The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1895-06-01

from death, and their property froa1S ~
struction, but when they protested
against the murderous raids Of tn
troops. the officers read to them the or
ders Of the sultan. and 90 nothing could
be done.
Mr.. Patton has lately returned to Te-
briz from an investigating tour among
Armenian refugees along the border be-
tween Persia and Turkey. He found
plenty Of refugees from the Lake Van
and Moosh districts, but not one from
Sassoun. There are no Sassoun survive
ors In Ouramia, Salmis. Ditiman, Khoi,
Tebriz or any other place in Persia, ana
SO few In Russia that they are difficult
to find. This absence OF Sassounn
among so many refugees from the other
districts Of eastern Armenia suggests
the dreadful possibility that few Of
these people escaped massacre. The In
vestigation Of Patton along the Per-
sian border has confirmed in q general
way the facts which I have incidentally
obtained during the past eight weeks.
The events OF the massacre were 80
horrible that even the chronic exag-
geration Of the Armenian mind fails to
| add anything to them.
| Mr.. Patton was accompanied on this
tour OF investigation by DR.. Wright.
an American missionary. stationed at
Salmis. This gentleman took testimony
| to the effect that when the Turkish sol
diers and Kurds appeared at certain
| village they collected some OF the vii
layers who dared not protest against
the outrages, and many Of the dead men
were cut up and thrown into the kettle
and boiled like so much beef. The boil
ed pieces were then given to the villa
gers for food. The wretched creatures
were compelled to eat their friends 80
the last mouthful. In another village
a party Of Kurds found child asleep
in it's cradle. They overturned the era
die and smothered the child. Then they
dissected the body and roasted pieces
of it before the fire. AS climax. they
compelled members OF the family. in
!. GLIDING the child's mother. to eat the
; roasted pieces.
Refugees who tell these stories are.
. for the most part, ready to return to
Armenia to wreak vengeance on their
! prosecutors as soon as they are supplied
) with ammunition, arms and food by
the revolutionary party, and. as already
; stated, the only thing lacking is food.
! The weapons have seen are known
! in Russia as "Soldatskie" guns, that IL
8 the gun used by the regular army OF
Russia. The gun is Boordan rifle,
a a simple and efficient weapon, partlcu-
] larly well suited to rough usage.
. One Of the bitterest things the Arme-
r MAN revolutionary leaders have to re-
). fleet upon is the fact that many Arme-
n mans act as spies for the Turkish gov
: eminent. It is a melancholy state OF
3 things. 1t Is freely admitted by the Ar
i menians themselves that Armenians can
always be found to sell out their frlenos
II for purse of silver.
e The leaders and agents whom have
g met are apparently sincere and trust
!? worthy. It should be explained In con-
n nection with this revolutionary move
It ment, that there are revolutionary par
o ties, but until have tangible proof OF
d the active existence Of them shall con-
tinue to speak for the revolutionists a.
re If there were but one party. The head
+ quarters of the revolutionary party Il
8 in London, and it is from London thai
"a the leader issues his orders to his exc
W cutive leaders in Russia, Persia and
er Turkey. It is my duty to give wore
to Of warning to the kind-hearted personi
10 in Great Britain and America who arr
" subscribing funds for the relief Of thu
n Sassoun refugees, that If these contrib
II utors have desire to aid the revolution
10 airy party they should ascertain trul,
the estimate of their contributions. A,
r, I have already pointed out, Sassoun re
le lief funds are merely revOlutionar,
N funds in disguise. / am convinced tina
OF any relief money entrusted to any Ar
t menian will sooner or later be used I,
~ help the revolutionary cause.