Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-01-05
A NEW STATEMENT
With Reference to Condition of
Affairs in Armenia.
STATEMENT OF THE PORTE

OHiciaI Utteranees OF the American
Board of commissioners for Foreign
Missions-Turkcy Trying tn Assume
Authority over Foreigners Mail.
BosroN, January 1.-The following
statement with reference to the condi-
ton OF affairs in eight districts OF Ar
menia in which Christian missionaries
are stationed was to-day issued by the
American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions:
"Oficial letters sent recently from the
rooms of the American Board of Com
missioners for Foreign Missions, contain
ing accounts relating to the European
Turkish missions, were opened by the
Turkish officials. The letters were sub
sequently delivered, but with the Turk
ish word examined written on the en-
velope. This indicated that the Turkish
government is attempting to assume all
authority over the mail OF foreigners.
"When the reports of the massacre OF
Christians in the Sassoun district OF
Eastern Turkey became public after
more than two months OF suppression
on the part OF the Turkish officials, the
Ottoman government was alarmed at
widespread publications in the American
and English press. Under pressure from
foreign powers the Sultan agreed to send
commissioner to investigate and report
upon the oAtrages. In view of this
promise of the government the repre-
sentatives of the European powers at
Constantinople decided to wait for the
report before taking any positive action.
But after this decision by the powers,
and while they were waiting for the de-
parture of the Sultan's commission,
which had Heen appointed, and which
was to make full and impartial investl-
cations of all the affairs reported by the
English Consul, as well as by many in
dividuals from the Sassoun district, the
Turkish government gave out the APP
pended official staten Mt of the case,
which statement was printed in the pa
pers of CoRstantinople. All papers
printed in Tufey are under close CEN
sorship, and p paper could refuse to
print the stat] nent under penalty of inn
mediate suspe lson. Hence the Christ
ian periodicals were compelled to print
what they knew to be false. The state
ment is as follows
Some o. he European papers have
stated, contr to the truth, that few
Armenian vi yes have been destroyed,
and il the nd ntime persons have been
massacred d he &eskSbh soldiers in the
district OF zgsou Others, in order to
magnify these ports, have asserted
that the news u the outrage was pre-
vented from leaking out by the obsta-
Giles the government put in the way OF
travellers from that district. The sub
jects OF the Empire of Sassoun district
are quietly engaged with their business,
and the people travel wherever they
wish in perfect safety. Some Armenian
bandits, being induced by agitators, be-
gan lately in and about Sassoun to dis
turb the peace and comfort of the peo-
pie by numbering, plunderng and block
ing the highways. In order to put an
end to such disasters the government
employed the necessary means, and con-
seQuently ordered out a sufficient body
of imperial soldiers OF the Fourth Army
Corps. Thus the extension of the re-
volt being checked, the troops were with
drawn to their headquarters. There was
no interference by the Kurds; but, as
stated above, some Armenian bandits
having Ventured to disorderly actions,
the Sublime Porte, having been notified
bv the reports of the authorities OF the
Fourth Imperial Army Corps and also
by the Governor of Bitlis, undertook to
investigate as to the facts, and subse-
ouentlv a commission of inquiry was APP
painted, composed of Abdallah Pasha,
Eomer Bey, Medjid Etfendi and Hafez
Tevfx Pasha. The commission will
start this week by steamer to the scene
of the trouble. In general the Sublime
Porte will never allow such outrages to
be perpetrated as published in foreign
papers upon her subjects.
CHAUNCEY DEPEw's PROTEST.
New YORK, January 1.-Chauncey NJ.
Depew tonight delivered an address on
the Armenian atrocities. He began by
saying that the year 1894 has been pc
culiarly unhappy one. The world had
been visited during the year by revolu- |
tons both social and financial. But the |
browning cause of unhappiness and the |
one which left bloody stain upon the |
history of the. year was the murder OF
the helpless Armenians by the Turks.
He continued:
at behoves us as public-spirited citi-
zens to begin the new year with protest
against the outrages at Sassoun. The
peace of Europe is only maintained by
an ever-increasing armament. AT wash |
inton all may be silent, but America |
with 60, 900 600 voices in language OF
her own-the universal language of the
globe-will protest in tones that cannot
be mistaken against the slaughter OF our
fellow Christians"