The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-17
ALL SHAMELESS.
kurds and Turks Have No Respect
For Armenian Women.
AWFUL 0UTRAGES IN ARMENIA.
Brides Seized Right at the
Church Doors
Especial Correspondcnce.l

VAN, Armenia, juno 3.-Apart from
the actual butchery Of Sassoun, the most
painful feature Of the Armenian situation
One cannot investigate this phase of the
subject without helings Of rage and hor-
ror over the shameless insults and out
RACES to which these poor creatures are
subjected from day to day.
After the most careful personal inquiry,
the correspondent Is able 10 state that in
hundreds Of villages In Armenia there Is
hardly one woman, old or young, who is
not from time TO time made the victim or
the passions of the Kurds and Turks.
BY way Of a general statement Of the
situation IL may be said that In all the viii
lagos of Armenia the Christian women,
both old and young, are Absolutely at the
mercy Of their Kurdish and Turkish
peighbors. This is not the case in the
larger cities of Van. Bitlis, Moosh and
Erzroom, because in these cities the largo
Armenian population Is In itself a protec-
tion to tho women; but in the villages,
where the Armenians are In the minority,
protection Is not possible, and the women
are at the heck aud call of any Kurd or
Turk who happens to take fancy To
them. Moreover, this state of things ie
said to be perfectly well known to the
Turkish government.
Tax Collecting Farmcd Out.
It is the custom of tine government to
sell TO the highest bidder the tax priv.
ileges Of the various villages, the pu.-
chaser having the right to collect all of the
taxes from the people. In very many
cases the number of young Armenian
women In village has great deal TO do
with the price paid for the tax privilege.
When the public sale is made Of the tax
privilege, 10 is no uncommon thing for the
auctioneer to call ont in the market place,
so that all may hear, that SO many girls
are available In tho village. This is done
most frequently in the streets Of the city
Of Ditlis.
When q man has purchased tho tar
privilege OF n village he considers that no
has also bought and paid for the women
of the village, and any attempt on tho
part of the husbands, brothers or fathers
TO resent this Interpretation Of the law Is
looked upon ne high treason, punishable
with death. II the Armenian men object
to this treatment of their women, they are
beaten and driven from the village, and in
many cases even killed.
lnc iu4 10 aDte 10 t1kc an extra
profit ont of his village by renting out to
his friends among the Turks and Kurds
the privilege OF making use of such
women as he does not want for himself,
and Kurds who cannot afford TO pay for
this privilege content themselves with
taking tho women by force when the
owner of the village is not present.
Kurds and Turks who cannot afford TO
G,,. Il
farmer, and enter the villages openly, arc
compelled TO wait until they can catch tho
Armenian women going across tho fields.
Then the poor women are pounced upon
and dragged out OF sight Of their friends.
Brides tho Prey OF TURKS and Kurds.
The women who suffer the most are the
brides. Turks and Kurds think il great
sport TO carry off bride from the very |
arms of her husband, and to keep her in |
their own houses until they have become |
tired Of her presence.
So great is the fear felt for the official |
class Of Kurds apd Turks by the Arme- |
mans, that oftentimes the compliment Of |
forcible seizure Is not offered to the |
brides, One case is cited In which the |
Kurdish chief does not even take the
trouble TO go to the houses of the women |
ne desires. he merely says TO his chief |
servant; II want those two new brides.
Tell one Of them TO come here tonight
and the other tomorrow"
The servant who receives this order i'm.
mediately gives notice to the families of
the brides, and at the appointed time the
brides present themselves to the chief who
has power over them.
One Kurdish chief is said 10 manage the
Affairs Of his village with some semblance
Of method and system. He makes IL a
rule that no girl shall be violated until
'he has become bride. His theory is that
when maid has been violated, her chances
If getting married arc lesscned, and she is,
not rs desirable piece OF prop
'rty in the Oriental estimate OF her vii
age.
When, at the age Of ~ or rs years, she
ventures TO marry, this restriction is re-
lewed, and the chief himself is usually
he first TO seize her and carry her off TO
us own house as the wedding procession
caves the church door. But the forbear.
nee of this Kurd Is rare exception.
Dulsa