New-York tribune., 1895-12-16
THE MASSACRE IN HARPO

THE MASSACRE IN HARPOOT.
THE TURKISH TROOPS STOOD BY AND SAW THE
ouTRAGEs-AMERICAN MISSIONARIES
FIRED UPON.
Boston, Dec. ia letter from trustworthy
source has been received in this city describing
the massacre in Harpoot. The letter says,
among other things:
The first attack was made on Sunday. November
TO- by few Kurds. These were easily driven Off
Mas Also ,"J repelIed. Late Monday afternoon the
Kurds and Moslems held conference, at which
the soldiers leisurcly withdrew As soon as they
had departed the Kurds and Turks came on yelling
tack made no real attempt to interfere but simply
fired their guns and cannon over the heads of the
and attack The Armenian school was fired first;
then the greater part of the Christian quarter.
Christians were shot down everywhere. NO Chris-
tian fired on the assailants
The missionaries took refuge In the girls school
the Rev O. r Allen and wife burned and the school
set fire. Then they gathered In the yard. pre-
military commander. and he sent soldiers The
missionaries decided to go into the college build
them from across the yard twice. first at Mr. Allen
and then at the Rev. C. Frank Gates; After the
GERS sent for them to come out. The chief of de-
fence and the Mufti sent by the City Governor for
or Doctor of Law. and if they wished to prote,c,
AT the Alai Bey (Niehenet HeS). a Circassian
as If he meant to do anything for the missionaries
The soldiers left them. and he called them back
The missionaries got out the fire engine and fought
the fire. and he helped them. For three days they
fought fire. They saved the house OF PreSide1t I
Gates the house of DR.. Barnum, the Normal School
and the college building Eight Of the buildings
were burned All the houses were plundered be-
fore the eyes of the missionaries and the soldiers
made no attempt to stop it. The mssonaries
were stripped OF everything hut the clothes they
hut wore
The Turks OF the city were very mlch disap-
pointed tha, any of the missionary buildings were
spared and they were determined that DR.. Barnum
should be killed Tuesday Alai Bey told the mis-
sonaries that he could not protect them there. DIR.
Barnum told him that they would not leave the
they had left the assaants would have burned the
buildings and forced the refugees 10 become MOS
lens suffer the penalty. EXerywhere TINS az
tentative given TO them. All the ChrlStlan VII
lagos and Christian quarters of villages in Harpoot
Field and its out-stations have been burned
Tuesday the Kurds returned TO the attacN An
order camc to stop them. and permission was given
20 shoot the Kurds. When this order came two sol,
diers laid down their arms Nine Kurds were killed
that day at Mezreh and five at Harpoot. Ihat mn
ger from the Turks. and there Is now -Four nun
dred souls gathered in the college. and mission
aries are feeding them The missionaries may not
vet escape with their lives but if they do there VIII
be great need OF relief work
This whole business has been hellish and the
missionaries put themselves under the protectlon OF
the Government again and again formally. but
their protection was sham Ihey nma & nT o R
ligion, assured DR.. Barnum that no kurd should
enter the city. The chief of defence told Dr. Bar
mum that until he was cut to pieces not a kurp
should enter city, and not hair of the heads OF
missionaries should be injured. bat he stood quietly
looking while the attack was made. ana oHereo
the best possible opportunity for seeing the hollow
ness of his professions