The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-27
TIE TOWN OF zEIrouN.

THE TOWN OF IElIOLN.
zeitoun. also spelled Zeitun and zei-
tfun Is a town twenty-five miles north
y,c4t OF Narash. In the highlands Of the
Aloopo province. II has about l0eo0 in
haDltants, mainly Armenian Christians
wlr) have maintained themselves Tor cen
turtles against Turkish oppression. ihe
soil ahounds in patches of great Fertility,
but does not produce grlln enough 10
supply the wants OF the inhabitants. Mui
berry trees grow numerousiy ana slte
occupation 90 the women no ieedlhs SIZE
worms. The men are chiefly engaged IN
smelling and manufacturing the IRON sup
piled 10y the mountains
Zeitoun ls surrounded on all sides by IN
accessible Grass except on the cast MAere
IN is bounded by the deep channel or inc
pyramus The language Is rude ulalecl
OF Armenia
CRIME INFREQUENT.
The inhabitants are free from Asiauc
vices, resembling Europeans IN theu re
spect for women Crime is infreCuent
40 prisons exist. and certain authorities
assert that murder for The sake or cain
has never been committed in that couh-
try The pc lDla have always shown Tie
greatest ZEE Jusy for foreigners, ana 1T
tie was known Of them until 1904, Wnen
their country was visited by IeAcii
Protestant clergyman. ,.,--
The Government is patriarcnal, pelAb
vested I'm elders Of tie people, with some
prerogatives In the priesthood; Al ollSes
executive power being placed IN the hahda
Of the four princes.
There are about twenty villages i'm the
district, and IN $50 u vas estimated
that they could muster an army OF from
TtsO TO 500 men 10 defend the noun
tains against Turkish INVASION
Zeitoun is "a relic OF the Armenian KING
dom of Cillcia. founded In the eleventh ana
DESTROYED I'm the fourteenth century. since
that period the native population mas be,l
gradually assimilatng TO the Turks. II
was not until after the Crlmcan VIZ ina,
the massacres in the East called especial
attention to the existence OF Leitonn ai.i
other Christian communities m the East
which had some claim TO European sym
pathy. ....u an ,,,. ,rr-orrc
An attempt bv the Turks 10 settle CIR
caseians near Zeit0un gave Aziz Pasha
an ODDortunity to attack the Chflsuahr'
and atrocities of the most frightiul chat-
arter were committed Massacres similar
to those that have marked the recent
troubles I'm Armenia We're frequent
The inhabitants defended themselves
with the greatest gdlianti,, Twice peleat-
ing large Turkish forces ln the heii, anu
tho struggle was at length terminated py
the interference of the French and ing
fish governments at COnstantnOple ana
the recall of the Pasha. The intervening
powers permitted the TURKS 10 suppress
the Armenian newspaper theh me soie
means of communication between inns
Isolated district and the rest OF the chris
tian world and until comparatively late
day Xeitoun has been isolated.
DEFENCE OF ZEITOUN.
Intelligence from Zeitoun has been anx-
iouslv awaiting for long time. II was
known that the Turkish troops had adj
vanced I'm large numbers. with artillery
and reports had come OF heavy nghung
The Zeitouulis fought wei, but evidently
could not hold ont against the artillery
The Turkish Government reports that
Zeitoun is the only disturbed place m
Armenia. 10 has been feared that AN un-
urocedented massacre would follow It's
capfure-N Washington Star.