The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-16
SWAY OF THE RED SCIMITAR.
MAD WITH BLOOD, KURDs VENT
THEIR FURY ON CORPSES.

BILE to BE Described in Print-Sixty
Christians Dragged From Church
at HarpOOt and Killed One by One.
Thousands of Armenians Profess
ing IsIamism to Escape Death.
Constantinople, Dec. 15-Advices from
the interior show that forced conversions
from Christianity to Mohammedanism are
occurring everywhere. Women and chill
dren whose husbands and fathers have
been killed and whose homes have been
destroyed have. rather than to lead a life
of vagabondage, accepted Islamism.
whereupon they We're housed and fed by
Turks. The sincerity of these conversions
may be judged from what has occurred
in Caesarea. In this place many women
whose protectors had fallen in the massa-
eres were offered their choice between en-
bracing the tenets of the Koran, of be-
ing either hacked TO pieces or meeting the
worse fate of being kidnapped. Ostensibly
the women accepted Islamism and thus
rendered their lives and perhaps their
honor secure.
1t is now known that perhaps one thou
sand persons were killed in the massacres
I'm Caesarea. The fury of the Kurds was
not satisfied with the death of its victims.
but vented itself upon the inanimate bod
les. The mutilation of the corpses was
ture that cannot be described.
In Harpoot sixty Christians fed to
church in the vain hope that its walls
those who were crying for the blood of
Armenians. They were permitted for a
time to believe themselves secure, but
suddenly the church was surrounded by
great number of kurds. The doors were
then blown in, and the Christians thought
that they would be massacred within the
sacred structure They were not. Their
captors took them one at a time outside
the church and there, needless of the pitt
able cries for mercy from the women and
children, killed them, either by shooting
or stabbing them. The first victim was
the protestant pastor of the church Who
as he was dragged out bade the others,
II they had to die, to die as Christians.
He met his death like a martyr. Some
OF the refugees in very agony of terror
offered to abjure their faith and accept
Islamism, thinking thus to save their
lives. The offers availed them nothing,
for their Unsuitable enemies. after accept
ing them, dragged the converts out and
killed them one by one.
The Armenian church has been turned
INTO mosque, and the protestant church
Joined In the looting that accompanied the
massacres.
Van and Trebizond are rapidly fiIine
with refugees from the pillaged villages
adjacent to those cities. Hundreds of wo-
men, almost completely exhausted from
fear and lack of food, have reached Van
and Trebizond. Their condition is most
deplorable. They have been robbed of
about everything they possessed. Large
numbers of them were barefooted and
the only covering they had for their
bodies were thin chemises, which furnish
ed no protection against the inclement
of those who escaped death at the hands
of the Kurds will die from the effects of
the exposure they have undergone, while
many others will fall victims of starVa-
ton. The most prompt aid that can reach
the sufferers from foreign countries will
not avail to prevent an enormous death
from these al L.
promptly furnished from some quarters
the deaths from famine will reach an ap-
The torpedo cruiser Faucon, which is
to act as the second French guardship,
has arrived here.
Berlin, Dec. 15.-The climax of the
strain between the sultan and the Euro
pean powers, the sultan's assent to the
issuance of flrmans permitting the en-
trance OF extra guardShips into the Dar-
danelles, was obtained under the influ-
ence of his knowledge that Germans
support would be withdrawn if he re-
fused, Throughout the diplomatic strug-
giles the German ambassador at Constan-
tInople has been under Instructions from
Berlin that Germany should keep in
tiative action. The German ambassador
was officially absent from the confer
ences of the ambassadors, but was al
ways in direct communication with the
sultan. According to official information
mere, the emperor saw no necessity for
having a second guardship at CONSTANT
hopl,e and was strongly opposed to the
project of forcing the passage through
the Dardanelles. Finally, however, un-
der pressure brought to bear by Austria
and Italy, the German ambassador was
instructed to advise the sultan that Ger
many must go with the allied powers,
and that strong measures should be re-
quired AT the same time the sultan re-
cetved the assurance of Germany that
when the guardboat difficulty should be
removed ample time would be accorded
70 the porte to re-establish order in Asia
Minor. 1t is probable that reliance upon
the kaisers promise that no untimely
pressure upon Turkey for reforms would
have the assent of Germany, had more
influence upon the sultan than did the
ambassador, and Sir Philip Currie, the
British ambassador, that the firmans
must be granted.
ncial explanations here are realized, diplo-
matte action in Constantinople will be re-
taxed. great deal more confidence eX-
lists in Berlin in the sultan's intention to
carry out the reforms in Asia Minor
than seems to prevail in other, and es-
pecially in English, official quarters. All
the references that are made on the sub
Ject in the German semi-official press
show this feeling, and indicate the pre-
dominance of the opinion also that no in
lerVention of the powers in Turkey in
Rolving a European war should be ven
tured upon. German popular and official
sympathy with the Armenian is keen, but
IL is argued that war leading to the
slaughter of the European armies would
pc worse evil than anything that has
gans in Vienna take similar view of the
situation. The Fremdenblatt de-
eelares that the sultan is anxious
TO prove his sincerity and readi--
ness to grant reforms and hopes to be
aDle TO carry out vigorously his policy of |
restoring quiet among the different races
lnhabiting Asia Minor
In regard to the reported refusal of Ger
many to permit the displacement of Turk |
mad Pasha, and the substitution Of Said
Iasha, Turkish ambassador al Paris as
luIklsh ambassador TO Germany, nothing !
j definitely known. The appointment of |
Sald Pasha is uncertain, but in any event |
ne change Of ambassadors, even If Said |
should be selected, win not cause any
alscord between Germany and Turkey A |
tlahge in the Turkish ministry IS under |
stood to be impending.
London. Dec 15.-The Daily News will |
lo-morrow publish a dispatch from Con-
stahunople confirming the statement of /
lAe representative Of the United Press |
IN mat city regarding the number Of 1
taesarea.
~ The massacre occurred on Nov. 30 4
ne gendarmes Joined the marauders in 1
puNaglnB women and girls There a. 4