The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-11-27
The Trouble at Kharput.
Burning and Pillaglng of the
American Missions.
Protection Was Promised.

Copssantioople, Nov 19.-(Copy.
righted by the Associated Press. )-in
response to seiegrams sent to Kbarpu'
by sae Uoited States Minister,
Mr.. Alexander Terrell, inquiring into
the burniog and pillagiog of the Amer
loan MISSIONS there Exclusively an.
nounoed By the Associated Press on
Saturday morning. the Porte has fur.
nished some Information to Mr.. Terrell
and additional facts have been obtained
from other sources by the United
States Minister. AS Mr. Terrell will
communicate direct with the State De-
parsmeut at Washington on the sub
jecs. the facts in his possession caEnos
be given out here but enough is
known of the disturbances at Kbarput
to enable the Associated Press to give
the following general outline of the oo-
curreoces
The trouble between the Kurds and
Armsnians at Kharput had been brew
ing for some time. On the one hand,
it was claimed that the Armenians.
iucited by agents Of their revolutionary
committee. had been arming them
selves, holding secret meetings and
preparing for revolt against the Turk
ish authorities. The crisis was to be
precipitated by an attack upon the
MusuImau quarter. A second version
Of the affai. is that the Turks. acting
under instructions from the Yidiz
Kiosk officials. if not from the Sultan
himself. deliberately planoed to mas
sacre the Armenians Of Kharput.
The Kurds, who were not armed with
rides, we're provided with weapons
similar to those used by the Turk
ish soldiery and ammunition was plen-
tifally distributed among them. AT a
signal agreed upon, q quarrel was
picked with some Armen'ans. aud the
attack upon their quarters was COM
menced
TIE Armenians, however. who had
been anticipating an outbreak for some
time past. had armed themselves ss
we'll as possible, and had barricaded
their dwellings, and made so deter
mined resistance shat the first attack
of The Kcrds was repulsed.
AS announced 10 these dispatches
exclusively at the time, when it first
became apparent that disturbance
was Imminent, the American mission
aries at Kharpus applied for protection
to NJ. Terrell. The latter called per-
.sosa:l5 On the Porte, and sent several
uot.s oa the subject to the Minister
f.,r E'o,eigu Affairs, insisting that the
Tu,k;sh officials should protect the
American missionaries, and notifying
the Sultan aud his ministers that they
would be held responsible fer the safe
ty of the missionaries.
10 view of these representations. the
Turkish officials promised to protect
he lives of the missionaries, and de-
tailed gendarmes to protect the prop
erty. The following was the eesult:
When the Armeniaus repu;sed the
.icst attack of the Kurds, the latter
were SO iofariased at the check they
had received that they proceeded TO the
quarter OF Kharpus where the Ameri-
can mission ia located, and quickly over
coming aoy opposition Of the gsnd-
armcs, il there were any present "a
poios which has nct been definitely
ascertaioed), they rausacked the houses
including eight Of the American mission
bulldogs. aod exploded she'll in the
house Of one of the missionaries. The
American missionaries. bowever, esca-
ped aniojured aud placed themselves
under the imcsediate protection of the
Turkish governor. who still has them
safe nndes bis care.
During the pillaging, it has been as
ceetaiued beyond douot that the Kurds
we're supported by Turkish troops 10 a
uuu,ber OF instances. aud in other cases
The soldiers remained passive spectators
of the rioting.
Later. second and more successful
attack was uade by the Kurds upon
the Armenian quarter, and terrible
massacre followed. The number. Of
victims has 90; yet been ascertained.
but it is declared to be enormous. ;"
Conservative estimates say that from
800 to 1000 persons we're killed dur
ing the rio'ing.
Tue American missionaries have
formally protested against the destruc-
tion of their property to the Turkish
authorities and TO Mr.. Terrell, who,
when all the facts in the case are thor
oughly established. viii! most likely de-
mand that the Americans be compen-
sated for the losses In fact it is un-
derstcod that Mr.. Terrell has been as
e,ra] that rho Turkish government is