The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-29
ARMENIA'S WOE.
Official Documents Issued
by Great Britain.
There was Ample Proof Pre-
scented to the Delegates.
Stories of Horrible MaSSacreS Were
All Well Founded.

LONDON, Jan. 2o.-Blue Books have
been issued, containing all the official dis
patches relative 10 Armenian troubles be-
tween July "a. 1894, and Oct. 10, 1895, and
the reports OF the consula delegates at
tached to the SassouE commission.
The report gives the history of the Ar
menian agitation for several years and
records the obstacles thrown In the way
OF the commission by the Turkish dele
gates. IL also qcquits tie Armenians OK
the charge brought against them OF burn
ing their w property to incite an out
break among their people, adding that
the facts ELECTED failed TO prove that the
Armenians were In revolt, but show that
the agitator Murad instigated several Ar
menian outrages on kurds. The latter
then retaliated and the Armenians fed
TO their villages. The conflicts between
the Armenians and Kurds followed and
the government did nothing to arrive at a
PEACEFUL settlement or to protect women
and children.
The delegates are compelled TO believe,
the report says, that all the Armenians
who fell into the hands OF the soldiers, the
kurds orithe Zaptieh's. were either killed
or wounded, aud that with the exception
OF the IL villagers Of Talori not a single
prisoner was taken.
The report shows that the number OF
killed has been grossly exaggerated, but
admits that owing 20 the absence of regis
tration IL is impossible even approximately
to fix The number of victims. There is APP
pended, however, 10 the report "a tabulated
list OF all the evidence endered to the
commission.
The six villages mentioned show a total
Of 265 victims, distributed rs follows:
Shenik, ia; Semal, G5; Ghelleguzan, the
scene of the story OF the great pit, which
was filed TO OVERLOOKING with massacred
victims, 40; Agpi, %; %Spagank, 10; Talori,
ii. These villages were all burned, and
the inhabitants were scattered.
The British delegate, Shiplcy, In q
memorandum attached 10 the joint re-
port, from the evidence gathered by o
sui Hnmpson during his tour, estimates
the total number OF victims in the Sas-
SCUM district, including deaths from
starvation, at about go. One of tho
worst eases OF cold-blooded cruelty, Dele
gate Shlpley says. was tie murder OF
prisoners in the camp at Gnol'e yuga =, uu-
der IA promise OF a safe conduct. But tho
number of those so murdered was only 40
va w. NV NV AAAANAANNa't 10 hio DNILl
stated.
Whole, ale Dutchery Not Confirmed -.
Delegate Snipley, while he admits that
there was violation Of women, asserts that
the alleged wholesale butchery of women
was not confirmed. He points out that
while an agitation subyersive OF Ottoman
authority had existed among the Arme-
mans in Turkey and abroad, and had ex-
asperated tho Turkish government, it
must be admitted that the governments
had failed in its duty of affording protec-
ton 10 all classes of its subjects. He
complains OF the connection and suppress
sion OF evidence before the commission by
Turkish officials AL act calculated TO adj
vance the interests Of the truth.
Mr. Shipley further declares that the
Armenians were hunted like wild beasts,
aud Il the slaughter was not greater iy
wa solely owing TO the vastness of the
ounta ranges, which facilitated the
escape OF tho Armenians. He was con-
WINGED that tho Turks aimed at the COM
plete determination of the Armenians in
the Ghelleguzan and Talori districts.
The report OF the consular delegates
records that the protests made by the dele
gates against the intimidation of wit
nseses and the suborning Of evidence by
government agents, and their attempts TO
remedy this state OF things were always
fruitless, so that the calculation of the
truth was very difficult.
Especially on the question of the viola
ton OF women did the commission display
the greatest rcpugnauce at discovering the
truth. Only four female witnesses were
heard, tho commission refusing TO hear
others. For u similar reason the details
OF the GhclleguZln massacre are still
wrapped in obscurity.
The memorandum of the British dele
cato, Shlpley, which has been quoted
above, is u most interesting document,
and is couchcd IN less severe official form
thar the delegates report. Consul Hamp-
son, who mado n tour OF the villages, puts
the number OF victims az 20 to 60 To "a viii
lage. Mr.. Shipley therefore thinks it fair
TO estimate ~ lead for each of the 90 viii
lagos destroyed.
He was unable TO gather any evidence
as To the truth Of the alleged massacre at
the convent OF Surpmerapa, but he thinks
that all such stories were enormously ex-
aggerated, il not absolutely invented. Ho
says that tine story OF the torture of the
priest Ohannes at G~helloguzan seems to
have some foundation, but the alleged
naying Of the Armenian Shero by Colonel
Tewik Is extremely doubtful.
Without desiring TO appear partial TO
the Armenians, Shipley emphasizes the
fact that they were exposed to the rapacity
of government officials and to the exac-
tions OF the Kurds, who would have
burned their houses and stolen their cattle
unless they had paid their demands. Ii Is
easy to understand, Shipley continues,
that the Armcnians could not pay taxes
and satisfy the Kurds, and rs the govern
ment did nothing TO keep the Kurds in
order, one cannot be surprised that the
Armonians were disconnected.
Consul Hampson also attached n report
Of the i~nadequacy of and the obstacles TO
the distribution Of relief.
Among the official dispatches is one
from c.. NJ. Ii. Ward, the British vice con.
sui at Van, written in November, 1894,
which describes u horrible butchery by
the Kurds 81 Sassoun, when men were
burned alive, a Gh%olleguzan priest WINS
tossed on bayonets and 90 girls were
driyon IN n church md tho sold ers than