Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-07-19
PLANS OF BUTChERY
Turkey Imported Oil fos the Sas-
SCUM Massacre.
AND MADE LAVISH USE OF IT
Valley That Was Once the Gar.
DIN OF Eden.
From the Special Correspondent of the
Associated Press)

(From the Special Correspondent of the
Associated Press.)
Van Armenia, May 24.-The Sassoun
massacre. 1t would appear, was one of
the most carefully planned outrages in
history. The evidences Of this are cir
cumstantial only, but 1t is alleged to be
none the less conclusive. During the
months of June, July and August pre-
ceding the Sassoun massacre the Kurd-
ish chiefs in the country surrounding
the Sassoun region. and particularly
the district to the southwark and south
westward, were apparently unusually
busy in gathering up the scattered war;
riors of their tribes for an invasion of
the Sassoun region. In July and August
enormous quantities of petroleum were
shipped from Erzeroum and Moush.
This petroleum was shipped from Rus
STA to Erzeroum. and so great was the
quantity brought over the mountain
roads that 1t was the subject of remark
TO many persons For time it looked
as though nothing went over the road
between Erzeroum and Moush but pc
troleum. Now, 1t is fact that Moush
does not use great quantity of petro-
leum herself, nor do her merchants sell
much of it to the surrounding country
In the villages candles of sheep-fat oil
are used for the lights.
What Moush wanted with these count
less cans of petroleum was a mystery
but the mystery was @ mystery no long
er after the Sassoun massacre, for the
petroleum was used to burn the houses
of Sassoun villages and to cremate the
bodies of the wretched villagers who fell
victims to the awful butchery. In
burning the houses the petroleum was
thrown upon the woodwork in generous
quantities and set on fire. In cremating
the dead they were. in many cases,
placed In layers of wood and built up
into pile. The entire mass was then
saturated with petroleum and set on
fire. 1t is harged that living men We're
cremated in the same way, but this was
a merciful way of putting the unfort-
innate creatures to death in comparison
with the tortures inflicted upon many
others.
TROOPS MASSED.
The massing of troops near the Sas-
SCUM region, and particularly at Moush,
was carried on for some time before the
beginning of the massacre, in order that
everything might be in readiness for the
program carefully made out at Con-
stantinople. Several weeks after the
Sassoun massacre 1t is claimed orders
We're sent from the palace at CONSTANT
nople for the massacre of the inhabi-
tants of Modikan, district lying to the
south and southeast of Sassoun, but
when 1T was seen that an investigation
of the massacre at Sassoun was newt
al bic the order. 1t Is said, was recalled
and Modikan was not molested except in
the ordinary course of persecution gen.
| eral in all parts Of Armenia.
MARTYRS READY.
In the city of Van at this moment
there are 500 young men sworn to Civ,
| themselves as a sacrifice to Turkish
butchery in the hope that the attention
| of England may be more strongly called
to the situation of their people. The Ar
menians can not accept any sucl
| scheme of reform which does not hav,
for Its fundamental principles the alb
solute control by European powers I'm
less Europe controls the reform Their,
will be massacre of 1000 Christians IL
the city of Van in three months. TIL
Armenians themselves will bring thi
| about rather than be cast about b,
| their fellows of the west.
There is no language quite adequat
to description of the real condition o
Armenia at present. Men are beaten
robbed and murdered, and women ar
ravished by Kurds and Turkish sol
diers. Woe and want and despair an,
death stalk abroad in this beautiful
land that was once part of the garden
OF Eden. The inhabitants of Van ar
living on the brink of a massacre from
day to day.