Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-19
THE SACKING OF KHARPUT
Details of the OutraScs on the Ameri-
can Missions.


Copyrighted. 1895 by the Associated Press)
CONSTANTINOPLE, November 49, via
Sofia, Bulgaria, November 19.-In response
to the kilograms sent to Kharput by the
United States minister Mr.. Alexander w.
Terrell, inquirinS into the burning and pill
Laying of the American missions there, the
porte has furnished some information to
Mr. Terrell, and additional facts have been
obtained from other sources by the United
States minister.
The trouble at Kharput had been brew
ing for some time. On one hand it was
claimed that the Armenians melted by the
agents of their revolutionary committee,
had been arming themselves holding secret
meetings, and preparing for revolt against
the Turkish authorities. The crisis was to be
-precipitated by an attack upon the Mus
sElman quarter.
A second version of the affair is that the
Turks, acting under Instructions from the
Yildiz Kiosk officials, if not from the sui
tan himself. deliberately planned 20 massa-
ere the Armenians of kharput. The kurds
who were not armed with rifles, were pro-
vfded with weapons similar to those used
by the Turkish soldiery and ammunition
was plentifully distributed among then
At signal agreed upon a quarrel was
picked with some ArmertaEs and the attack
upon their quarter was commenced.
The Armanfans had been anticipating an
outbreak for some time past had armed
themselves as well as possible, and had
barricaded their dwellings and made so
determined resistance that the first at
tack or the kurdS was repulsed.
The American missionaries applied for
protection to Mr.. Terrell In view of Min
lster TerrelPs representations the Turkish
off1clals promised to protect the lives of the
missionaries, and detailed gendarmes to
guard their property.
When the Armenians repused the first at
LAT Tor in
furiated at the check they had received that
they proceeded to the quarter of Kharput
where the American mission IS located and
overcoming any opposition of the gen.
darmes, If there were ary present Ia point
which has not been definitely ascertained)
they ransacked the houses, including eight
of the American mission buildings. and ex-
ploded she'll in the house of one of the
missionaries. The American missionaries
escaped uninjured, and placed themselves
under the protection of the Turkish gov
ernor, who still has them safe under his
care.
During the pillaging, it has been ascer-
tained, the Kurds were supported by the
Turkish troops in number of instances,
and in other cases the soldiers remained
passive spectators.
Later, a second and more successful at
tack was made by the Kurds upon the
Armenian quarter, and terrible massacre
followed. The number of victims has not
yet been ascertained, but ii is declared to
be enormous" Conservative estimates say
that from 500 to 1000 persons were killed
during the rioting.
The American missionaries have formally
protested against the destruction of their
property to the Turkish authorities and to
Mr.. Terrell, who, when all the facts in the
case are thoroughly established, will most
likely demand that the Americans be COM
pensdtrd for their losses. In fact, it is un-
derStoOd Mr.. Terrell has already been as
surel that the Turkish government is pre-
pared to do what is right in the case when
all sides have been heard and the blame is
placed where it belongs.