The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-01-03
NEW TURKISHDEN
Atrocities in Armenia Were Not
Known to the Sultan.
PAPERS UNDER CENSORSHIP


Washington, Dec. 3O.-The following
statement in regard to the condition of
affairs in the eight districts of Armenia
III which Christian missionaries are
stationed was today issued by the
American board of commissioners for
foreign missions:
Official letters sent recently from the
rooms of the American commissioners
for foreign missionaries containing ac-
counts relating to European-Turkey
missions were opened by the Turkish
officials. The letters were subsequently
delivered, but with the Turkish word
Examine" written on the envelope
This indicated that the Turkish govern
ment is attempting to assume all au-
thority over the mail of foreigners.
When reports of the massacre of Chris
tians in Sassoun, a district Of eastern
Turkey. became public, after more than
two months OF suppression on the part
of Turkish officials, the Ottoman gov
eminent was alarmed at the widespread
publications. in the American and Eng
fish press. Under pressure from the for
eign powers, the sultan agreed to send
a commissioner to investigate and report
upon the outrages. In view of this prom
!
of the European powers at Constantine
pie decided to wait for the report before
taking any positive action. But after
this decision by the powers and while
they were waiting for the departure Of
the sultan's commission which had
| been appointed and which was to make
a full and impartial ADMINISTRATION of all
affairs reported by the English consul,
as well as by many individuals from the
Sassoun district, the Turkish govern
ment gave out the following official
statement of the case, which statement
was printed in the papers of Constanti-
nople:
"All papers printed in Turkey are I'M
der close censorship and no paper could
refuse to print a statement under pen
atty of immediate suspension. Hence
the Christian periodicals were COM
PEELED to print what they knew to be
false. The statement is as follows:
Some of the European papers have
stated, contrary to the truth, that few
Armenian@village have been destroyed
and in the meantime persons have been
massacred by the Turkish soldiers in
the district of Sassoun. Others, in or
der to magnify these reports, have as
serted that the news of the outrage was
prevented from leaking out by obstacles
the government put in the way of trav-
elers from that district. The subjects
of the empire of the Sassoun district are
quietly engaged with their business and
the people travel wherever they wish
in perfect safety. Some Armenian ban
dts, being induced by agitators began
lately in and about Sassoun to disturb
the peace and comfort of the people by
numbering, plundering and blocking thS
highways. In order to put an end tc
such disasters the government EN-.
ployed the necessary means and conse
quently ordered out a sufficient body Of
the imperial soldiers of the Fourtl
army corps. The extension of the revol
being checked. the troops were with
drawn to their headquarters. There was
no interference by the Kurds, but, a:
stated above, some Armenian bandits
having ventured to disobey the Epurtl
imperial army corps and also the gov
ernor of Bitlis undertook to investigate
as to the facts, and subsequently a com
mission of inquiry, composed of Obdal
iah Pasha, Eomer Bey,, Medjid Effend
and Hafez Tefvik Pasha, who will star
this week by steamer to the scene o.
, the trouble.
In general the sublime porte viii
never allow such outrages to be perpe
trated as published in foreign paper:
! upon her SUBJECTS -