The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1895-06-22

Boston, June 2O.-A rehearsal Of the
SassOun massacre has been made by
refugees. The story has been taken in
detail and, forwarded for publication
In the United States. 1t comes from
Bitlis, in the mountain region Of East
ern Turkey, and may be relied upon.
Parth Of Dalvorig region, Hetink
village, of some thirty-five houses,
says: 1--WE were eleven souls in our
house, but three were killed by SOL
dfers. My husband. Boghas. was shot
through the head. His brother, Harten,
they killed with two bayonet wounds
on the head and ten on the body. AZ
ter thus mangling his body they hung
1t from tree, exposed to the sun and
to be food for rapacious birds. Khan
adall Kurdagha pleads with the SOL
diers, falling at their feet, and so we
women and children, for the most part,
were allowed to escape, though other
nomadic Kourds from the South plum
dered 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 We're hacked to pieces by the
soldiers, and a wOman's head found
and recognized"
Shammeh, woman of the above
village, says: '"There were twenty
four in the house and two killed. My
son, Apkar, some seventeen years old,
and little daughter. were killed. My
father is Chalo of Geliguzan. and from
that house were killed Sahag. Mardo,
MICRO, Sarkis, Doneh and Ghazar"
Her testimony also confirms what is
given elsewhere by others as to how IL
GeliguZan woman, Hapseh by name,
her own aunt, led on her four sons
in the defense. calling out: "Come ON.
my sons; l am ready to sacrifice you
to the race" In the end she was
killed. when they were discouraged
and fled. II also saw another Hapseh
by name. native of Dalvorg. ripped up
by the soldiers and the child put on
her breast and the two bayoneted af-
| ter that"
| His Eyes Dug Out.
Der (pricsn Hollannes of Seminal.
and Der Bedrase. of GeliguZan. were
her uncles. and she. like others, says:
''The eyes of Der Bedrase were dug
out and forty bayonct wounds innirt-
cd. Der Holannes. of the fo,iy hay
onettcd in the ditch hy the g l!ic's,
asked for a few minutes to p.,y. an,!
was told that if he would not change
faith he would be killed. Il can't he
said, but my people, (many drawn up
before him ARE free to do as they
like AS they, too, refused to change
their faith. they were bayonetted into
the long ditch grave they had been
forced to dig. The soldiers took out
Der H"liarnes' eyes, seized his hands
ard compelled him to dance. Not only
was lie deprived Of his beard-the in
sigma of his priestly office-but the
cruel creatures took along with the
razor some of the skin and flesh as
well. Having pierced his thraat they
forced him to drink water. when it
flowed from the CHASTITY cut down on
citlter side. ills head was kicked this
wnv and that. as il foot ball. Human
flesh taken from some of the mangled
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 sister-in-
law, Khuzzam. of thirty years, and a
bride of twenty years, by the name of
XhuZZO, is said to confirm the above
account. This Khuzzam also tells how
her husband. Bobhes. and his brother
Urke were bayOnetted into that ditch
grave, and the latter's wife ripped up,
child put to her breast and the two
bayonetted together.
Sacrificed by Fire
made for the purpose by the soldiers.
Marian saw from her hiding place the
soldiers hang from tree and fay
alive one Harten, Mano's son, and
there he was left hanging, his groans
being heard for days, a pray to rapac-
tous 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 person into his mouth.
Manong Of Seminal says Tabo didn't
betray Tamatian, as has been reported,
but the Xourds. under the lead of
their dervish chief, took him, though
as Tabo was present and chief of the
village, some charged it on him. Tabo
had two brothers. Khacho and Boghos,
i pitched into the ditch Manong's COM
panion, Steppo. of seventeen years,
tells how his father, Sherro, and his
uncle. Giragos. and ten-year-old sister,
Shuahan, We're killed. These both re-
late how Kalo's wife, Tori. was
ripped up and child flung into the air
on bayonet.