The record-union., 1896-05-22

|
them to go forth and loot and kill with
out discrimination, SO long as their prey
were Christians.
Then the work of bloodshed and rapine
began. and for two days sword and
torch did their work of death and de-
struction-
The house of Hagop Haigian was one
of the first entered by the mob, and the
-year-old boy was ripped up and
horribly mutifated. The little girl Jared
no better, being cut in half by the en-
ragged mob and the two parts Of her
body tossed through window into the
street.
Their father witnessed the death of his
two little children, but he was merci-
fully shot through the face by soldier
and left for dead by the followers of the
Sultan. He recovered soon afterward and
| managed to make his way to the Con-
gregational Mission, or college.
Inside the doors of the Mission all was
turmoil and excitement. Several at
tacks were made by the Turks, but it
was evident that the soldiery took no
part; and as the United States flag was
flying from the building it was supposed
that the officers had orders to commit
| no overt acts in that quarter.
Between 175 and 200 people, mostly
women and children, were killed during
the two days the carnage continued,
and millions of dollars worth Of prop
erty was destroyed so that those who
were independent at the time of the
| outbreak were forced to beg for food
when partial quiet was once more re-
stored.
| Even then it was not safe to venture
| out Three student friends of the mar
| rator were upon the street several days
after the massacre, when they were ac-
costed by Turkish officials, who in
quired whittier they were going. The
students replied they were on the way
to the school, when the officials attacked
| them. They managed to reach the house
of an Armenian, to which the Turks
laid siege, and it was but short time
until the three students were dead and
the house sacked and burned
These are only a few of the horrors
| which young Haigian related as COM
ing within his own personal knowl-
edge, and his account of the terror and
suffering daily borne by the prosecuted
| and hunted Christians is, to say the
least, pathetic. Murders were of every
day occurrence, and a dozen or more
pupils lost their lives by merely ap-
pearing on the public streets.
During the trouble Jennie, the twen-
ty-year-old daughter Of the Congrega-
tional missionary, named Smith, be-
came hysterical, and before it had qui-
eted down she died from the effects of
| her fright. It was some time before
the four men dared to stealthily make
their way to Constantinople, and from
there to California.
In Marcevan there are three Amer
lean Congregational colleges, or schools,
one for boys and young men, one for
girls and one medical college. About
month before the massacre the girls
college was burned to the ground by
incendiaries, and in the effort 60 re-
build 1t several unsuccessful attempts
were made to fire it a second time.
While in Constantinople things seem
to be quiet. Haigian says that in re-
ality the Armenians are hunted down
nearly as much as In the interior, the
only difference being that the outrages
are in the nature Of arrests, instead Of
mob violence. An acquaintance of his
was shot and killed by an officer in one
Of the public parks Of the city without
provOcation.
The men come here highly recon-
mended to Rev Mr. Hoyt of the Con-
gregational Church Of this city, 1t is
understood, and while they are desti-
tute, they say they are strong and
willing to do any kind Of work which
may come their way They expect to
call on Mr.. Hoyt this morning. They
are all members of the Congregational
Church, and appear to be devout Chris
tians. They also appear to be very in
telligent men, and while young Hal
gain says he has been a student all his
life he is not afraid to do any work to
keep away the wolf.