Evening star., 1896-01-29
A Bostonian in Constantinople Writes
Of Armenian Massacres.
OUfRlGES WERE CAREFULLY PLANNED
Carried Out With the Utmost Cruel
ty and Barbarity.
RESULT OF HIS INQUIRIES

BOSTON, Mass, January 20.-The follow
ing letter is from a Bostonian in Constanti-
II ople who has made special inquiries con-
cerning the massacre in Marash, central
Turkey:
Details coming to hand show that the
Marash massacre was carefully planned
by the authorities and carried out with the
utmost cruelty and barbarity. The trouble
began October 26, when thirty Armenian
men were shot, Armenian shops looted and
houses plundered. Two Armenians killed
were prominent Protestants. One was shot
by mounted policeman and left a wife
and seven daughters; the other by SOL
der and his body thrown into stream
Plans for the general massacre We're not
fully matured and the bloody work only
partially accomplished. Enough was done
to terrorize the Armenians, in city OF
40, 600 irha habitants, about one-third of whom
were Armeninans. The men fled to their
houses and remained in them. despite the
promises of local authorities that they
should be protected.
The governor urged the people to come
out to church on Sunday, and he himself
ordered the church bells rung, but no one
dared stir from his house. On MONDAY
the bloody work began in earnest. Sol
dierS stationed on the roads prevented eS-
cape from within.
The killing and plundering first began in
the lower part Of the city. In an hour the
near neighbors fled to houses occupied by
American families Soon after soldiers, fol-
lowed by a mixed rabble went to the Ameri-
can board of missions. The seminary and
academy buildings were stored with wheat,
rice, butter, charcoal and other winter sup
plies.
The soldiers, in squads of ten, assisted by
| the fabble, occupied seven hours in carry
ing away, mostly to the barracks. all the
| supplies clothing and bedding of the stu
dents, the organ and apparatus; in short.
every movable thing save the library books.
| That afternoon the seminary was set on
! fire and burned to the ground. Soldiers were
sent by the governor when the massacre
4 was nearly over, to protect the dwelling
| houses of the Americans. Afterward two
| theological students We're discovered in a
| cave by the soldiers and shot, their many
| wounds being dressed by young lady of
| the mission. One died at midnight, while
| the other survived.
| The massacre was fearful beyond descrip-
| ton. Three Christian quarters, two
\ Gregorian Armenian churches were burned,
| and in one of the latter women and chill
| drel refugees perished i'll the flames. The
| Second ard Third Evangelical churches were
| looted, and buildings damaged. These
| churches would have been burned but for
| proximity to Moslem houses.
| The venerable pastor of the native
| church and TWO teachers of the American
| Academy were tortured and killed, one be-
| ing fayed alive. In all 500 Armenians
We're cruelty slain. Children were disem-
boTeled. and the discovered heads of men
| and women were kicked about by the sol
| diers as balls. or carried on picks through
| the streets. An educated young lady, a
teacher. her mother, grandfather. grand
| mother and uncle, with his six-year-old
| daughter. were murdered, their house set or
| fire and their bodies left in the flames. A
| wife, with her four young children. saw hel
| husband killed.
This awful work was by regular soldiers
| of the Ottoman government, assisted b.
| the Mosier population. The survivors are
now in a state of most dreadful destitution
| They are even paralyZed with fear les
<he Turks again begin to slaughter.
The slaughter of J0,G0o Christians, apos
| tacy Ut Ger the threat Of instant death. the
| utter impoverishment Of hundreds of thou
sal,ds-such is his majesty the sultans So
| luton of the Armenian question. Such !.
the state into which England by her IN
sistency on reforms has plunged the Ar
| II:t mans.