The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-18
How the Kurds aud Turkish
Soldiers Slaughtered Men,
women and Children.
JAPAN TO BE BULLDOzED
NAvIE OF BRITAIN n RUSSIA PRE-
AIRING TO MAKE A DISPLAY.
LII Hung Chang authorized to Pay and
Provide for the Army if
an Armfstice Is Granted.

Copyright, 1895, by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, March 1.-THE following let
ter has been received from the special CORE
spondent of the Associated Press who is
examining into the Armenian atrocities.
The letter, which bears date of Kars, Feb.
rs, says:
IAN Armenian refugee has just arrived
here after many dangers and privations
since his escape from his home at Sassoun.
His name is Mario; he is a hepherd TWEEN
ty years of age. He said: I am the son
of Stepan; our family is called Nelko. and
the name of our village is Axhbi In my
neighborhood there We're also the villages
of Khtan, Heting and Guebarash. My vii
lage, Axlbi, consisted of seventy houses;
now there remains not a single man, not a
single house; all is destroyed. The people
are all killed save three families. In my
family were nine members. My father was
the most. considerable man in the village
There were in all four men in our family.
My father was the most courageous, and
was at the head of the fighting. BY or
der of the Vail kaimadkan, Sassoun was
attacked by a very great number of Kurds.
The Kurds assailed US like wolves, but
they could not conquer us. Not only we
men took part in the fighting, but the
women, even the old ones, as my mother,
tAANCa oP tAiIi1 1iOtAACS, oAihGa
with daggers and helped Us to light the
Kurds. Twenty-one days continued our bat
tie; we beat and we were beaten. But we
showed no sign of defeat or intention to
retire from thes battle. When we had sue
ceeded in killing some of the Kurds Vail
Pasha and Vail Kaimadkan sent many regu-
lar troops. How many there were l do not
know, may be five, may be twenty thou
sand. One thing is very certain. there re-
manned no place without some soldier.
They placed cannon and began to fire. We
have never before heard the name of can
non, nor have we seen them. At their
sound the women tainted and the shells
spread everywhere such a terror, death and
destruction.
The troops wished to show mercy to no.
body, not to children, not to old men. The
shells, as they burst, moved down all be-
fore them as grass before a scythe. We
fed and began to seek refuge in our rocks
and caverns, but the cannon continued to
sweep away everything, stones and men.
The flames and smoke of our burning homes
reached us in our caverns. The command
ers of the Hamadieh Irregular cavalry
pitched their tents. on some of the heights,
and with field glasses in their hands they
observed the sides of the mountains, and
III they perceived near our destroyed houses
or behind a stone the head of "a man they
ordered the cavalry to go there. And the
soldiery cut to pieces all they found there,
heads Of the victims were brought as tro-
phies to the commanders. Those OF us who
found refuge in caverns could leave them
only during the night, when the men went
with all kinds of precautions to get wheat.
.sThe Kurds committed all kinds of atroci-
ties; they found no pleasure in killing adult
men: they hunted for children, threw them
on the ground and plunged daggers into
their bodies. After this they pitched them
= 49, - a.1 ,rrnn1 hat. II a u0c rig in
their bodies, then threw them against a
stone, saying: When you are grown you
would fight us. Better go into he'll Djiak-
hanam) Then they trampled the-bodies I'M
THE Kurds hunted me to kill me, be-
cause they knew that / was neither lazy
nor sleepy in killing them. We decided, l
and my two companions, TO fly to Russia.
We fed from Sassoun and reached the for
est. Entering, we heard a heavy and heart
~rending sigh. Going to the sound we found
Miro, from Khtan, a courageous Sassoun
man, from whose mouth flowed blood. We
took Miro and carried him secretly. but
when we reached the wheat field the kurds
saw us and pursued. Then each of US gave
The Kurds took Miro, dragged him into a
| sheepfold and set fire to it--al was burned.
my uncle was killed in the fighting.
The other members of our family took ref
uge in a cavern. The place was so difficult
, to tb reach voms eve ana had children ia df one
BY one by the aid of ropes. My COM
panion, Aveti, had five uncies., of whom
khaSO ana hnHCnO were hiiiSu. LII tie
family three men were killed. The uncle
Of Krepeh, fAvo, also was killed. If you
sons killed and tell yor how many cattle
were driven away.
"sAfter many days of fight we came to
the village of Ziz, and then to Edhntape.
We were six. We had coats of Moosh and
hats of Moosh. If we had worn our Sas-
the Kurds would have recognized us, and
we should have been killed
II have no doubt Mario told the truth.
and ii is we'll for him he is on Russian SOIL