of Gcliguzap, and from
that house We're killed Sahng. Mardo,
MICRO, Sarkis, Doneh, and Ghazar."
Her testimony also confirms what is
given elsewhere by others as to how a
Geliguzan woman, Hapseh by name, her
own aunt, led on her four sons in the de-
Tense, calling out, Come on, my sons,
am ready to sacrifice you to the race" In
the end she was killed, when they were
discouraged and fed.
81 also saw another, Hapseh by name,
a native of Dalvorig, ripped up by the SOL
dicrs, the child put on her breast, and the
two bayonetted after that" Der (pricst)
Hohanncs Of Seminal and Der Bedrase Of
Geliguzan were her uncles, and she, like
others, says 1.-THE eyes of Der Bedrasc were
dug out and 40 bayonet wounds inflicted"
Der Hohannes, one of the 40 bayonetted
into the ditch by the soldiers, asked for a few
minutes to pray, and was told if he would
not change his faith he would be killed
II can't" he said, 'but my people (many
of whom were drawn up before him) are
free to do as they like" As they too re-
fused to change their faith they were
bayonetted into the long ditch grave they
had been forced to dig.
The soldiers took out Der Hohannes
eyes, seized his hands and compelled him
to dance. Not only was he deprived of his
beard--the insignia of his priestly office
but the cruel creatures took along with
the razor some Of the skin and flesh as
we'll. Having pierced his throat they
forced him to drink water when it flowed
from the CHASTITY cut down on either side
His head was kicked this way and that as
If football. Human flesh taken from
some of his manglcd people was put into
his mouth. He, too, was pitched into the
ditch with more than two score men that
had the promise of safety if they would
Cease Resistance and Surrender.
Independent testimony respecting the
terrible torture inflicted on this priest by
others, and among them that of his own
family, an own sisterin-law, Khuzzam, of
30 years, and bride of 20 years, by name
of Khuzzo, is said to confirm the above ac-
count This KhuZzam also tells how her
husband Boghos and his brother Urke
were bayonetted into that ditch grave and
the lattcr's wife ripped up, child put on
her breast and the two bayonetted to-
gcther
Enmo, Geliguzan, of 80 years, gives in
dependent testimony confirming what
was said above by Shammeh as to the
killing from their family Sahag, Mardo,
Magro, Sarkis, Doneh and Ghazar, and
adds how MaPro pleaded with the soldier.
to take his pet boy from his arms to dis
TANGO so he might not see them kill his
father. She also confirms the torture and
death of Arakel Vartabed (prclate, higher
than priest), who was her nephew. She
as also Marian, Of 30 years, testify as to
how a Hovsey of Shrink was nearly be-
headed, his face mangled, and his arms
and legs were mostly disjointed; he was
her relative. Awak, Steffo's son, was
killed, and was relative.
Her companion, Marian, tells how her
husband, Chazar, was also pitched into
that ditch and 2-year-old little boy
burned In the house They both tell how
in Geliguzan a 4-year- old boy, son of Hello,
was sacrificed on fire made for the pur-
pose by the soldiers. Marian saw from
her hiding place the soldiers hang from a
tree and Gay alive one Harton, Manos
son, and there he was left hanging his
groans being heard for days, prey to the
rapacious birds and the scorching sun.
Both Of them tell how "brave Vartan" is
killed, being pursued by nine soldiers, who
mangle him, scraping skin and flesh from
his face, thrusting flesh from his own per-
son into his mouth.
Manong Of Seminal says Tabo didn't be-
tray Tamatian, as had been reported, but
that Kourds under lead of their dervish
chief took him, though as Tabo was pres
ent and chief of the village, some charged
it on him. Tabo had two brothers, Khacho
and Boghos, pitched irto the ditch. Ma
nong's companion, Steppo, II years of age,
tells how his father, Sherro, and uncle
iiragos, and 10-year-old sister, Shuahan,
were killed. These both relate how Xalo's
wife, Tori, was ripped up and child flung
Into the Air on Bayonet.
Khazo Of Shrink, 20 years of age, who
las babe in arms of four months, tells |
low her husband, Boghos, and his
BROTHER Ghazar, were killed, also three
,thers Of the family Tattar, Khacho and |
llisag. Her mother, Memmo, was hacked |
md havonetted all out Of share and left