The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-09-04
TURKISH ATROCITIES.
No Permanent Relief for Perse.
cuted Armenian Christians.
PROHIBITED FROM GIVING AID
Agents Sent TO Distribute Aid Contributed
by British Christians Constantly Ham.
pered in Their Work by Representative,
of the Turkish Government.

pered in Their Work by Representative
of the Turkish Government.
NEW YORK Sept A. The following .
statement has just been received by a /
gentleman in this city from responsible .
persons in Turkey, fully cognizant of the
facts
Some eight months ago movement was .
made on the part of the Turks to send aid
to the victims of their barbarity at Sassoun /.
A gift of e2 200 was reported, and "a com
mittee was organized to see to its distribu
tion. Small sums were offered to the peo
pie on condition that they would sign re
ceipts in the nature of thanks for the gen
erosity thus manifested, at the same time
certifying that it was not the soldiers of
the sultan who injured them, but only o
little row that had occurred between them
and the Kurds,
Naturally they declined the proffered aid
on such conditions Here was the gov
ernment that with fire and sword. and
with almost unprecedented and fiendish
atrOcity, had utterly wasted their homes,
coming and offering u paltry dollar head
to the survivors who are on the ground as
proof of their gracious sovereign's char
table regard for them, while they could
go among their Moslem neighbors and
identify property worth many times this
sum as that which had been wrested from
them while it would be easy for the gov
ernment itself to collect and return from
among the more distant Kurdish nomads
nearly the whole amount they had lost.
In the meantime, the English men and
women had collected for their fellow
Christians some efficient aid. When the
government learned of this, and that
agents were coming to distribute this
money, officials began to say: "H these
people will not accept our aid, why should
we allow others to come in and help them. "
Influential friends of the sufferers finally
persuaded the government to modify their
demands to the extent of accepting a simple
receipt of funds received, and even then
the people were with difficulty persuaded
to receive the proffered aid. However, the
amount that they have been called upon
to receipt for up to the present time has
not been sufficient to prove burdensome.
OF the 60 900 only e400 has yet material
ized, and nearly e2 per day goes for salar-
les of the commission.
When agents were appointed by the
British ambassador to distribute the funds
from abroad it was with some difficulty
/ that permission was secured for them to
enter the devastated region. The services
of the existing Turkish commission We're
offered to distribute these contributions,
but finally this point was apparently
waived, and they were allowed to locate
themselves at the village of Semal.
The sight of the crumbling walls of it's
once comfortable dwellings convinced them
that the first thing to be done was to pre-
pare these buildings for occupation, but
when they were ready to start the mem
bers of the Turkish commission reported
to the British agents that they were in
structed not to allow them to neddle with
the buildings, and that all relief rendered
must be given through their hands.
AT the same time the man sent ostensi-
bly, as their guard constantly exercised the
most annoying espionage, listening to
every word they said and reporting to the
government an exaggerated statement of
all that was done. Under these circum-
stances, the British representatives made
vigorous protests to the government, and
the questions at issue were referred to the
central authorities As temporary meas
ure, so that the poor people might not re
main entirely hungry, it was arranged
that the agents might for the present, dis
tribute food, only it must be in the presence
and under the inspection of representa-
tive of the government.
Considerable money had also been con
trbuted by the Armenians, from various
cities, with the expectation that the local
Armenian authorities, in concert with the
British agents, would see to its distribu-
ton The government, however, has sent
them strict orders that if they choose to
hand over their funds to the Turkish COM
mission for distribution they can do so;
otherwise, they are peremptorily estopped
from distribution. OF course, they do not
hand over their funds, and SO the money
must wait until better condition of af-
fairs can be inaugurated.
The general condition of the country is
getting worse The Christians are having
n hard time in harvest. They are in dan
ger of their lives 1t is usual for them to
remain in the fields during harvest, but
now they dare not. The women usually
carry food to the fields for the workers.
but now they are afraid to do so. The
other day about two miles from here girl
carrying food to the fields for the work
men was set upon by three young Turks
and foully and brutally treated, A row
followed, and two or three Christians were
wounded
At another village, nine hours from
here, band of thirty horsemen entered
the village of Kupri Keuy and first went
through the village in riotous way and
greatly terrified the people, demanding the
girls and brides Later they took their
rifles and went firing through the streets
of the village. The son of the priest opened
the door, with the idea of inducing them
to leave by giving money. He was shot
down like "A dog. They kept up this for
about three hours. They broke open some
doors and fired into the houses. The gov
ernment has not yet taken any steps IN
the NATTER though this band is well
known.
Miss Gertrude Vanderbilt Engaged.
NEW YORK, Sept. 4.-Cmrent report in
society circles which is not denied by
friends of the interested parties, has it that
Miss Gertrude Vanderbilt. the only daugh-
! -