New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-30
STORY OF TIE MASSACRES.
METHODS AND MOTIVES OF THE IohhS
IN ARMENIA.
NOT AN ot,TnuRsT of RELIGIOUS ZEAL BUT
DELIBERATELY OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

NOT An ourBURsT of RELIGIOUS ZEAL. BUT
DELIBERATELY Observation-Disclosures
TO BE KILLED OFF.
"Thc London Daily News prints ong letter IN
Its issue OF December Il concerning the massacreS
Of Aruenlans by the Turks The writer, who Is
said to be as exceptionally well placed for learn
ing what has been and is going on throughout Asia
Minor as the Ambassador OF any Power In Europe
says: - ,,.o
Certain persons in Europe ana c Am Saye taken
place in Asia Minor sudden ana spont a. ,S,
outbreaks of Moslcm fanatlGsm ine teken place
according t. a deliberate and pIeconcerteu p.ar
Frencn English Canadian. American and nitNen
persons Trustworthy and intelligent VINO WIZ -, -,
he places where the massacres occurred. and some
NJ who-n were Witnesses OF the horrible scenes
the massacres were strictly limited in regard ae, 10
place time. nationality Of the victims ana, gen
orally In regard to the method Of killing and piias
With only four exceptions OF consequence, tne
mas acres have confined to the territory or vac
six provinces where reforn2 were TO DC ison
! When band OF mounted KURDISH anu t,ih,o,anI
raiders estimated at from one to three tapnSa,.t'
approached to the boundary me oetwee' IN tnI
vinces of S!vas and Angora, they were ihct aIu
turned back by the local authorities and certain tan
tod the raiders that they lad no authority to pass
beyond the province OF Slvai. me Ghly pi s
where outragcs occurred outside OF the SIX provinces
were, first. in the liourishlng sea6oaid cy Oh in
bizonl: secondly. in Marash and Anta9 ana IN N
4 MOSem
by the success of the Armenian moun,aneers OF
Zeitoun In defending themselves against their op.
! and finally in Caesarca. and here, as in the two
places just mentioned the Mosems were eN b
the reports of the plumber which other Moslems
were securing.
TURKEYS REPLY TO EUROPE.
The massacre in Trcbzond occurred just before
! tie Sultan after months CT every kind OF Oppose
ton. WAS at .ast competed by England, France ana
Russia 70 consent to the scheme Of reforms, az IL
| TO warn the Powers of Europe that. IN case they
| persisted. the mine was already laid for the de-
siuon o. the Arme,lhs. r m kctE real reply to
I t. demands OF Europe From Trebizond the wave
cyerv civ and town ana vi age in the six provinces
where re.ief promised to the Arinendin', WI
NOBLE a high Turkish official remarked 10 one or
the Ambassadors that massacre was IKE tne s'nal'
To- have It the second time; thus quietly. II not ma
.ic.ousy limiting at what was to be expected. Even
! scacmc OF reforms. told the Ambassadors. by way
Of intimidation. that troubles meht en san anu 'e
The victims were almost exclusively Armen'ans
In rebzond there Il large irecH cn or wo
executions. have the Greeks been mOl@sted SP-c
car has also been taken to avoid injury 70 the sub
foreign complications and the payment OF inde'ni
The American mission were ooted. ana one b1iiG
Ing was burned. but the houses and the Girls coz
kharput the school buildings and houses bel9nglhg
! a thu. American Mission were punlcIcu ana tiEHt
buildings were burned, but none OF me h
were hart though Shots were fired at two OF tR t
Inns e''' not been resraned by special orders, they
would probably have killed tn Americans. SIN -
an5 anS SIvatns thoss WON they
wished to keep as their docLe ana unanD."ouS
subjects and seris.
THE MOTIVE OF THE TURKS
The scheme of reforms devoved civil office. judge
ships ana police participation on Mahometans and
non Mahometans in the six provinces acccrdhg 10
the population Of each element Of the locality THIS
was a bitter piI to those Mahomstan Turks who
had ruled the Armenians with rod OF iron for BOD
wears Hence the resolution of the Turks was soon
taken. II was to diminish the number Of Armen,
capable Of taking part in any scheme OF rec 'n n
structon and, secondly, by leaving az many as
possible to die by siarVatol exposure ~lch.'rsS an
terror during the rigors Of winter surey thr arch
nend could not have auiG.sen NOR snd tsrrnr
izng the Armenans Christians in the entire SIX
some may wonder how the Turkish authorities
should be 50 blind 20 destroy such a large part
of their hest tax-paying subjects In Eastern Asa
Minor And it is indeed wonder. The expiana alton
is that fanatical hatred OF those whom they they had
cording to the scheme of reforms soon TO enjoy
Sc me form Of eqnay w45 slFonger una" n,ae Ire 81
the country. and n could corrective OF no other way
utterly terrorlzng and lmpovershns the survivors,
But did not the Turks tear me mi,ervGhI o Gb
to keep them from carrying out an effective albeit
dlabolica! plan of vengeance AMI they had right
Christians witness last year the sleushter IN Sas-
soun Of some thousands OF Armeniens ny iu r
and Kurds without cxtorting from the responsible
Turkish authorities the punishment of a single man
Engaged I'm the diabolical work the sligE.c9t
Indemnity for the utterly impoverished survivors?
Nay. more. has the sultan laughed Europe to
S ro6 by esssgG il ne e and Pacha
the former cruel Governor Of Van? And have not
vivors Of the Sassoun massacre and even to destroy
the little huts put up by British charity during the
\ REFINEMENT OF CRUELTY.
But the refinement of cruelty appears in this.
THAI while the Turkish authorities have thus de-
nbcratcly aimed TO extermirate. far a possible.
| the Armenian element in the six provinces. they
have a;Gped to cove NJ ther deeds By The TIE most most
J ncatl0n Of mcndacious kilograms from provincial
America believe that the Armenians have provoked
these masslcrrs by attacks on Noslcm wOrshippers
during their hours OF prayer and by other like acts
- some four hundred young Armenlans. contrary
the ontreaties OF the Armenian Patriarch and the
! orders of the police attempted to take a we'll
wordea petition 70 the Grand N.zer In the main
taiSd connet il is also true that the oppressed
or Turkish soldiers; Whoin; however; they treated
with humanity; it Is likewise true tha. IN various
places small bands Of Armenlans. driven 10 des-
reTaon by the failure o. Europe TO secure the fu-
hlment Of treaty stipu.aiions In behalf Of their
Temps and the Turks have retaliated by impris-
onng. torturng and killing unlreds OF Armenians
The universal testimony Of impartial foreign eye
Witnesses H. that. with the above exceptions. the
Armeniars have given no provocatOn, and that
almost II not quite ali the kilograms Of the pro-
. vncial authorities accusing the Armenlans Of pro-
, voklng the massacres are sheer fabricatOns OF
names and dates. If the Armenians male attacks
whore 1:c the Turkish dead? For while the Armen
ian victims numbered by the thousand. even
the authorities have mentioned but q few as slain
among the Turks. and those fcW killed in only
, two places. and In Feif-defence. as at Dlar-
beki-. Is !. probable that 1909 unarmei AMI de-
fenceless Armenians-shecp among WORDSWORTH
attack eco Kurls Turks in the city OF Bills?
Yet this was the charge OF the Turkish auth 1rlties
- fitting device to cover up their bloody work
NOTHING DONE TO PREVENT IT
1t Is IN utter mistake 20 suppose. many Euro
peans have done. that the local authorities in the
cities Of Trebizond ErZeroum, ErZlngham Bitls