The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-10
A TRAVELLER.
Relieves Turks Of the Re-
sponsibiIity.
Missionaries Take Exceptlons-State-
ments They Believe False.

Spanish traveller. has Just returned here
after having completed a geographical
mission for the Turkish government In
Kurdistan and Mesopotamia, which lasted
from March 10 November last. This
gentlemap happened to be in the Arme-
nian proviiI.e Of Bitlis at the time Of tbs
alleged Sassoun disturbances, and he de-
clares that b. neither saw nor heard any
thing to wa.~ant the sensational stories
told of Armenian atrocities.
Ximenes remained month at Constan-
tinople, but while there refused to discuss
the matter in any form. He is now In
London, and no longer has reason to re-
main silent He Is disposed to lay much
Of the blame for the disturbed condition
of Armenia on the American Methodist
missions In Asia Minor.
After describing the troubles and fights
between the Armenians and Kurds early
last summer, Senor Ximenes says that the
Armenians gathered In large numbers In
the valley of Talari near Sassoun. At
the request Of the governor Of Btlis, or
ders were sent TO Zekki Pasha to mobilize
troops and restore order. Consequently
four battalions, about 1900 mon, were
hastily collected and sent
To Disperse tho ArmeniaDs.
The troops overlooked the latter on
plateau ON Aug. 2s and demanded their
surrender The Armenians, who num-
bered about 5000, commenced to jeer at
tho soldiers and pelt them with stones.
The Armenians alsosnred several shots at
the troops, and the latter replied with
volley. The Armenians then fled and re-
assembled In a narrow valley, where the
The Turkish officer in command, In
conciliatory speech, advised them TO dis
perse. Some obeyed, but many refused
20 do so, and the troops fired second vol
ley. In ALL 300 Armenians were killed.
This, according to Senior Ximenes, was
the only serious affray Of the whole affair.
Many prisoners were taken, it Is true, but
they were released.
The Armenians themselves, the traveller
claims, said that they had been deluded
by an agitator named Bohazian, alias
Momah, former pupil of an American
mission, and implicated In the disturb.
anoos nt Koumkapo, for which he was
condemned to penal seryitude and, later.
pardoned by the sultan.
ximenes visited tho scene of the conflict
In September and did not see any sign of
says, was perfectly tranquil. and the only
villages destroyed appear to have been
some Kurdish hamlets which were.set fire
to by the Armenians. In conclusion, he
said that In Armenia the so called "Ar-
menian question" does not exist.
The Missionaries Side.
BOSTON, Jan. 10 0--Secretary Barton of
the American Board OF Commissioners OF
Foreign Missions was shown the cable
from London containing the statement of
Senior ximcnes relative 70 the Armenian
massacres and his charges against Ameri-
can missionaries He said: "Thc state
ment of Senior Ximenes is, upon the face
of Il, an utterance Of the Turkish govern
ment sent out To stay the rising tide of
public opinion against the misrule of the
Ottoman empire. Ii is well understood
that the Turkish government Is using
every means TO cover its tracks.
sThe American Board Of Commission
ers for Foreign Missions, which have mis-
sions In Asia Minor and, eastern Turkey,
and not Methodist missions, as reported
by Senior Ximenes, state that all OF their
schools are kept scrupulously free from
politics Of every kind. Students who have
shown any tendency to revolution have
been suminarily expelled. The best citi-
sens and most loyal supporters Of the gov
ernment are among the graduates of these
institutions. IL Is not true, either, that
the education is beyond the needs oS the
country.
1T Is true that many agltators have
tried to turn attention from themselves
by fixing the blame upon some OF these
American schools, but in every case under
Investigation the school has fully exoner-
ated itself and proved that IL was i'm no
way responsible for the acts of few out.
laws. Why did not Xlmenes get his wits
together and make known his facts TO the
world q long time ago. when the Ameri-
can and English press was full Of massacre
ncwsf''
Mr.. Barton was n resident In the Sas-
soun district for eight years, and he states
that In several instances governors of the
various districts have been TO him and
praised the work Of the American schools.
The above interview was read by Rev.
DIR. Green, who has resided 35 years In
Constantinople. Without hesitation, he
corroborated the facts contained in DR.
Baritone statement.