The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-04
THE ARMENIAN REVOLT
A STATE OF GREAT TERROR
STILL PREVAILS IN THE
TURKISH CAPITAL.
PRISONERS KILLED IN COLD BLOOD


Riot and Some 500 Armenians Are
Now Under ArTest-An Earthquake
Shock Adds to the Horror of RiOting
and BlOOdshed-The French Ambas-
sadOr InsuIted-POIice and Troops
Now Stationed at Every Point.
CoNsTANTINOPLE, Oct. Sowing to
the critical situation here the envoys of
the powers met at the Austrian Embassy
to-day, and the German gunboat Lore
ley has been ordered to remain at the
disposal of the German Embassy.
1t j. now known definitely that at
least five Armenians were killed after
they had been arrested on Monday, and
this has caused great indignation.
According to the police reports only
20 persons were killed and 80 wounded
during the riotiug on Monday; but,
more reliable reports place the number
of killed at probably over 300.
News has been received here from
Damascus that the French consul at
that place has been attacked by a mob,
grossly insulted and pelted with mud.
The French Embassy has complained to
the Porte and has demanded prompt re-
dress for the outrage.
To add to the state of terror prevailing
here, slight earthquake shock was ex-
perienced yesterday. This, with the riot
ing and blOodshed, the Imprisonment of
about 500 Armenians, the killing of
prisoners in cold blood, and the presence
of troops under arms at all points, is
well calculated to excite even the most
phlegmatic Turk.
Rioting and blood-letting which be-
gan on Monday, as exclusively detailed
in these dispatches, was renewed on
Tuesday in spite of all the precautions
taken by the authorities of this much
| disturbed city.
On Tuesday the principal rioting was
the work of the Soft8s, Mahomedan the
illogical students, who chased and beat
with bludgeons every Armenian they
met.
During Tuesday night, mob of Softas
and Turks attacked the house Of lead
| ing Armenian, Kasim Pasha, stOrming
| the building and threatening its des-
| truction and killing several persons who
were unable to escape from it in time
| This mob also sacked a cafe frequented
by Armenians, and twenty of the un-
| fortunate people who were found there
were beaten to death with bludgeons.
| To the disgrace of the authorities not
| single policeman appeared on the scene,
and no attempt was made to save the
| lives of the Armenians.
| The authorities have now stationed
troops and police at every tn Eeatened
point, and it is asserted that there is no
danger of any further disturbances.
A Deliberately Planned Uprising.
LONDON, Oct. 3.-The critical condi-
| ton Of affairs at Oonstantinople is the
| sensation of the day here, and all the
| dispatches from that city are read with
the greatest eagerness. Many important
messages are known to have been re.
ceived,at the British Foreign Office from
sir Phillip Currie, the British Ambassa-
dor at ConstantinOple, and the feeling
here is not entirely favorable to the Ar
| meuians.
The appointment of Kiamie Pasha as
Grand Vizier, recently announced, is re-
| garded at the foreign Office as happy
circumstance at the present juncture of
| affairs He has the reputation of being
one OF the n st broad minded and en-
| lghtened statesmen of the Ottoman En-
pire, and he is looked upon as being the
right man in the right place. 1t is
| true that during his last term of Office
Kiamie Pssha, by certain faction at
least, was looked upon as cherishing un-
due anglophile ideas, but the hope is ex
pressed here that he will be able to sue
cessfully grapple with the situation, and
suppress the disorders at Constantinople
| before the matters reach a stage which
would call for interference of the
powers.
In spite of the assurances to the con-
| trary of the Armenian committee of this
city, the belief prevails in official circles
here that the rioting at Constantinople
was really deliberately planned upris
| ing brought about by the Armenian
agitators who are desirous Of forcing the
hands of the powers in order to bring
about direct interference upon the part
of Great Britain, France and Russia in
| the admin stration of Armenia.
The st. James Gazette points out this
afternoon how the events which have
just occurred at Constantinople were
correctly fOretold by the Associated
| Press, which, in dispatch published
here on April 10, told how the patriotic
party of Armenia had been fomenting
general revolt and that the leaders
promised that the chief attack would be
made in the city of Oonstantinople itself
and that the brunt of the fighting would
b9 borne by the Armanians resident
therein. The Associated Press added at
the time that the leaders had even gone
so far as to declare that the first attack
would be on the palace Of the Sultan,
and that the reign of Hamid would come
to a sudden end.
It was announced late this afternoon
that the British foreign Office had re-
ceived official confirmation of the des-
patches telling of serious rioting at Con-
stantinOple. The officials of the foreign
office point out that such display of
savagery can not be regarded otherwise
than as a serious check upon any effort
to establish better relations between the
A