The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-20
ALARMED At AFFAIRS,
Disorders Have Extended
Beyond the Sultan's
Control.
CANNOT SECURE PEACE.
There Are Not Enough Troops
to Hold the Kurds in
Check.
THE MASSACRE AT KHARPUT.
Soldiers Joined the MarauderS in the
Slaughter of the Prosecuted
ArmenianS.
THE MASSACRE At KHARPUT.

LONDON, ENG, Nov. 19.-The latest
advices received from the representative
OF The United Press in Constantinople say
that the Sultan continues to be greatly
alarmed over the state Of affairs in Asia
Minor, which has unquestionably reached
q point beyond his control. He spent the
entire night of November Is by the side of
a telegraph instrument in the Yildiz Pal
ace personally debating to the operator
dispatches conveying instructions TO the
various Provincial Governors in Asia
Minor commanding them to spare no eff
fort to restore order, and his anxiety to
escape from the tolls in which he has in
volved himself has within the last few
days been displayed in many other ways.
The lack or troops with which TO sup
press Kurdish outbreaks and TO restrain
the bloodthirstiness of the Kurds so as TO
guarantee order in future is being greatly
felt, and the Porte may yet be compelled
to admit its total inability to restore af-
fairs in Asia Minor to the condition de-
manded by the powers.
Further details of the recent massacre
at Kharput have been received in Constan-
tinople showing that the Kurds first made
an attack upon one part of the town and
were repulsed by the Armenians. In
furiated at this, they proceeded in body
to the Armenian mission quarter where
there ransacked houses and set fire to
them and burned buildings, including
eight belonging 70 the mission itself. The
Kurds were supported in their attack by
the Turkish troops, who should have pre-
served order. Instead of doing so, or even
attempting to do SO, the troops were N the
thick of the pillage and bloodshed. In
deed, it is safe to say, upon the strength of
the adyices received, that almost if not
quite as many Armenians were killed by
Turks as by Kurds.
The authorities succeeded in protecting
the missionaries, who took refuge in places
of safety, but were powerless, even if they
had the desire, to protect the other Chris
tIans.
The correspondent of the Uuited Press at
Constantinople sends, under date of No
VEN Der Is, additional details OF the massa-
ere which took place at Kharput on No
vember IS. The Kurdish raiders, the re-
port saws, were Joined by the Turkish SOL
diers. who assisted them throughout the
massacre. Indeed, they were more ag-
gressive in many cases than the Kurds
themselves.
Besides joining in the sacking of the
houses they did the greater part of the
firing upon mission buildings, being
armed with superior weapons. A shell
was thrown into the house occupied by DR..
\. II. Barnum of Leicester, Mass, with
his family, where it exploded, but fortu-
nately none of the household of that mis-
sionary was hurt. The raiders and their
military allies showed especial malice
toward foreigners. No accurate estimate
OF the number of Christians killed is posi-
be but it is known that hundreds, if not
thousands, of them were slaughtered
throughout the vilayet.
The value of the missionary property
destroyed was probably 500, 900. The
American missions are being amply pro-
tected now, and United States Minister
Terrell has obtained from the Porte an
order for the stationing of guard around
every house occupied by Americans, as well
as a guard for the interior of each build
ing.
A Canadian missionary named Martin
was terribly beaten and afterward i'm
prisoned at Fekkeh, near Padiin, where he
was detained sixteen hours before he was
released.
CONSTANTINOPLE,T TURKEY. Nov. 49,
A British war ship has been ordered to
Alexandretta, where the United States
cruiser San Francisco is daily expected to
arrive. A French warship has been or
dered to proceed to Beyroot.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 19.-The
Turkish legation received from the Sub
lime Porte the following telegram under
to-day's date:
"As a proof that the riots which took
place in points of Anotilet were due to the
revolutionary intrIgues of Armenians,
I send you the translation of
letter found in the house of certain
Dildgian of Diarbekir, who by his criminal
conduct was the cause of the renewed dis
orders in that city by firing as he did on
the people in the streets after everything
had quoted down. The letter runs as fol-
lows:
The pursuit of big projects requires
always big sacrifices. The blood already
shed has moved the civilized world But
perseverance is needed still. The last
hours of our struggle and the first ones of
our liberty are near.
%" Friends in London promised US help.
But to justify that help great sacrifices are
needed. The silence of your city spoils
our business. Consequently, you also
must raise your voice. Our enemies are as
dull as beasts.
"'It is necessary to put sin evidence"
the ferocity of their nature, and there is
only one way to attain this, for, although
they are able to submit to everything, they
cannot stand any insult to their religious
creed. Up to now no serious result has
been attained.
= 'r'It is necessary to begin again the
work When our courageous comrades
will attack our enemies at their places Of
worship we will certainly succeed. Any
delay in the execution of this
plan may cause US harm. 1t is
necessary to go on. Such aggressions are
not-so dangerous as they may appear. l
repeat again that the pursuit OF big pro-
iects requires always big sacrifices.