The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1895-12-26
AMERICANS IN TURKEY.
Secretary oiney Answers n senate Rcsoiu-
tion of Inquiry.


WARRINGTON, Dec. 20.-The president
yesterday replied 10 the senate reso-
luton Of December 4. calling for infor-
nation received by the state depart
ment respecting affairs in Turkey.
The response is in the shape Of a report
by Secretary olney, summarizing but
not Including the official corresponds
ence, and beginning with the mas
sacre at Moosh in August, 1894.
in substance, the secretary's re-
port ~recounts all that has been
done TO protect American citizens
against the rioters; shows that while
their property has suffered in two in
stances, they have not been injured in
persons; quotes Minister Terrell as esti-
mating the number of Armenians
killed at 80, 900, and after citing several
cases wherein naturalized Americans
have been oppressively treated, states
that proper steps have been taken to
secure indemnity in all cases and to
protect naturalized citizens in their
treaty rights.
Secretary Olney says hat the num-
Der of United States citizens in Turkey
is not accurately known, but there are
l72 American missionaries scattered
over Asia Minor and numbers of citi-
zens in business, besides naturalized
Armenians temporarily residing in
Turkey, and hat probably the whole
number of these persons is between
500 and 600. The bulk of this Amer
lean element is found in the interior
of Asia Minor and Syria, in quar-
tiers remote from our ~consulates,
isolated and inaccessible, except by
difficult mountain journeys. Says Sec.
rotary Olney: under these circum-
stances and in the midst of the alarm
ing agitation which for more than a
year past has existed in Asia Minor, 1t
has been no slight task for the reprea
sentative of the United States to fol-
low the interests of those whose de-
Tense necessarily falls to his care,
to demand and obtain the meas
ures indispensable to their safety,
and to act instantly upon every appeal
for help in view of real or apprehended
peril. 1t is, however, gratifying to
bear testimony to the energy end
promptness of the minister in dealing
with every grievance brought to his
notice and his foresight in anticipating
complaints and securing timely pro-
lection in advance of actual lee
The efforts of the minister have
had the moral support of the presence
of naval vessels of the United states
on the Syrian and Adana coasts from
time to time as occasion required and
at the present time the San Francisco
and Marblehead are about to be joined
by the Minneapolis which mas lately
been ordered to the eastern waters OF
the Mediterranean, the squadron being
under command of Rear Admiral Self.
ridge, an officer whose record indicates
the necessary discretion in dealing
with whatever emergencies may arise"
The secretary says hat while the
physical safety of the citizens appears
up to the present to have been secured,
their property has been destroyed on
at least two occasions The meager
reports from the Harpoot riots OF
November last show that American
mission property was destroyed to the
estimated value of 500. o and the
porte has been notified that it will be
held responsible for full satisfaction.
The value of the property destroyed
at Marash, November 10, by the burn.
ing of the American missionary school
of science has not been as~certained,
but after investiga ton indemnity will
also be demanded in that case.
Apart from these general incidents,
Secretary Olney reports upon several
cases of individual citizens who suf.
fered in life n person in Turkey, be.
ginning with LEM, the bicyclist, whose
murder was unearthed with the eff.
cient aid of the British consul at
Erzeroum." At last accounts five o
six Kurds and Armenians were to be
put to trial for the murder.
Secretary Olney next treats of ar.
rests of American citizens in violation
of treaty rights, of which there have
been a number. "Although," he says,
the treaty in terms gives to the min
listers and consuls authority and power
to punish American offenders, and alb
solutely excludes their Imprisonment
by Turkish authorities, the Ottoman
government, while admitting TO
this extent the English render.
ing of the treaty, has on fire.
quent occasions, assumed to imprison
citizens of the United States on Grim
inal charges and denied the rights of
agents of this government to effect
their punishment. A fruitful source
of such assertion of authority is found
in the case of persons of Armenian
origin, naturalized in the United
States, aud returning within the terri
torial jurisdiction of Turkey under
circumstances suggesting their com.
plicity in the revolutionary schemes
alleged to be rife in Asia Minor"