Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1895-12-05
STRAIGHT STORY.


Constantinople, Nov. z7.-The FL.
lowing matter hes been handed to the
European manager II the Unitsd
pres, ~hs u so~ in Cosstansiuopas.
The httsr, from full ooncdeaos II ths
Amoyiqop 1u6Isn IN NJ - \
! "a 1o1 ~ pslb>na1 ouf6eSGtlee
q 6bls TO hrward Il 70 The Amsriosn
press a. an impartial statement Of
facts.
The statement has the full endorse.
ment Of Minister Terrell.
During the month Of October .
cou'iderable part Of the Armenian
districts in the provinces Of Trebi
zonde, E,zeroum, Bitlis, Van, Har-
pool, Diarbakir and silva has been
laid waste and a number not fully
known of the Armenian inhabitants
have been killed by men intent on
crushing into impotence the Armeni-
ans in Turkey.
As the awful tidings have come IN,
by driblets. the Turkish government
has diligently telegraphed abroad in
regard TO each place that Armenians
had attacked Mussulmans, thus arous
log frenzy of indignation which
could not easily he controlled, but
that order had been restored after
some loss Of life.
The effect Of these kilograms has
been TO cultivate a belief that there
has been some general risipg Of
Armenians, and that We are in the
presence Of calamity which ismerely
the result OF lasleS proceedings Of
the present Armen,sns themselves
Natural indignation with the Armeni.
ans for rising at the very moment
when the reform scheme Vas about "
be put in operation may be modsrat-
ed when il is known that up to this
date the only authentic uprising Of
Armeniaes has taken place at Zsitouu,
In the province of Aleppc. and far
from she sesne Of the masacres.
Moreover, in such cases ~ offer oppor.
tunities for examination several
circumstances cited 10 the Turkish
dispstches ~ causes for the bloodshed
have been proven 10 have been in.
cidents and not causes Of the mas
sacres. Men who found themselves
ssssi'ed BY the mob and happened To
aave arms ia their houses, in number
Of css~s defended their lives and their
families TO the last. At Disrbskir,
where the Christians are generally
armed, they made hard fight for life,
aud some 500 Moslems are said TO
have been killed. But ride from this
one case, the destruction OF from TO-.
200 to 10, 900 Christians has not cost
tue Turks more than two or three
hundred lives.
Proper comprehension Of what has
taken place depends on knowledge Of
what went before. In the latter part
of September, while the powers were
renewing their demands for the &C.
ceptance by the sultan Of the reform
scheme, word began TO come in from
all Of the provinces that the Moelems
were being armed, while he disarma.
ment Of the Christians was being
pressed with great determination. In
many cases Moslems were found buy.
ing arms in the open market who had
no money to buy bread. In other
cases the officials sold to the Moslemi
the arms which they confscated from
the Christiant, thus making useiul
profit. At the same time the Kurdi
Of the mountainous district of Dersim
lying between Erzingan and HArpool
began to assemble, saying that they
had received orders from Sekki Pasha
the commander of the fourth army
corps. to devastate the Armenian vii
lages, taking the plumber for then
lpay. Whether such orders wer
given no one knows. They prompt,
begun 10 sieze the cattle and sheep o
the Armenians in all OF the surround
ing regions, seeming anxious to secur
the focks and 70 get them out o
harms way before the serious worl
begun.
During the early days Of October
Turks in oil Of the six provinces
openly declased hey wers going 4
massacre the Christians.
The Armenian patiisrchats ant
some Of the foreign embassies al t;oa
} s,antinople based on blood-curdlipI
threats, for protection from tn
Moslem population. Terror reigne
among all the Armenians ofsth
region, because they we're heiplts an
uuarmed in the midst Of seethin
mas Of hate and fanstieirm.
In Eiseroum about this time -lare
numbers ofmoslem villagers, il IL saic
began to come into rhe city, eager
huy empty sacks 1t was . cufior
c.I ,t;s ,...s.... a. >ss- -