Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-22
SAW THE SLAUGHTER.
Or. Grace n. kImbalI Describes the Scenes
in Armenia She Witnessed.

There are few women who have seen MS
much bloodshed as has DR.. Grace N
Kimball, who arrived in New York, Sat-
urday.
Dr. Kimbal! has been retained as the
resident physician at vassar College, and
she VIII go there on Monday to take
charge Of her work.
DR.. Kimbail was at Van when the mas
sacre of the Armenians took place She
said the citizens had labored for years
under all sorts Of maltreatment. when
they finally arose and defied the authori-
ties.
THE chastity of the wife or the daugh-
ter was not at all Safe she said to a re-
porter for The N. Y. Press. IF the woman
was an Armenian the Turks did not CON
slider her virtue. In Van. where l was,
over 5000 men were killed by the Turks
and they were killed in a most brutal
fashion.
The Armenians. you recollect, wanted
reform in the government They asked
that they should be relieved of the impo-
sitions to which they had been subjected
but without any results. They were pay
ing nearly IS per cent of the taxes of the
country. and their women and children
were not safe from assault by the soldiers
on every possible occasion. The Arme-
mans. as rule, are peaceable folk and
have the very best interests of their coun-
try at heart. All they want is an equal
share in government representation. In
Van some 1900 of the Armenians got to-
gether and started to march across the
border to Persia. where they expected to
find relief and freedom. Their leader was
IA former American. When they left the
city of Van there We're 1900 men in line.
OF this number 800 deserted and came
back but the remainder met the Turks
on the field and were annihlated When
they left the city they We're told that they
probably never would reach Persia but
that their advance into the country would
mean certain death. Nevertheless. the
young men went out and fought like he
roes for their mothers wives and sisters
| he nc thair
ton lasted. but finally were compelled to
succumb to superior numbers Then they
got the sword.
The Turkish soldier has to buy his.
own cartridges. and he consequently pre-
-iers the sword The revolutionists as
they are called, were armed with Martini
Henry rifles, but they could not cope with
the overpowering numbers of the Turks.
In the province of Van alone more than
1000 men We're killed by the Turks The
Turks did show mercy to the women and
children and spare them. but no man OF
Armenian blood was permitted to escape.
IN fact. the butchery became so common
that the bodies of men lay in the streets
Tor days before burial.
The society of which | was a member
and which | represented in Van. opened
It's doors to the Armenians and at thu
tiine when the Turks started to kill al
of the Armenians in the city we took
within our quarters 1900 of the innocent
persons.
We have in Van an immense plot of
III without first passing Inspection as II
We're. The Turkish authorities sent sol
ulerS to guard our quarters and, there
iofe, many lives We're saved which OF her
wise might have been sacrificed / was
Just across the street at the time when
the ottoman bank was blown up in Con
stantinople. In fact. had been in con
Sultatlon with the manager of the insti-
tuition. | had just left it when the ex-
pioslon took place In a short time the
word came up the street that d mob was
IN possession of the city.
Il stepped into hallway to wait until
the mob went by. The mob consisted OF
policemen. who went into every house in
which an Armenian lived and killed him
Yes. ] had a great deal of hospital ex
perience, and | personally attended owe,
l0o men who had been hit by bullets. The
Turkish physicians do not know muct
about surgery. or if they do. they do moi
practice IT. One case came to my motto,
OF man who had been shot in the arm
The Turkish physicians said that he has
not been hurt seriously and would no
treat him. | took the hall out near hi
shoulder ana fixed his arm uD. The Uni.
ted States minister. AIR. Terrell, appar
entity has little or no regard for Tho
Americans who live in Turkey. He has
ignored absolutely letters written to hin
on behalf of the American residents ane
the Armenians The Americans in Tur
key think he has lost all Americanism
and he is nowhere near so popular as L
Major Williams of the royal artillery
who Is in command of the British force.
there