Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-14
PROTECTEDBYTURKS
The American Missionaries in the
Disturbed Armenian Districts.
HOLDING THE PORTE RESPONSIBLE
Further Massacres Of Christians
Reported.
DETAILS OF THE TORTUREs
Copyrighted. 1895, by the Associated Press.)

ing the riotng at Marash, Hadiin and
Orfah the American missionaries, thanks
to the strong representations made on the
subject to the porte by the United States
minister, Mr. Alexander w. Terrell, were
protected by Turkish gendarmes. This, it
is known, was by direct order of the porte,
telegraphed to the Turkish officials at the
places mentioned.
Owing to additional dsquieting news just
received here from Sivas Mr.. Terrell has
rerewed his demand that the porte pro-
tect the missionaries, and he is holding the
Turkish government responsible for their
lives.
News received here today from the dis
trict of Van records fresh massacres of
Armenian Christians there. The kurds of
Van are said to be attacking and pillaging
the Armenian villages. and the Turkish
officials are reported TO he powerless to
preserve order.
A telegram received here from Sivas
Tuesday evening, but only made public to-
day. says that massacre of the Arme-
mans has been commenced in that city, but
according to the porte order has been re-
stored there. The facts in the case may
be expected shortly.
Chastity Details Of the Massacre. ,
Every day brings further details Of the
massacres at Erzeroum, and each report
makes the story of the crimes there more
ghastly. Men, women and children were
shot, bayoneted, burned and outraged for
days, the killing and mutilation lasting for
weeks. though intervals of rest record
ed. The orders for these outrages are
said to have been sent by the porte and
they were carried out in the most cruel
manner imaginable. The number of killed
will probably never be known, and is es-
timated at from 800 to 1000, according to
Turkish or Armenian versions of the af-
fair. Certainly many hundreds were
killed. and it is even said that some of the
yicti eli cd a1 u-bi1 tbarc
were soaked with petroleum and then set
fire to.
The Turks of Erzeroum, as usual. claim
that the Armenians were the aggressors;
but Independent reports acquit the Ar
menaEs of doing anything more than at
tempting to defend themselves at Erzeroum
and at Diarbekir, although at Zeitoun, where
they captured a Turkish battalion, and at
Marash, the Armenans are admitted to
have taken the initiative In attacking the
Turks. The latter are not always to blame
for the outbreaks, but there seems to be no
excuse for the lendsh massacres which fol-
lew. When once the Turk begins killing he
never knows when to stop.
Further troubles also reported at
Kharput, Malitch and Arabakir, and at
Marash the bloodshed and outrages are said
to have been even more terrible and pro-
longed than at Erzeroum.
An Insult to the Powers.
1t is rumored here today that Shakir
Pasha. the imperial high commissioner for
Armenian reforms, is about to be recalled.
in order that he may be appointed grand
vlzier in succession to HALL Rifat the in
cumbent of that office. If the rumor is cor
Iect, this would seem to be another open de-
farce of the powers, for Shakir Pasha is
garded as the chief butcher of the porte.
Since his appearance at Erzeroum as high
commissioner the massacres there have
been more bloody and frequent than ever be-
fore, and he has done nothing to punish the
Offenders. In fact, he has been charged
with calmly looking on while the Turkish
soldiers fired upon every helpless Christian
they caught sight of.
Abdullah Pasbs formerly president of the
Sassoun commission of inquiry, and Saabe
din Pasha have been sent to Erzeroum and
Bitlis, respectively, to take command of
the Turkish troops in those places. This
lends color to the report that Shakir Pasha
is coming back to Constantinople and that
he is to be appointed grand viz.er
There Is no Improvement in the financial
aspect of affairs. In fact, if anything, this
side of the question is darker than ever,
for there are ugly rumors ahoat to the ef-
feet that certain palace officials have made
large sums of money recently by buying
and selling Turkish securities at the right
moment upon Information received from
high sources.
There are rumors In Russian circles here
of great activity being displayed in
necton with the Black sea fleet of Russia,
and for some time past important move
ments of troops known to have been
taking place on the frontiers of Russia
nearest to the disturbed districts of Asiatic
Turkey.
Little Change in the Situation.
There is very little change in the situa-
ton here this morning. The Italian feet
is understood to be on its way to Salonca
bay to join the British flaet of about twenty
warships already there; the French fleet is
expected there shortly, and the representa-
tives of the powers, As result of communal
cations exchanged with their governments,
have had another informal meeting at the
French embassy. When the three SQUAD
ronS have united and Sir Philip Curric the
British ambassador, returns, some decisive
steps upon the part ot the powers may be
anticipated
Russian warsuips have heHn ordered TO
start Immediately for the Mediterranean.
OutraGcs Planned in Advance.
LONDON, November 1.-THE Vienna cor
respondent of the Standard says that the
foreign ambassadors possess ample evidence
that the palace clique at Constantinople is
sued orders to the effect that the troops and
police should fire upon only Armenians, no
matter who the aggressors were. Observers
of political events at Cons.antinople have
noted that all the imperial princes now
living at IildiS Kiosk.
The special correspondent of the Setandard
at Corstautnople says that recent details
received from Erzeroum indicate that the
massacre there was worse than at first re-
ported. The outraCes We're evidently or
EGnlZed ana planned days beforehand and
the pillage was on n colossal scale. The
Armenans who escaped were literally left
naked.
The Daily News this morning printed dis
patch from Odessa to the effect that 1t has
been officially announced there that the
commandcr-in-Chief of the Caucasus army
ard the admiral of the Black sea fleet al
ready have definite instructions from St
Petersburg, advising them what course to
pursue in the event of the disruption of the
Ottoman empire.
dispatch to the Daily News from Con-
stantinOple says that Il European eye Wit
ness present at the Erzeroum massacre con-
firms the statement made regarding the pre-
arranged nature of the outrages AT first
the Turkish troops refrained from wounding z
the women and children, but these bounds
were soon passed. and on the 10th OF last
month the disorders lasted fully six hours
-Four hundred refugees we're sheltered at
the governors house ard fully three hun
dred A A"Tcnians concealed themselves in
the homes Of the Europeans. Two hundred