The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-09-04
TURKISH ATROCITIES
No Permanent Relief for Perse-
cuted Armenian Christians.
PROHIBITED FROM GIVING AID.

Agents Sent to Distribute Aid Contributed
by British Christians Constantly Ham,
pered In Their Work by Representatives
of the Turkish Government
NEW YORK, Sept A. The following
statement has Just been received by a
gentleman in this city from responsible
persons in Turkey, fully cognizant of the
facts:
Some eight months ago movement was
made on the part of the Turks to send aid
TO the victims of their barbarity at Sassoun.
gift OF 1900 was reported, and COM
mittee was organized to sec to It's distribu-
tion. Small sums were offered to the peo-
pie on condition that they would sign re-
ceipts in the nature of thanks for tho gem
erosity thus manifested, at the same time
certifying that it was not the soldiers of
the sultan who injured them, but only
little row that had occurred between them
and the Kurds.
Naturally they declined the proffered aid
on such conditions Here was the gov
ernment that with fire and sword, and
with almost unprecedented and hendish
atrocity, had utterly wasted their homes,
coming and offering paltry dollar head
TO the survivors who are on the ground as
proof of their gracious sovereign's char
liable regard for them, while they could
go among their Moslem neighbors and
Identify property worth many times this
sum as that which had been wrested from
them, while it would be easy for the gov
ernment itself to collect and return from
among tho more distant Kurdish nomads
ncarly the whole amount they had lost.
In tho meantime the English men and
women had collected for their follow
Christians some efficient aid When the
government learned of this, and that
agents were coming to distribute this
money, officials began to say: "If these
people will not accept our aid why should
we allow others to come in and help them"
Influential friends of the sufferers finally
persuaded the government to modify their
demands to theexte of accepting simple
receipt of funds received and even then
the people were with difficulty persuaded
to receive the proffered aid. However the
amount that they have been called upon
TO receipt for up to the present time has
not been sufficient to prove burdensome.
OF the R2,000 only R400 has yet material
lied, and nearly go per day goes for salar-
les of the commission.
When agents were appointed by the
British ambassador to distribute the funds
from abroad it was with some difficulty
that permission was secured for them to
enter the devastated region. Tho services
Of tho existing Turkish commission were
offered to distribute these contributions,
but finally this point was apparently
waived, and they were allowed to locate
themselves at the village of Semal.
The sight of the crumbling walls of it's
once ecomfortable dwellings convinced them
that the first thing to be done was to pre-
pare these buildings for occupation, but
when they were ready to start the MEM
bcrs of the Turkish commission reported
In the RritfsL aonnta that thav xvpra in
structed not to allow them to meddle with
the buildings, and that all relief rendered
must be given through their hands.
At the same time the man sent ostensi-
bly, as their guard constantly exercised the
most annoying espionage, listening to
every word they said and reporting to the
government an exaggerated statement of
all that was done. Under these circum-
stances, the British representatives made
vigorous protests to the government, and
tho questions at issue were referred to the
central authorities. AS a temporary meas
ure, SO that tho poor people might not re-
main entirely hungry, it was arranged
that the agents might, for the present, dis
tribute food, only it must be in the presence
and under the inspection of representa-
tive of the government.
Considerable money had also been con-
tributed by the Armenians, from various
Armenian authorities, in concert with the
British agents, would SEQ to its distribu-
ton. The government, however, has sent
them strict orders that If they choose to
hand over their funds to the Turkish COM
mission for distribution they can do so;
otherwise, they are peremptortly estopped
from distribution. OF course they do not
hand over their funds, and so the money
must wait until n better condition Of af-
fairs can be inaugurated.
The general condition of tho country is
getting worse. The Christians are having
q hard time in harvest. They are in dan
ger of their lives. 1t is usual for them to
remain in the fields during harvest, but
now they dare not. The women usually
carry food to the fields for the workers,
but now they are afraid to do SO. The
other day about two miles from here a girl
carrying food to the fields for the work.
men was set upon by three young Turks
and foully and brutaily treated A row
followed, and two or three Christians were
wounded.
At another village, nine hours from
here, band of thirty horsemen entered
the village of Kupri Keuy aud first went
through the village in Il riotous way and
greatly terrified the people, demanding the
girls and brides. Later they took their
rifles and went firing through the streets
of the village. The son of the priest opened
the door, with the idea of inducing them
to leave by giving money. He was shot
down like dog They kept up this for
about three hours. They broke open some
doors and fired into the houses. The gov
ernment has not yet taken any steps in
the matter, though this band is well