The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-20
ARMENIAN ATROCITIES
Secretary Olneys Communication On This
Subject Laid Before Congress.
NO HOPE OF CONCERTED EUROPEAN AID.
American Property Has Been sHth.
icSsly DeStr0ycd-E.IttI TTUHtw0r-
-.t:rnvc Apprchensions Concerning
Entc OF American Citixens.

Washington, ID. c., Dec. 19-The Pres
lent to-day transmitted 10 Congress Il
communication from Secretary Olncy OH
the Armenian outrugcs I'm response to
Olncy states that the number oi
citizens oi the United States resi-
dent In the Turkish Empire Is not nc
curately known. but thcrc'arc IT, Amer
lean missionaries and dependents seat
tered over Asia Minor. There are also
u number of American citizens engaged
in business IN me IurKIsn uumiiIuns,
ana others originally Turkish subjects,
but now naturnlizcd citizens of the
United States. The bulk of this Amer
lean element Is To be found remote from
our few consular establishments. lie
bears testimony 10 the energy and
promptursS displayed by our Minister,
Mr. Terrell. In tnkinE measures for
their protection. which had received the
moral support Of naval vessels of the
United States. lie adds that while the
physical safety uf United States citi-
Hcn3 seemed In be assured. their prop
elty had been destroyed at Harpool ana
AiarLsh. in the former ease To the en-
tent OF 100000. The Turkish Govern
inrnt had been notified that il would
he held responsible for immediate and
fun satisfaction of all injuries on that
score. The loss of American property V
AT Mnrash has not been asccrtaincd,
but Il like demand for adequate indcm-
nifty would hc made as soon ms the
facts were known. The correspondence
refers to the killing of Frank I.cn2, the
American bicyclst. and states that six
persons. "koOrds and ArmcnianS." were
To be put on trial for the murder
The case Of George Wchlrr, n nntur-
allied citizen of the United States, hCrn
II, l&lvaTia, is referred to as dcscrvin,,
attention.. lie, an pl! man Of 40, was
capriciously arrested at Konia and
transported part Of the distance on foot
ana rough cat to lsroussa. and
thrown into prison, where he died dur
ing the night without medical atien-
dance, from the result OF his rough
treatment. Demand had been made for
The removal of the officials guilty Of
this cruelty. who. II Is stated, entirely
disrcSardcd Wcbhcr's American pass
port, but. IL ig added. these lust de
mands have not so far horne fruit"
u third incident is mentioned as fol-
lows:
"On the night of the ith of August
last. the premises of Dr. Christie, prin-
cipal of ST. Pnul'S Institute at Tar
SuS. who was spending the summer
months at the nciEhboring village of
Nhmrnun. We're invaded by an arricd
mob obviously collected in pursuance of
II prcconcrrtcd plan. ana an outrageous
attack made on II dcfcncclcss native ser
want of DR. Christie ana on some stu
dents of the institution. who were then
nj Namroun. The authors of this bru-
tai attack were abundantly identified
and through the prompt intervention of
the United States Consul at Beirut
and the Consular Agent al Merinc-thc
nearest port--n number of arrests were
made. withsianding the percmp,-
ory demands of the United States Min
lister for simple justice. the uSS.IilaniS
when taken before the local judge Of
Tarsus. were released. So grave did
this miscarriage OF justice appear that
an early occasion was taken to send
the Marblchcad to Marsinc to investi-
gate the incident and lend all proper
moral aid To the Consular representa-
tires of the United states in pressing for
due redress. Their efforts to this end
We're most cordially seconded by the
project of Mcrsinc, and on October 23
last. the accused. To the number of
eight. were brought To trial at TnrsiIs
and convicted upon the evidence. sub
scqucntly confcssing their guilt The
signal rcbukc administered i'm high
places where responsibility really on
listed and abused. coupled with the es-
tablishmcnt Of the important principle
that American domicilc in Turkey may
not be violated with inIpunity, renders
the conclusion of this incident satisfac-
tory.
Secretary Olncy continues as follows
BESIDES the foregoing cases OF physi-
cal injury to the persons of American
citizens or invasion of domiciliary
rights, the language .of the Senate reso-
luton may be construed as covering tn"
cases of arrest of such citizens and of
proceedings against them in viola ton
of treaty rights. y number of in
stances Of this character have occurr-
ed. AS the subject Is a development of
the long standing contention between
the United States and Turkey touching
the true intent and construction Of the
fourth article of the treaty of 1870. in
relation Ia the extra territorial juIisdic-
ton of the United States over its citi-
zens committing offcnscs in Turkey, its
elaborate discussion in this place is
neither practicable nor opportunc. IT
suilccs to say that although the treaty
in terms gives to the Ministers and Con-
Suls authority and power to punish
American offenders and absolutely cx-
clndes their imprisonment by the Turk
ish authorities. the ottoman Govern
mcnt. while admitting to this extent the
English rendering OF the treaty has on
frequent occasions assumed to imprison
citizens Of the United States on criminal
charges and denied the right of the
a gents of this Government to effect
their punishment. a fruitful source of
such assertion OF authority Is found i'm
the case Of persons of Armenian origin
naturalHcd in the United States and
returning within the territorial juris-
diction Of Turkey under circumstances
suggesting their completely In the
tionary schemes alleged to he rife
I'm Asia Minor. Holding. as 1t must and
should that no distinction can exist tlrl-