The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-14
A Stampede Caused by Pistol SHOT
10 q Personal Difficulty.
ARE SCARED SILLY AT THEIR FRIGHT.
Turkey Needs Money to Maintain Her
Army and Navy.
OTTOMAN MILITARY STRENGTH.
Armenians Believed the Nrussalmans
Were Attacking the Christians on
Account OF the Guaraships.

Constantinople. December IL (via Roma.
Bulgaria. December lN.--tCopyrighteds
1893 by the Associated Press. )--'rhere was
a disturhance In STEAMBOAT today and It
caused the spread of rumors so alarming
that Galata and pera were soon In q
state of panic and serious outbreaks arc
threatened. This. IN view OF the passage
through the Dardanelles CT the British
grnhoat Drynd and the Italian guuboar
Atchimeios. the extra guardships FOR tao
British and Italian embassies, formed the
basis for the report that rioting ptedicted
by the Nildia Kiosk cnhrtiers had actually.
commenced. but happily The trouble was
not of serious nature. although the Ar
menlans us usual are accused of having
attemnxd 10 bring about an uprising OF
the pophlace
The panic this morning was "A most OK
traordinary occurrence and IL n striking
evidence OF the nervousness and ar re-
henaion which prevail here az one OF the
results OF tue long-drawi-out neEouations
lions between the DOW eis ANA the sultan
regarding the suppression of guthrie tlSs in
Asntio Turkey and the adn.t,ance of sx-
ira gnArdshtps into the Hosphorus, Tho
|, asst note OF alarm now arfflces TO pro-
durc widespread terror ana II proof Was
needed that the powers were right In their
inslslenee npon having additional protec-
stgntlnopc ard It's vicinity " was fer
nieh.d by the occurrences OF today.
Simmered down to bare facts the cause
of the panic was a fierce quarrel between
Two Armenuna IN the STEAMBOAT quarter.
Finally one of the Armcnans drew re-
VOlycr and fred at his opponent. Tho
shot WIS the aiRum for an uproar, stam-
pedc of spectators aud eventually panic
which spread far and Wide from ono end
of abe city to the other until matters be-
ran to look very serious indeed Arme-
MANS nnd other Christians terrified by
he shouting aud yelling. rushing here and
lne1 that fresh massacre had COM
menced. They hnrricdlN closed their shops
ana houses. hurricaded doors and windows.
concealed their most valuable belongings
and made all preparations possible for dc.
iense. Women us wei as men armed
Themselves aa heat they could.
The examine OF the Armensans OF Siam
houl in huriiedly closing their shops, etc..
was followed In street after street, until
ho4ricadcd. People Ned hlthar and thither.
aimlvssly apparently unaware OF What
they were doing. not knowing what had
actually happened, hul With the general
impression That a passaore was ~ prog
res~ apmew here ~ -
Tnr ordinary police officials, as wet,
M the military police, who have heen
pntro'ing the streets since the last out-
break here, seemed to be ilmuog the first
70 catch the panic. for they hurried TO
their different headquarters as IL obey.
Ing orders previously given and II WAS
not mnt'l the alarm began 70 ,subside
that they reappearcd aud busted thcm-
selves with their duties.
From Stnmboul the wave OF terror
swept TO Galata and Pcra. where tho
pmlted Eventually, the police regained
their presence OF mind and circulated
the report that the stampede from the
STEAMBOAT quarter was accustomed by the
escape Of - lion from a menagerir and
that the animal having been killed there
was no occasion for further alarm. This
report spread quickly and soon caused
the mo iorly TO return. to their occupa-
lions disRustod at having been so need
lcsay frightened
The Turkish officials. however. RIGHTLY
or wrongly claimed that the quarrel be-
tween the two Armenlnns OF STEAMBOAT
was n prearranged affair and that the
firing of the revolver was intended as
signal to cause an outbreak, which, II is
added was aSertcd by the prompt meas.
uros taken by tho police, BE that as IL
may the whole affair clearly demon
Atrntes how small spark IL required to
start n conflagnration here. The panic
llated exnctly two hours.