The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-02
THE OCTOBER MASSACRE.
Graphic Recital of Horrible and
narrowing Scenes.

NEW YORK, Nov. 1.-The following
statement is taken from private letters
received by Agent Leman in this city
in regard to the recent disturbances in
Trebizond, Turkey:
1.-The excitement in Trebizond began
about October 2, when an attempt was
made on the life of the eXvalia of Van.
He was shot and wounded by an Ar
menian revolutioniSt, who has not yet
been captured, and is supposed by the
government to be concealed somewhere
in the city. The excitement of the Turks
was of course greatly increased on
hearing of matters in Constantinople.
They seemed to infer that all the Ar
menians were banded together and IN
armed rebellion against their govern
ment The Turks themselves represen-
ted that they were afraid of an at
tack from the Armenians and even in
some cases took measures to put their
families in places of safety.
ION Friday, Oct. 4, there was extern
sive movements of armed men on the
to dispense and nothing especially
worthy of meption occurred through
the night On Saturday, Oct. 3, the
excitement in the town was very
great The consuls had consulta-
ton. and. going in body to the vail,
earnestly pressed him to arrest those
who were exciting people to acts of
outrage. The vail declined to do SO,
but promised in his own way to do
the right thing.
The Exciting Cause.
Until Monday. Oct 7, matters
seemed to be quieting down, when an
anew. On the previous Friday night
the son of leading Turk of the town
was wounded on the street, some say
by one of his own companions, others
that he was shot by an Armenian
whom he was trying to arrest. On
Monday he died and the funeral re-
vived the excitement in an intensified
form, and loud and many were the
threats of massacre that night, and
hundreds of the Armenians rushed to
places of safety. The next morning.
Oct. 8, all dispersed in the hope that
the danger was passed. Men went to
their shops and were encourag ed to
open them, as they had not done for
two or three previous days.
Suddenly, like a clap of thunder II.
clear sky. the trouble began. Tn
suspecting people, walking along the
streets were shot ruthlessly down
Men, standing or sitting at their
shops doors, were instantly dropped
with bullet through their heads or
| hearts. Their aim was deadly and
nave heard of no wounded men. Some
were gashed with swords until life
was extinct. They passed through the
quarters. where only old men, wonxn
and children remained killing the men
and boys, generally permitting the
women and younger children to live.
Five Hours of Butchery.
For five tours this horrid work of
lnhuman butchery went on, the crack
| ing of musketry sometimes like a vol
| ley from platoon of soldiers, but
more single shots from near and dis
tant spots. The cracking in of doors
| and the thud of sword blows sounded
on our ears. Then the sound of mus
kerry died away and the work of loot
ing began. Every shop Of an Armen-
| ian In the market was Quilted and the
! vlctors in this cowardly and brutal
way glutted themselves with the spoils
For hours bales of broadcloth, cotton
goods and every conceivable kind of
merchandise passed along without mo-
iestation to the homes of the spoilers.
THE intention was evidently to i'm
poverish and as nearly as possible to
| blot out the Armenians of this town
So far as appearances went the police
and soldiers distinctly aided in this
savage work. They were mingled with
! liz oiiiiVo HiSI, anu 81 ldi DIS we COulu
see made not the least effort to check
them. Apparently they took care to
see that the right ones, that is, the Ar
menians. were killed; also that an Of
fer of surrender might be made to all
that were found unarmed. To any
found with arms
No Quarter Was Given,
but large numbers were shot down
! without proffer of this kind. This talk
of. surrender would seem to be on the
supposition that all were in an atti-
tude Of resistance. One poor fellow
when called On to surrender. thought
he was called on to give UP his relig-
ion. and when he refused he was
hacked to pieces in the presence of his
wife and children. While write the
town is in a, great stir because news
has come that the village Armenians.
thoroughly armed. are on their way
to attack the town. The real fact.