The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-04
HIS TESTIMONY.
Stories of the Massacre of
Armenians.
More Than Eleven thousand Persons
Were Killed at Sassoun.
copyrighted. 1850

LONDON, March i-The correspondent
who was sent 20 Armenia with instruc-
tions to thoroughly investigate stories
told of Turkish atrocities In that country,
under date OF TiHls Jan. 25, forwards the
following interview with the father OF all
the Armenians, Mgr. khrimiran:
Kgr. Khrimirans home is at Etzch->
miadkin Russia. within a short distance
of the Turkish frontier. But he Is for the
present at Tiflis. In an outer house, tho
correspondent met a monk in black
habit. and at the further end OF the room
was man, dressed entirely in red, hold
Ing long mace.
The sanguinary appearance OF this man
contrasted strangely with tho peace and
quiet Of tho house. Sometimes four of
these red garmented men are in attend
ance. Mgr. Khrimiran talked fluently
and eloquently Of the wrongs of his people.
Among other things he said:
"The massacre In the mountains was
the result Of long period of Turkish mis-
government In the Armenian provinces
of Turkey policy of cruelty and oppres-
sion has continued for long time.
Twenty or 30 years ago the Armenians did
not understand the cause of all the calam-
tiles which befell them. They thought
their troubles were sent by heaven as
punishment for their sins. Such Is always
the belief of the people deprived of educa-
tion and the printing press. But, later,
when the people began TO think and to
understand the wicked acts of their OPP
pressors, there came q change. and they
saw clearly the real cause of their troubles.
'sThe Armenians suffered from the mis-
government of the Turks much more than
the Bulgarians, who lived in the neigh
borhood of the western European powers
whereas the Armenians were at such
remote distance from the civilized world
that their cries could not be heard.
Pleaded For Armenians In Vain.
sAt the close Of the Russo Turkish war
the Armenians encouraged by the i'm
proved condition of Bulgaria, demanded
the Same guarantees which were given to
that country. In the meantime the Euro
pean powers were compelled to sign the
Berlin treaty. At this period was sent
with another delegate to western Europe
to plead the cause Of the Armenians, but
my mission did not produce satisfactory
results
II presented to the Berlin congress q
memoir, giving details OF the Turkish
atrocities In Turkish Armenia. With ref
erence to the Armenian question the Ber-
lin congress adopted what is known as
the 6lst article of the Berlin treaty, and,
although the treaty was signed, 1t had no
influence In lessening the persecution Of
the Arrnenians. Our hopes were In vain.
The cruelty of Turkish misgovernment
did not cease. 1t merely took new form.
"But, keeping In view that there was a
treaty, the Turks sought for some legal
- <-ut. 4 &l..x~ ~
happenedp The taxes became heavier and
all kinds Of duties became greater, and
the Kurds received full permission to
plumber Armenian peasants.
Here lies the cause. Why should q
people who have not only sufficient
quantity Of land, even too much, and of a
very fertile and we'll irrigated land, leave
their native soil and emigrate to other
countriess Nearly $4,000 Armenians seek
work in Constantinople In order chat they
may be able to pay the taxes which the
Turkish government impose upon them.
In the whole Turkish empire, including
Asia, there are about 8, ,000 600 Armenians
Regarding the Sassoun massacre, tho
priest said that what he knew of the
affair was gathered from eye-witnesses
and newspaper reports. His story was
substantially as previously reported In
these dispatches. Continuing he said:
"Many Armenians are confined in pris-
ons for political matters The number
of the prisoners must be more than 2000.
All, or nearly all, are innocent The state
of the Turkish prisons is simply dreadful.
For instance. the chief monk of q monas-
terry was fastened to O wall with nails
driven through his hands, and was deliv.
cred from that awful position only on ad-
mitting that he had acted wrongfully, al
though he was really innocent.
Prisoners Brutaily Treated.
"On the hands and feet Of several prison.
ers were fastened iron chains and heavy
shackles of wood, while on their heads
were placed instruments resembling COP.
per pots, which were heated to q high
temperature.
'In the Sassoun district there were
about ia villages and hamlets. / believe
that the Kurdish and Turkish troops have
burned or destroyed 81 villages and esti-
mate that the number Of men, women