The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-10
METHODS OF TURKS.
How They Propose to Force Another
Uprising of Christians,


sociated Press.-(Copyright)
DJULFA, Russia, May THE Turkish
government, it is claimed has Just taken
the preliminary steps in what NAV result
in a massacre of HISTORIAN Christians in
the mountains of Kurdistan. 1t is assert
ed that the government has given orders
to starve the independent tribes of Nos
torians in the mountain region Immediately
west of Caviar. which may be described as
| lying about midway between Nosul and
! Lake Van, about fifty miles west of the
| Persian frontier. The orders, it is stated
are that no food supplies of any kind shall
De allowed 10 enter the territory of the in
| dependent tribes, and measures are said to
| have been taken to enforce these orders to
the letter This action is apparently taken
as a means of compelling the independent
tribes to submit TO the TrulSish government
and is regarded as the first serious attempt
that the Turks have made TO eXo-t taxes
from the independent tribes From the
earliest times in the history of the Ottoman
empire these tribes have been independent
of Turkish rule. They have paid no taxes
and they have acknowledged no allegiance
| to the Turkish government. The present
course of the government is taken, in some
| quarters, an indication that the Sultan
has set foot a systematic persecution
of Christians in all parts of the empire. The
Sultan has plenty of opportunity for know
| ing that the Independent HISTORIANS are
too poor to pay taxes, and that many of
them make living by going down into the
villages Of their less wretchedly poor fell
| low-countrymen and begging. These poor
creatures. according to the story, are to be
| starved because they will not share with
the Sultan of Turkey the scraps of bread
the refuse bits of meat and the odds and
ends which they obtain by begging Their
homes are in wild and bleak wilderness
ofsmountain peaks. and narrow, rocky val
| leys where nothing will grow except a tuft
| OF broom corn here and there in the crevices
of the rocks on the mountain sides and a
few stalks of millet in a casual square yarj
or so of soil In the valleys. 1t is not diff :
cult to forecast the probable result of the
starvation of this race of beggars should
the report turn out to be correct Driven
desperate by hunger, the people will en-
deavor TO obtain food from Caviar and
other outside districts, and there will be
fights with the Turkish troops, the vii
lagos will possibly be attacked, some of
the wretched people will be killed. and no
man can prophesy where the persecution
will end.
L have just returned from rapid journey
TO the Kurdish mountains for the purpose
Of investigating the report that fourteen
villages had been attacked and devastated
by a band of Kurds last week. The original
rumor had it that the Kurds had massacred
many Christians and had carried off women
and girls to the mountains. After riding
day and night TO reach the scene of the
raid L at length arrived at the Merguiver
boat underneath huge mountains. covered
from base to summit with almost unbroken
expanses of snow 1t was IN this valley
| nlarp- / a
band of Kurds from the mountains had in
deed raided fourteen villages in this valley,
but the raid was directed against other
Kurds and not against Christians There
were a few HISTORIAN Christians living In
any way. AS this was not a race or a
religious raid IL will probably have, little
o sag sf that the M of
British consulate-general IN Tebriz, Persia,
is very much in disfavor with the gentlemen
tionary movements In spite of the fact
that Mr.. Patton has been collecting evi-
dence of the Sassoon and sfoosh massacres
| for the use of the British government, the
Armenians looks upon him as a SPY. They
| harm.
The closing of the caravan routes to Van
has rendered more acute the s;s,sdg saneIng IRON d
VAN The only hope or relief Is now cut
Moosh Commission Dissolved.
CONSTANTINOPLE, June 9.-Advices
from Moosh are 70 the effect that the
Moosh commission has practically dis
solved The English consul, just appointed
at Bitlis has been instructed to go to
Moosh before the commission leaves. as
the Armenians fear a resumption of the
| attacks If there is no person at Moosh &c
represent the powers there
Additional reports received Indicate that
the Moosh commission closed on Friday SO
far as the work OF the European delegates
, | are concerned. They were compelled 10 tel
the Turkish delegates that they could have
nothing more to do with them. From th;
first the attitude of the Turkish delegates
. has been invariably and increasingly dis.
honest According TO the statements OF
those interested in the workings of the
commission the representatives of the Sui
| tan have not manifested honor, truth OF
dseency. They, have made made .nns nc
OF the outrages in Armenia The rupture
. between the Turkish and European commits
sion was caused by the refusal OF the
Turks. on purely farcicai grounds to hear
important witnesses on matter pertaining
to the question at issue. 1t was eyi-
| dent that the Turks We're afraid that the
tissue OF falsehoods that they have thrown
around the situation In Armenia would be
l he n