The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1895-12-07
THE BLAME ON ARMENlANS
sublime Porte Asserts That They Started
the Riots by Murders Of In.
offensive Turks.

az TrebtzOnde. The report is very vol
luminous and gives details Of the out
break which occurred on October 2. The
report says Seuleman Bey and other
high officials were fired upon in the
streets of Trebizonde by one Armenak,
a servant in the employ Of an Armenian
bishop Of Trebizonde, wounding Haldi
Pasha and Behri Pasha. This caused
commotion in the population, and two
days later one Hatcl,ik, a cousin of q
barber, shot and instantly killed Rhami
Effendi, while walking in the street
The rumOr was then circulated that
the Armenians had gone to the govern
ment house and assassinated the vail,
whereupon the populace turned out in
great confusion and blocked the streets.
Order was finally restored by the au-
thorities, but the murderer Of Effendi
was still in hiding, and the attempt to
ascertain his whereabouts resulted in
heated discussion between the Armen-
ians and Mussulmans.
These incidents having been followed
by the news Of the riots in Constanti-
nople, brought about by some Arme-
MAN vagabonds, the public excitement
became greater than ever, every one
became alarmed, and the Armenians
began to walk around armed to the
teeth and agreed not to open their
stores. The governor general. wishing
to prevent, if possible, bloody riots. pro-
ceeded on Tuesday, October 8, accom-
panied by the president of the munich
pality, to the market square and assem-
bled a large number of prominent citi-
zens, both Mussulmans and Christians
T1onvy c1y =, o1v ~ ~
pie. At this moment shots were heard
in the direction Of the Chariks' quar-
ters. Owing to the existing confusion,
it was impossible to determine on which
side the brawl began. It seemed that
the more the imperial troops and agents
of the police endeavored to suppress
the riot the greater became the au-
dacity of the Armenians. They fired at
random on the soldiers, police and citl-
zens alike. At the sight Of one soldier
and one or two Mussulmans wounded
and two others who were already dead,
the agitation of the Mussulmans and
Greeks, who had joined the brawl,
reached it's climax. It was o'clock
when order was restored. Corpses ly-
ing in the streets and in the shops were
taken that same night to the untenant-
ed stores and the wounded were con-
veyed to their homes or to the hospital.
After the riot was put down, the Ar
menians, who had remained shut up in
the houses and stores, were deprived of
their guns. Until calm should be entire
ly restored they were lodged in the edi-
fees Of the civil and military authori-
ties. Those individuals and families
who were deprived Of means OF support
were cared for in some Mussulman
houses and received whatever was nee
essary for them.
The Ottoman subjects and the stran-
gers who had sought protection at the
residence Of the foreign consuls at the
moment Of the riot were conveyed to
their homes, and for the purpose Of
protecting them from an attack the for
eign consulates and the schools and
other religious establishments, as well
| as the residences Of foreigners, while
| the trouble lasted, were guarded by the
regular troops. In order to aid the au-
! thorities in their work Of restoring or
der, a committee was formed, composed
| of prominent citizens, Mussulmans, or
! thodox Christians and Catholics. 1te
mission was to reassure the timid, pro-
vide for the wants Of those in distress,
care for the wounded and cause goods
to be returned which had been stolen
during the riots. All that forethought
dictated was done. with view Of meet
ing every possible emergency.
| After the complete suppression of the
troubles an elaborate inquest was held