The herald., 1895-07-08
One of Them an English News.
paper Correspondent
ALL REvOLTINGLY TORTURED
The Situation Growing Daily More
Desperate
Assther Band Ready to Cross Into Turkey
From Persia
Thousands Of Villagers Living on Roots and
Greens on the noush Plains and Literally
Starving to Death-The Turks Re-
fusal to Carry Out Reforms

from the correspondent Of the Associated
Press in Armenia
VAN, Armenia. May 30.-The advance
guard of the revolutionary party, which,
% announced week ago, was betrayed
70 the Turkish government by the Yez-
ides Tchiboukla on the night of Sunday.
May 10Th. is now in prison in the city OF
Van. Only one mem ber of the party es-
capped, and he, at the earliest possible
moment and at great risk to himsef, put
himself in communication with the cor
respondent of the Associated Press. The
latter is now in possession of complete
information with respect to the prison.
ers, but as he is not disposed to furnis it
to the Turkish government so long as there
remains the slightest chance that these
men may escape death. he holds, for the
present at least, considerable part Ut
the facts concerning them.
The men had been hiding in the noun
tains, waiting tor reinforcements. maxi
ing plans for carrying on their work: and
the weather having turned cool and wet
they went to the house OF Hahto, thu
head man of Tchiboukla, to warm them
selves and dry their clothing. Hahto was
supposed to be friendly to the Armenian
cause. as he was not Turk, and great
mum bers of his fellow countrymen had
been massacred by the Turkish govern
ment in the Mosul district in 1892. Upon
arriving at Hahto's house the men
gathered about the fire. While there
Hahto's scribe. al Turk, called his master
out of the house and insisted that they
be handed over to the Turkish govern
ment. The scribe threatened to denounce
Hahto to the government unless the men
Hat.< ia1 70
gether force of Kurds and Yezides aAd
ordered them to make the capture. The
villagers went into tho room one by one
and took part in the conversation. At
a signal they seized the guns and conf
manded the men to surrender. Taken by
surprise, the revolutionists made no re-
sistance. OF the fourteen members of the
party only ono escaped. Each man had
Bedouin rifle, and six of the party had
yevoivers.
The prisoners were taken to Sevi the
next day by the soldiers. and then we
arrived Wednesday evening. Their ar
rival was witnessed by large number Of
Turks and Armcnians. On the way they
were beaten with gun butts, prodded with
bayonets and otherwise maltreated. AS
the English mem ber of the party was un
able to walk the whole distance, he was
given q horse to ride the last twenty
miles. The Englishman told the officials
he was Harry Williams of 2 Ormiston
road. Sheperdsbush. London. His faith er
was William williamson the same address.
He had with him the photograph of a
young woman and an English passport
made out to Harry Williams OH June s.,
1894. He declared he was correspondent
OF telegrapic agency OF London, and
that his card OF credentials was made out
in the name OF Paul Qucsena. He was, he
said, on his way to the Moush and Sas-
SCUM region, to investigate tho Armenian
situation. His thirteen mpanions were
In his pay as guards against attacks by
Kurds. The other prisoners told the
same story. All were dressed as Kurds,
including Williams. At first Williams de-
MED that he could speak Armenian. but
subsequently un, ar pressure of torture,
he admitted that could. After week
of experiments wit. various kinds of per-
suasions known to the Turkish jailefs, the
governor OF Van said Williams had con-
fessed everything. Nobody believed this.
Up to May 30th Williams had been un-
able to see the British vice-consul at Van,
although Mr.. Hallward went lso far as to
ask the governor unofficially to let. him
see Williams, but the request was refused.
All of the prisoners have been tortured
during the week, and persons have been
violated by the prison officials in the
most revolving manner.
The situation in Armenia grows worse
daily. The Associated Press is constantly
in receipt OF stories OF robbery, outrage
and murder. The condition of the Ar
menlans has peen worse during the past
six months than ever before. Even in the
city of Van, soldiers have been placed on
uard at the Armenian churches, the offi-
cials fearing an uprising.
The correspondent had talk yesterday
with the leader of the revolutionary party
in the province OF Van. He stated that
80 far as he is concerned, the revolution
lists will mold their hands until it is
known what Great Britain will do. He
admitted also that the capture of Will
liams had very seriously disarranged the
revolutionary plans for the tinre being.
No other leader is at present available.
VAN, june 5.-The Armenian revolu-
tiOnary prisoners who were betrayed to
the Turkish government at Tchiboukla
on May 10Th were taken from the prison
at Van Sunday morning, June I'd, ard
by order OF the sultan. No one knew they
were to be transferred until they had left
Van. the order having come from Con-
stantinople last Sunday night. Instead
OF being dragged along on foot, the men
were mounted on caravan borses.
The Associated Press correspondent is
now in position to say that a second
revolutionary band is in readiness to
cross the Persian frontier, but of its ,u-
mediate plans he has not been able to
learn. The leaders of this band were
among those met by the correspondent in
Persian city early in May. The band is
divided. one part going forward under
Harry Williams and the other remaining
in Persia to furnish recruits. The news
from Constantinople and London that
Armenian reforms are to be carried out
BY the Tukrs has caused the most intense
despair and CONSERVATION among the
Armenians OF Eastern Turkey.
The people expected mountain OF help