The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-03-04
monta Of eyo.witnc'ses, and also from
tho accounts published In tho news.

monta Of eye.witnc'sos, and also from
tho accounts published In tho news.
papors.
SAMPLE FERocIrY.
Among tho horrible cruoltlos per.
pctratod upon tho Armonians during
tho massacre, I will relate tho'following
fact proving tho iorocity OF tho Turkish
troops aud their commander Zckki
Pasha:
"Whcn tho Armcnians had aurron.
dorod 1850 OF them, including three
priests. wero thrown into u large ditch
al.vc. dospite tho fact that they wero
not wounded. Earth waa then heaped
upon thom and some soldiers wers sont
to watch thom until they all Ind per.
ishod. After this tho massacre contin.
uod. many people, old and young, wcro
Killed, and many women and young
girls wore sent by tho aoldicrsto Moosh.
The bodies Of tho Armenians who were
killed in largo numbers together werc
buried In common graves, but those
who were killed in isolated places wore
left unburied. The Armeuians who
were not killed fed. Most OF them came
to Rnssia. Some Of them aro now in
Titlls. Many Armonians arc confined
in prisons for political matters tho OK
act number OF tho prisoners 10 unknown
to mo, but 1t must be- more than 1000.
Forty or fifty clergymen arc among this
number-pricsts, bishops mud urchi-
mandrites. All, or nearl all, are quite
innocent. They arc imprisoned for 40.
called political otlenses.
"But what tho Turk calls political
otionse has not the same significance as
in western Europe. For instance, for n
Christian to protect his property from
plunder is considered political o1Tense'
in tho Turkish empire. In prisons all
kinds OF torture are employed against
rich and poor.
AWFUL TORTURE IN PRISONS.
"rhe state OF tho Turkish prisons is
simply dreadful; for instance, the chief
monk OF monastery was fastened to
wall with nails driven through his
hands, and was delivered from that
awful position only on admitting that
he acted wrongly, although he was really
innocent On tho hands and feet OF
several prisoners were fastened iron
chains and heavy shackels of wood,
while on their heads were placed instru.
ments resembling copper pots, which
were heated TO high temperature.
Sometime, these tortures ended in the
death OF tho sufferers. Sometimes also
tho torturers executed their terrible
task simply to kill their victims.
ho ;pf fn - ~ -.
l believe that the Kurdish and Turkish
troops have burned or destroyed thirty.
one villages, aud estimate ,ha. the
number OF men, women and children
killed in the Sassoun districts amount
to 1000"
With reference to the Turkish com.
mission OF inquiry, Mgr. khirmiran
said:
"The chief interest at present centsrs
in the Turkish commission OF inquiry,
but look for no results from the com.
mission, but because it will only deal
with the Sassoun matter which was
only IN incident in the oppression OF
the Armenians.'"' ..,-..-..-;12 q 3. -.
Tie Informant OF the Associated Press
continued: ..-,-
10 ueIenu OURSELVES We Were united
as one family. Wo held our ground as
long as we could, but We had only three
hundred old.fashioned guns. Behind
US were tho women, who were ready to
kill nny of US who might attempt to fv.
But We had no, the slightest intention
OF so doing. However. after twenty-five
days We held council as to what we
should do. Tho Turk. sent word that if
we surrendered they would not kill US.
But they did not keep their promise,
and began to cut off tho heads OF some,
TO disembowel others, to outrage our
wives and daughters. len OF the lat
ter, on refusing TO embrace tho Moslem
faith, were put to death. Those of Us
who were not killed received wounds
and $50 who were not wounded we're
thrown into large ditch. We can show
you, ii you desire, the very place. The
position Of the bodies in the nit will
prove that many were buried alive.
Seeing that tho Turks would kill us
all we at last fled. We were only six
hours march distant from Moosh, but
our escape was attended with many
diff culties."