The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-04
TURKS MOVES.
"Aid' 0Hered to Armenlans II They
TonId Refute Outrage Charges.
4 PROTEST OF BRITISH AGENTS
Finally Afforded a Measure Of
Genuine Relief.

NEW YORK, Sept. 4. - The following
statement has just been received by a gem
tleman Ia this city from responsible per-
sons in Turkey:
Some eight months ago u movement
was made on the part Of the Turks TO send
aid TO the victims OF their barbarity at
Sassoun. A gift Of $4,000 was reported.
and committee organized TO see to its
distribution. Small sums were offered to
the people on condition that they would
sign receipts In the nature Of thanks for
the generosity thus manifested, at the
same time certifying that IL was not the
soldiers Of the sultan who injured them,
but only little row had occurred between
them and the Kurds.
Naturally, they declined the proffered
aid on such conditions. In the meantime,
n trucr pity had moved the hearts of Eng
lish men and women to collect for their
fellow Christians some efficient aid.
When the government learned Of this,
and that agents were coming TO distribute
this money they began to say that IL
these people will not accept our aid, why
should we allow Others TO come in and
help themY Influential friends of the peo-
pie finally persuaded the government TO
modify their demands TO the extent of ac-
cepting n similar receipt OF funds received,
and then the people We're with difficulty
persuaded 10 receive the proffered aid.
Charity Gobbied Up In Salaries.
However, the amount that they have
been called upon to receipt for, up to the
present time, has not been sufficient TO
prove burdensome. or the $1,000 only f400
has yet materializcd, and as mejiles
(nearly f2) a day goes for salaries of the
commission, some idea may be obtained
rs how much the people are likely to
realize.
When agents were appointed by the
British ambassador To distribute the funds
from abroad, II was with some difficulty
that permission was secured for them 10
enter the devastated region, where some
1000 survivors had already gone 10 SOW
their fields with "A sort of millet that ma
lures In few weeks from the time il is
sown, oxen having been generously loaned
them by the poor villagers of the Moorish
plain.
The services OF the existing Turkish
committee were generously % offered 20
distribute these contributions, but finally
this point was apparently waived, and
they were allowed To locate themselves at
the villages OF Semal. The Turkish gov
ernment repeatedly placed obstacles i'm
their way and prevented them from re.
constructing their ruined buildings. At
the same time the men sent ostensibly as
their guard constantly exercised the most
annoying espionage, listening 10 every
word they said, and reporting to the gov
ernment an exaggerated statement Of all
that was done.
Under those circumstances, the British
representatives made vigorous protests to
the government, and the questions at
Issue were referred TO the central authori.
lies. As temporary measure so that the
poor people might not remain entirely
hungry, IL was arranged that the agents
might, for the present, distribute food,
only il must be in the presence and under
the inspection of representative of the
government.