The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-08
TORTURED BY TURKS
ARMENIAN REvOLUTIONIsTs TREAT
ED CRUELTY IN THE VAN PRISON.
A Refugees story Of the Betrayal of
His Fellows-An English Corrc-
sp0ndent I'm Hard Lines.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
VAN, Armenia. May 3O.--The advance
guard OF the revolutionary party which, as
announced week ago. was betrayed to the
Turkish government by the Yezidees of
Tchibouka. on the night of Sunday, May
10. is now in prison in the city of Van. Only
one member of the party escaped. and he at
the earliest possible moment and at great
risk to himself, put himself i'm communica-
ton with the correspondent of the Associat-
ed Press. The latter is now in possession
of complete information with respect to the
prisoners but, he is not disposed to fur
nish 1t to the Turkish government so long
as there remains the slightest chance that
these men may escape death, he holds, for
the present at least considerable part of the
facts concerning them.
The men had been hiding in the mountains
waiting for reinforcements, making plans
for carrying on their work, and the wealth
er having turned cold and wet, they went
to the house of Hahto. head man of Tch-
boukla. to warm themselves and dry their
clothing. Hahto was supposed to be friend
iy TO the Armenian cause, as he was not
Turk, and great, numbers of his fellow
countrymen had been massacred by the
Turkish government in the Mosul district in
dl
men stacked arms in the corner and gath
cred about the fire. While they were
squatted about the fire. Hahto's scribe
Turk, called his master out of the house
and insited that they be handed over to
the Turkish government. The scribe threat
ened TO denounce Hahto to the government
unless the men were betrayed. Hahto then
called together force of Kurds and yezi-
uees and ordered them to make the cap
ture. The villagers went into the room
one by one and took part in the conversa-
ton. At signal they seized the guns and
commanded the men to surrender under
pain Of instant DEATH Taken completely
Dy surprise, the revolutionsts made no re-
Stance. OF the fourteen members in the
party, only one escaped. Each man had
a Boiden rifle and six of the party had
revolvers. There were large numbers of
cartridges and some materials for making
dynamite bombs. and a gelatine copying
pad for making duplicates of letters. The
day. by soldiers. and were then marched
sixty miles to Van. where they arrived
ssapeS Medpesdsy s evening; - Their m arrival was
menians. On the way they were beaten
With gun-butts and prodded with b2yonets
and otherwise maltreated. AS the English
member OF the party was unable to walk
the whole distance he was given a horse to
ride the last twenty miles OF the way.
Inc Engnsnm;nn @ Hv;,ia .ola the ofiic5sis that he
road. Shepherds Bush London. His father
was William Williams. of the same address
He had With him photograph OF a young
woman and an English passport made out
10 Harry Williams on June Is. 1882. He de-
clared that he was the correspondent of a
teiegrapnic agency In London. and that his
card Of credentials was made out In the
name of Paul Quesnel He was, he ex-
planned. on his way TO the Moosh and Sas-
SCUM region TO investigate the Armenian
situation His thirteen companions were In
his pay as guards against attacks by Kurds
The other prisoners told the same story
All were dressed As Kurds. including VII
liams. AT Arst Williams denied that he
could speak Armenian. but subsequently,
under pressure OF torture. he admitted that
he could. After a week of experimenting
with various kinds of persuasion known TO
Turkish jailors the governor or Van said
that Williams had confessed everything. No
body believes this. Up TO May 80 Williams
had been unable TO see the British vice con-
sui at Van, although Mr.. Haliwar5 went so
far TO ask the governor unoflically 70
let him see Williams. but the request was
refused All OF the prisoners have been tor
tured during the week. and It is reported