The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-02-03
An Associated Press Represen-
tative Visits the Scene.
THE STORY HAD FOUNDATION
lie Further Says that the Published
Stories OfTurkish Atrocities
Has Two Sides.


Copyrighted, 1895, by Associated Press
London, Feo. "A letter has beei
received here from a special cores
pondent Of the Associated Press whC
was sent to Armenia from Londor
to investigate the reported Armenian
atrocities, and who at present is II
Armenia. For reasons that will be
readily understood, the name of this
correspondent is Withheld, but he is O
newspaper man well known in Amer
lea, and he was instructed to make an
impartial investigation of the stories
told of Turkish cruelty. The Asso-
ciated press correspondent spent a
week or more in Colstantinop.e be-
fore. starting for Armenia, during
which time he investigated reports
current there and continued his jour
ney His first letter contains the first
authentic news from Armenia direct,
and says;
Whatever secrets may lie under the
snow on the Armenian mountains, 1t
seems beyond dispute from what l
have heard from many lips, that the
published stories OF ferocious butchery
and rcd horror in sassoun villages, have
at least a reasonable foundation OF
cruth, and that any change authorized
by further investigation, will deal more
with numbers than with the degree of
horror
But from what the correspondent
says in the latter part Of his letter,
there are two sides 10 the Armenian
story, as he remarks
But no matter what light we throw
upon the spasmodic wlcledness OIL
turkey or upon une ingenious ueYliuy
u cAe Revolutionary coAspirators, we
i4i4d thar IL is stAl the lnno.en, tnaI
su..er L.osI
"lno TURKS declare that the Arme-
mans have inflicted shocAing outrages
upon 1ur.aan nen and women, anu
4rom what is already known OF tne
InethO0s IL Is quite likely
Uhat the story is true. For instance,
it is reported that as means OF in,
citing the Turks to commit outrages
unat Will bring upon them the wrath
Jf the civilized world, the Armenians
nave thrust gun cartridges into the
bodies OF living Turkish men and
women, ana have exploded them. Ar
menian peasants TO the number OF
several thousand were tending their
leids and hocks in their summer pas.
.uIes in the SassoUn mountains along
.he borders OF kurisdan a band OF
Aurdish bandits searching Tor a win
ers supply OF provisions, raided tneir {
rock. Inc villagers and their FuCdish !
protectors made vigorous defense. 8
lney would have ended ii, but before
he lighting was over, the Turkish
government came into the affair, and
heA the real trouble began. c
Some Of them telegraphed that a t
was in progress among the j
in the mountain villages, ,
nd en- order came straight from the 2
aace; Punish the villagers TO the ut T.
cost extremity The Kurdish bandits Il
oined forces with che Turkish regu- &
lrs, and even the Kurds who had been rs
the AInenlans turned trait e
rs. The poor Armenian peasants were y
len LETT to the mercy OF force of e
drki5h regulars, and two bands of
-urds. The Armenians fought as only
len can to defend their wives and
lildren from outrage and death. They L
'oR refuge in their houses, but the o.
urdish cannon made short work of Y
lese. They were slain without mercy, "
en-, women and children. The out pi
-ge Of Armenian women and children y
: the Turks In that part of the coun- b
Y is common thing. The Arme- tc
ans in Athens and Constantinople &c
sert that nearly 10000 persons were
assacred, but more impartial and
ually well informed persons put the
imber from 1000 to 5000 persons killed. m
le exact number win never be known. co
'As for the Turkish commission, it sp
such a fraud that it IS waste Of tn
cath to talk about IT," "
When an Armenian girl ls to be
,rrfed she Is taken from her home
d outraged by bands Of Turks and
irds, and any menber,of her family
70 lifts hand in defense Of her os
nor IS shot down. wi
tits declared there IS not a young IN
nenian woman living alons the es'
irdish frontier who has not been wa
TRACED. Even children OF tender
ars are not exempt. and some have
tually died in most frightful a1ony. ;
IS difference Of reiivion that IS the Ba
sis Of all this injury, oppression and BY
ong." IN