The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-08-29
TURKISH ATROCITIES.
Thousands of People Have Been
Killed in Constantinople.
SEIZURE OF THE OTTOMAN BANK.
Armenians Seeking Refuge on hoard For
eign Steamers-Were Pursued by Mos
lem Fanatics and Students In Boats.
The Government May be Overturned.


lem Fanatics and Students In Boats.
The Government May bs Overturned.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Aug. 29.-When the
Armenians seized the Ottoman bank on
Wednesday last Mr.. Edgar Vincent and
some Of the other directors escaped to the
roof and when the troops arrived the
latter fred haphazard at everybody ap-
psaring at the windows thus several
clerks who were trying to escape were
killed While this fighting was proceed
ing hundreds of Mussulmans, armed with
cudgels and led by the Softas, gathered in
groups overran the quarter and killed or
assaulted all the Armenians they met.
The scene ressmblod the riots of Septem-
ber, 1895.
Several shops in the Galata were plum.
dered and panic spread over tho whole
city, especially in the Pera quarter, whore
two bombs were thrown into the midst of
q group of soldiers, several of whom were
wounded. The people generally were
afraid to venture into the street. the Of
flcals Of the British postoilice were vir-
tually prisoners until night and the mail
was not dispatched. The British charge
graphed to Tewflx Pasha, the Turkish
minister for foreign affairs, urging the
prompt restoration Of order.
1t also appears that while the Ottoman
bank was being attacked circulars were
being delivered at the different embassies
signed by the Armenian revolutionary
committee, declaring that they intended
to seize the bank and hold 1T for two days,
during which thoy wanted the powers to
actively intervene in tho settlement of the
Armenian question and adding that if the
authorities tried to recapture the bank
they would blow it up with all its securi-
ties
Mr.. Vincent went to the Yildiz kiosk
Thursday to sec the sultan, and while ho
was there message was received from
the rcyolutionists saying that they were
willing to surrender on condition that
they were allowed to leave the country.
Mr.. Vincent, accordingly, returned to the
bank and pnrleyed with the leaders of tho
Armenians through the windows The
Armenians had reviewers in their hands
and told him they held two of the direo-
tors and u number of employees of the
bank as hostages, and that they had
not against the Turks nor tho bank, but
against tho powers which had abandoned
the Armonans. They added that they had
selected the Ottoman bank because it was
the most suitable place, and expressed
their willingness to surrender provided
they were allowed to retain their rovol.
vers whilo yielding up the bombs in thelr
possession and receiving safe conducts out
of the country. These terms were agreed
upon and the Armenans surrendered
and We're conveyed on board Mr. Vincent's
yacht Gulnare
The Gulnhre was guarded all night by
the British guardship Imogene and two
Turkish gnnboats. Up to o'clock it was
still impossible to give the exact number
Of victims Of the rioting. In the street be-
tween Dolmabaatcho and Tophanos it re-
senbled field Of battle, Fifty bodies wero
counted there
The houses Of the Armeniuns in various
quarters have been pillaged, and Galata
and Pera arc occupied by the military.
Cavalry patrols are to be seen in all the
streets, the shopsare closed and few peo-
pie venture out Of their houses
In addition thore are rumors of disturb
ances at Koumkapon. The Armenians
are greatly alarmed and the outbreak of
the reyolutionists is genorally condemned
us criminal madness. But the authorities
are ccnsured for permitting the Mussul-
mans to Interfere and attack innocent
persons, and tho police and troops arc
blamed for being passive onlookers at
these outrages. To-day, however, several
groups Of Turks were di6armed,
LOyDOy. Aug. GA dispatch TO The
Daily News from ConstantinoDle saws thnt
on Thursday it was estimated that from
5000 to 4,0Oj persons had been killed in
the riots in the different portions of tho
city. All Europeans en- route for this clty
have been turned back by the cortlons Of
troops occupying tho public places, tho