The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-22

grow more and more terrible as they
come out more fully.
had written of a baud Of gypsies
from the disturbed region recently ap-
pealing in these parts, with a large
quantity of church spoil, crosses, vest.
ments, e., having with them also q
Young girl for sale; two others had been
disposed of before the patty reached here
writer says Yes, what you report
about the poor girls being sold down
your way Ike so many chattels is gong
on all up and down these regions. Poor
refugees, wandering about the streets OF
our own town in search of the only too
spariue charity, have caught sight of
some Of their own brides in certain
houses, but the poor captiges were
ed inside so quickly as TO allow no
conversation. We have heard Of several
/ brought here as captiYeS, while they have
b.el t, ken off in groups to more distant
provinces, But il is not well to enlarge
on tais now. The Powers, and espl-
cialy England, are responsible for all
this condition of things.
you will oeiuterested to know that the
Con mission has just gone into the i'll.
fated region ITSELF. II is quite credibly
reported that the halp'es have massa.
cred six CT seven more poor creatures,
lest they should get before the Cfli;ia's
aud give important testimony. Poor
mortals, how these refugees have cause I
our hearts to bleed not only on cur visit
/ to MOosb, but here also since our return
they reach us with their terrible rehear
sails Of the past One with forJy-four
scars, who had been left for dead,
put it this way in his simple way
of telling it: THE dav they mur-
darcd Us things we're thus aud 50, as if
he had actually experienced resurrection
from the dead, aud really it seems
much Ike it. ! might have sent
you some most appalling Incidents,
such as would curdle the blood, hut
might as we'll spare you"
/ one of the ladies writes: eve are
| situated where we get many facts re
garding the sad affair Several times a
week, at least, we had people from Sas
! souu region at cur door. No language
can convey an adequate idea of what
we have seen and heard. The ner
vous strain is great, but We are glad tc
/ try and make sonae use of the fact
though only small part can be given
From Z zroum, May 4, 1895 -"Tht
| Commission is working away, AID the
! efforts to conceal and falsify only estab,
| lish the Christian contention. Bat the
utterly desolate state of the SassOun
people bePgars description. The notable:
were dismissed from prison the other
day by imperial trade. presume that
| Will mean a vote of thanks to the Snltan.
| The men here correspondence are work
| ing up the prison torture question, and
some tremendous material is in hand,
enough to condemn oficialdom to perdi-
ton. Horrible, horriblem
AP. s., from Bitlis. so far as ap
pears, there is not any more danger on
the road this way than at other times,
They have been more after us in the
towns here and at Moosh, while they
watch our every movement. He had but
just reached Moosh when a telegram
came from here, The American has
come there-waich.' They also sent in
forming bis. Imperial Majesty at Z zroum,
who at once sent special messenger
to ask the American minister why
has Mr. Cole gone to Mooshp Why
shouldn't he go, answered the minister,
when you don't allow his letters to ar
rive, the city is in danger Of course
he viii como on to where he can commu-
nicate with me- ,"
lone Sunday wounded man from
Sassoun district came to us in disguise.
He sought an opportunity to appear be-
fore the commission. That be would not
be allowed to do this unless careful
measures were taken, we had abundant
proof. The mans name was Avak, and
he was from Semal (near SassouD), He
said there were ten persons in his
father family. The father, brother ard
cousin we're killed, bayoneted before his
eyes. One brother and Avak escaped
badly wounded He said the treacherOus
enemy sent word to the villsgers, Come
to reconciliation, giving them to under
stand they would be safe. Der Ho,
hanues, their priest, with about three
hGndred villagers, came and said they
were 0bedient, loyal subjects to the Sui
tan The Turks told them, Curse the
gospel and become M0slems and you are
safe H0hannes replied, For myself, I
cannot do it. but you, nay people, are
free to do what you ike A prompt re-
spouse came from the brave thr0ng,
knowing it meant m2rtyrdOm. Neither
viii we deny our faith! At once the
order came Dig cut tbat priests eyes;
which the heartless soldiers did They
then tore his beard out by The roots,
skinning his face! After that they cut
a ho}5 in his throat and obliged him to
| drink cup Of water which ran out of
! the hole in his throat. Death at last
ended his suffarings Turning now to
the Mortified people, the soldiers were
| ordered to charge bay0uets, aud dread
| ful slaughter ensued. Early in this mas
sacre Avak was seriously wounded. He
remained unconscious beneath the slain
through the day. Rousing from his
well-nigh death stupor in the nigh, he
succeeded in pushing away the dead
bodies from above and around him.
Slowly be made his way to some low
bushes among which he hid for three
days, eating leaves, roots and gum from
the shrubs. A cousin, H8chig by name,
also from Semal, in passing saw Avak
aud helped him get to the shelter of some
great rocks not far away. Here in pain
and weakness he stayed three d ,ys, his
cousin bringing him food by stealth.
Then finding he could walk he set out
alone, and by slow stages was able to
reach the village of Shushanamerg where
k1 haA D., E.,,.. A.