New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-03
DISTURBANCES IN VAN.
MISS K1MBALL LAYS BLAME ON THE
REvOLUTIONISTS
A SHOCKING STORY or BRUTALITY. FOLLOWED
BY DREADFUL SUFFERING AND MISERY
THE woMEN's ARMENIAN RELIEF
FUNDS APPEAL

Sir: After more than a month OF anxious wait
ing, We have received news from Van 1t Is with
deep pain that submit the following extract from
Miss Kimballs letter to the readers OF your paper,
many of whom have generously supported us.
The need for relief is will be SEEN great as
ever. and for the present compelled TO beg
that the wherewitha may he forthcoming from
those who feel the deep disgrace attaching 10 this
country for the terrible state of things in Asatc
Turkey Although the revolutionary element spoken
OF by Miss kimball is il seems. partly accountable
for fastening the late troubles in the town OF
van, the outrages In the neighDorlng villages were,
as in other districts committed by the kurds, who
are permitted by the Government to rob and murder
the defenceless people at their will Who can won
der that the poor creatures, in their weakness ana
SS c aepa e 70 any and promise deIv
erance from the niOer M YOKE q The ICKsoN
Honorable Secretary Women's Armenian Relief
London, July 2, 1906
Vans turn came at last The disturbances were
brought about by the worst element from among
the revolutionists-scamps from Russia ana Bull
garla-men who had no local interests, no families
and no lands or property stake. but who came as
absolute dictators OF the destiny Of the entire COM
munlty The Armenians too broken spirited
and hopeless to oppose this energetic oand OF GRIM
inals under the guise OF heroes and patriots and II
is hard 10 say OF whom the people stood most IN
fear the incensed Turk, on the one hand or these
men on the other. who insisted. under threats OF
murder-which were several times carried out-on
quarter!ng themselves on the peaceful inhaDtahts
and demanding money and other assistance from
them So great was the terror they inspired tnat
even in the relief work the native helpers were
afraid 10 advise 10 who should and VINO shouiu
not receive assistance lest they incur the luminosity
OF these men For many months they used every
means 70 force the young men to JOIN iurnsheu
them with arms brought from RUSSIA ana IL ZIG
vent hack and forth by night. from one rendezvous
10 another, frequently meeting tne IurKS trs
Of Turkish hatred and fanatieism During b ,ne
spring Of these bands met me pa1U soldisr
enged shots were exchanged. and TURKISH $500 49,
killed The authorities VITO difficulty p ca!s' dis
wrath OF the soldiers since banri vaein Pacha
rnssal the local government, under -N1si', ~
has honeslv and successfully lab0red 10 oeteuu we
town against ubre1ks ana ne u,nfortunste and
fatal to me Interests Of the community a.
be~an mn in spite OF the warning and advice from rom
the Governor-Cieneral, the BRUSH crn'nd hands
me Tie K,ris to avenge the wrong done the
Armenians in the fall SO the peossibe' and that
the city must be cleared or tne arcVnd nv the
that II was perfectly easy TOT tne I, -, MD
night on Sunday. June Il, an encounter tcoK Pi ep
at the edge Of the town between lo tnT sav Of
Kurds smuggling salt the Turk say Of revol4t3 on
lists soldier and the officer IN catsed ortbreak
WSs We'll under way In all qua tors Of the town
wbere the population mixed Turkish ana
nnaairbborhood crowds OF hundreds Of low Turks
hurds' gPs,7 With guns and swords and every
kind OF weapon, ana nroKe iTore o on They
e sry from house to house, from street TO
street, from quarter TO g nar,e the house.
Of everything and in the case Of better Gn 10
destroying them by fire. II wa III, tn'HE links nee and
especially the soldiers. that the pillagng engagen
their attention mo, co rTeo sI might have been
expected from the terrible animosity eXstis - ne
greater er y pr' bv dieht. Probably about 800
killed while many were badly wounded vh ne the ,be
sTfray was well begun the revolutionists took up
fortified 81 fteen Of a these mn We'll armed easily
with stood all assaults and inflicted severe loss Oh
th S 1RR9ne and for Mosem killed the
Of fanafical frenzy rose higher Soon after mid
reduced these strongholds and their doughty
defenders sought refuge In the compact Ar pi,i
quarter which mad been protected by the bri,i5ih
ViceConsu The Government ac.rgd IN nS c9I the
tation With the British conS S srpen r and
these were urged the only way to restore con- on
too much impressed with the desirabllty OF H .
had precipitated the avalanche OF destructloh
they. with the arms they had brought with them
across the Persian frontier Thanks to Major
Williams's herculean efforts. the compact Ar
Wss largely saved and for DAYS the American
mission protected by the Union JACK gave reiuse
While ali this was taking place in the town,
still more dreadful things were going on IN me
villages far and near. A simultaneous outbreak OF
lawessness massacre and pillGgo occurred an Over
the province and has not ye, subslded. we can
save as we hear the terrible tale OF those VINO haNt
come in from the nearer villages We are using
all the resources Of the relief department 20 feed
the hungry crowds and over hfeen thouSaiiu r.
ceve daily rations of bread or SOUP. ana OF ms
number fully ten thousand are homcess ana ana u'
tery destitute Thousands or the to"hspeopr are
ont I'm the open without beds or any protection,
and the nights are still cool. for the poor lltile
children especially. Every day brings IN tresh9
general misery And il would seem as If the wave
OF destruction were not 10 stop unti everything
How Is this people r. live Many families who
rich are now homeless ana pennies AZ d
rartrnent has lost his plea SAINT home, ana TO-DAY
begged little bread from the bakeries 20 feed ms
poSr has been killed what is to be done
With the widows and orphans? The care e OF the
has brought from ten to twenty OF tneSeLahu S,vn
wounds Men women and Children s n9ered AMOR for
DAYS hungry and hunted; in the mountains t1 n
wounds in an indescrioaDy htny cI gi ere
resources. both for housing and dressing are
pr R {gr lbs nss s sSn and P9PS Gi
serves for the, women and ehildren' "AIr hs ,ts
Fairly efficient hospital CORPS. As true his
torian Of this last page Of Armenian history,
cannot fail 10 throw much blame on the Reyolu-
tfonarv marty Of the Armenians. As to the blame
sftschtne to the Turks and kurds can say MOTH
ing, hht 100 wei knoS'n It is only fair 10 say
however that the H. al government has in this
he extraordinary influence and adrotncss or the
British vice-consul, Major Williams OF whose
said He was undoubtedly the means OF preyent,
ing wholesale massacre that would haVr swept
be great enough for the ignorant people; who and
who alone have sgrre0 so of tber socaed lib
ra,ors and defenders @. NJ. KIMBALI-
July l. 1896