The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-10-09
A REIGN OF TERROR.
Many ArmenIans Butchered in the Streets
of Constantinople--An Earthquake Adds
10 the Horrors of the Scene.

Many ArmGnlans Butchered in the Streets
of Constantinople-An Earthquake Adds
10 the Horrors of the Scene.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Oct. 4.-To add to
the state of terror prevailing, third
slight earthquake shock was expert
enced here Wednesday. This, with the
rioting and bloodshed, the imprison-
ment of about 500 Armenians, the kill
ing of prisoners in cold blood, and the
presence of troops under arms at all
points, is calculated to excite even the
most phlegmatic Turk.
The rioting and blood letting which
began on Monday was renewed Tues
day evening in spite of all the precau-
tions taken by the authorities. On
Tuesday the principal rioting was the
work of the Softas, Mohammedan theo-
logical students, who chased and beat
with bludgeon3 every Armenian they
met.
A mob of Softas and Turks attacked
the house of leading Armenian, Ka-
elm Pasha, storming the building and
threatening its destruction and killing
several persons who were unable to
escape from it in time. The mob also
sacked cafe frequented by Armenians
and twenty of these people who were
found there were beaten to death with
bludgeons. To the disgrace of the au-
thorities not a single policeman APP
peared on the scene and no attempt
was made to save the lives of the Ar
menians.
Naturally the Armenians of Constan
tinople and its vicinity are panic-strick-
en- and put no faith in the assurances
of protection from further violence at
the hands of the Turkish mobs. Many
of them sought refuge in the churches,
where they were earnestly addressed
by their clergy, who enjoined them to
be calm and to give the Turks no fur
ther pretexts for attacking them. The
Armenian churches are now watched
by the police, but the greatest uneasi-
ness prevails and the members of the
other religious denominations express
fear that the fanaticism of the Turks
may extend in other directions.
The Armenians have the sympathy
of the foreigners here, but the fact
that they are armed in spite of their
pacific announcements lends color to
the statements of the Turkish officials,
who claim that the Armenian agitators
have organized revolt against the
sultan's authority and that the at
tempt to present petition to the
grand vizier on Monday last which LED
to the first rioting and bloodshed, was
nothing more than pretext, which
was to serve as the signal for an
Armenian outbreak. The partisans o.
the Armenians assert that the latter
only armed themselves in order to de
fend their lives against the Turks.
LONDON, Oct 4-Thc Standard pub
fishes dispatch from Constantinoplc
saying that on Wednesday large
number of shops were closed and th'
streets were patrolled by the police
The city is in state of siege. Th'
Armenian patriarch received lettel
on Tuesday inviting him to call upoI
the government. The letter stated
that none of his followers would b,
permitted to accompany him. Th'
patriarch therefore declined to accep
the invitation and remained at tn,
patriarchate, where he is shut in will
several hundred armed Armenians
Officials visited the patriarchate ant
summoned its occupants to surrender
giving them until o'clock Wednesda.
afternoon to comply, after which,
they did not surrender, the building
would be stormed. At the time men
toned the police surrounded the build
ing and prepared to carry out thei
threat to storm it.