The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-24
THE ARMENIAN ATROCITIES.
Thrilling Letter From q Missionary Who
Was an Eye Witness,

The following thrilling letter was re-
ceived yesterday by Rev. Z. p. Allen:
HARPOOT. Nov. 20, 1895.
| You have no doubt seen in the papers
| some account of the awful calamity
which has befallen our field, as we'll as
| nearly every section Of Eastern Turkey.
should like to give you q full account
of it today. but cannot. We are still
alive and In comparative comfort and
safety. Fifty soldiers guard us, and the
dwellings left to US night and day. Prob
ably SO large.a guard is not now neces-
sary. but the officials here have received
stringent orders from Court to protect
us. Our minister, Mr. Terrell, telegraphs
US that protection was demanded and
promised month ago. when these dis
turbances tirst began-but it is quite evil
dent that no effort was made to fulfill
the premise on the part of the govern
ment.
For weeks the Koords have been plum
dering, burning ana numbering in almost
every part Of Eastern Turkey. can
only give you the general course Of
things by this letter. shall write more
fully Later. Nearly four weeks ago bands
OF Koordish marauders began to appear,
first in the region north Of the river,
then several villages on this side the
river were plundered and some killed.
This went on for time.D About two
weeks go they appeared on Harpoot
plain at the east end of the plain, and
gradually worked their way up the plain.
turning, plundering and numbering and
compelling people under fear of instant
death to become Mssulnans
Scarcely village where there were
Christians remains unframed. Thou
sands have been slaughtered. Many
from fear have declared themselves Mos
lens.
Sunday, Nov 10, the attack began here
Monday, Nov. II. There was a mere show
Of the soldiers resisting the entrance of the
Koords to the city and the city Turkish
rabble The soldiers pretended to fire
upon the Koords, but not Koord was
killed or wounded. It is thought that
about 800 Koords entered the city. Hus-
enik was first attacked; 900 or more
were killed there and many wounded,
The Koords were joined by a large
number Of the riff raft Turks Of the CITY.
The soldiers after finishing their sham
fight, let the Koords plumber and murder
! at their will. They protected the raid
ers and some soldiers Joined in the plum
dering. As soon as houses were stripped
some Of them were set on fire. People
thronged into our house for protection. At
last the Koords began tn pound and cut
at our heavy front door, The yard was
filled with the neighbors, thinking this
safe refuge. But wnen they began to
cut down the door all fed through our
house upon the terrace. ran out CD the
walk to see II the front door was likely
to stand or whether fire had been set
already been cut in the dool. The crack
of a Martini rife warned me to retreat.
Uncle WIS family and Mr.. BIS had fed
to our house. Uncle CPS house was being
plundered and then set on fire. We took
up Uncle O. and Mama, who were carried
up the hill, and we finally turned back
to the girls school yard. Uncle CPS house
was quickly plundered and set ON fire,
| not their former house, but the one be-
low the road. Then I thought of Mama's
little carriage and ran down through
the school building to SEQ ii could get it
fromAnnie's room. reached the hall and
looked toward Annie's door when I saw
two men ransacking room close by
Annis's door. I turned back and as I
passed closet there was another man
rummaging among the things. Fl quickly
regained the yard and closed the door be-
hind me. After a few minutes the mis-.
oreants were at the outside door of the
girls college building pounding from
the inside. Again the crowd started and
this time for the boys college building.
as the safest place Of refuge. I was on
gone out of the door and our servant
Marderos carrying mama, and others
carrying Uncle Crosby, when savage
looking fellow appeared at the corner
back of the building. I held up my hand
| as though to keep him from looming near
the retreating crowd. He instantly drew
pistol and f1ourished it back and forth,
1 supposed merely to brighten us, but he
then took deliberate aim at me and fred
two shots. He fred another shot at Mr..
Gates and Emily. Then through the gate
we were soon in the college, and went
up to the third story and from the win
dows saw the smoke rising up from the
| front part Of our house. Uncle Crosby's
house was all on fire, and dozen or more
on that street and others in streets be-
low. Finally soldiers came after we had
| been almost entirely forsaken. cannot
| but think that the soldiers were purpose
| ly withdrawn to give the Kurds a
chance to fire all the buildings. The
commander of the soldiers stood on the
hill above the premises and did nothing
| to stop the pillage and burning OF our
houses and the girls college. The chapel
was set on fire. II we could have had
protection from the soldiers we could
have put out every fire and saved every
building, but as We were situated we
should have lost our lives in the attempt.
and so our beautiful home, with all its
sacred memories and all our precious
mementoes collected during 40 years
have been burned to ashes, and now we
| look only upon the blackened walls From
our horse the fire soon spread to the
girls school building and soon it was a
heap of ruins.
omitted one episode. Quite large
company started from our house
before we went, 81 of the school girls
with them. Mrs. Boyajian, son and
daughter, Prof. Melcom, Hach Benneau
and others. They went over the terrace
and up q narrow passage between MIR.
Gates house and the girls school yard
when storm of bullets fell like rain
around them and four of the number
we're wounded. The blood stains arc