The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-01
HOW THE SULTAN INVESTIGATES
THE MASSAORES.


from Harpoot, in Armenia, have been
| handed to The UNIvERsALIsT for pub
| LEGATION. The commissioners referred
| to are those sent from the Sultan
in response to the demand of the
Ambassadors that those guilty of the
outrages to the Armenian Christians
should be discovered and punished.
The letter from which the extracts
are given we are assured comes from
a reputable source, and the passages
quoted show what farce the admin
istration of justice is in Turkish law
courts.
"Dec. 10. Some of the Commission
ers arrived in Mexrah yesterday, and
they have summoned a number of
the Christians to meet them. The
Christians summoned are in great
trepidation and fear to speak or write
"Dec. II. l have just seen two of
| the Armenians who were summoned
The Moslems are called separately.
They all stood in their presence. Al
ter the Moslems had had an inter
view of about an hour the Christians
were called. The two Commissioners
and officers of the government were
present. The first Commissioner re-
cited the clemency of the Sultan, and
the seditious practices of the Armen-
ions and exhorted them to abandon
them. Then the second began in
much more violent strain. He accused
the Armenians of sending men to
Washington and Chicago to agitate,
stirring up strife, etc. Then he said
that if either Turk or Armenian makes
trouble hereafter, there will be no
more imprisonment, but the death
penalty; and if the Armenians begin
anything of the kind again, the name
of Armenian will not be left to them.
They will all be blotted out. He said,
"What we have received, we have re-
ceived with blood, and if we give up
this morsel we will give it up with
blood. Then he signified to the
Christians that they might go. This
is all that the Commissioners said to
the Christians laying all the blame
on them, and giving them no oppor-
tunity to answer questions or make
any defence. This, l suppose is the
method adopted for restoring tran
guilty"
The following illustrates the Turk
ish system of relief and the grounds
the Turkish Minister in Washington
has for saying that the Sultan's gov
eminent is distributing aid to those
in need.
"Dec. 10th. We have been hoping
to hear of money for relief work.
Winter is upon us, and thousands are
in danger of starvation. The gov
eminent gives small allowance,
and this pittance seldom continues
more than ten days. 1t is just
in order that they may say to the
world, that the sufferers are being
cared for by the government. We
are giving work to many men and
women, in clearing away the ruins,
and in making bedding and under
clothing for the destitute. Our aim
is to help without pauperizing, but
we have not as yet received any
assurance that money will be forth
coming for relief work. If money is
sent, very strong order should also
be secured for permission to engage
in such work to be given by the local
authorities; otherwise, we should not
be allowed to do anything"
1t remains to be seen whether Miss
Barton and her associates will be al
lowed to enter Armenia when they ar
rive in the Sultan's dominions. Ac-
cording to the latest reports the
Turkish government will admit indi-
viduals to administer relief when
they are endorsed by the Ambassa-
doris. The Red Cross Association,
as such, is barred; but Miss Barton
will doubtless be glad to enter upon
the relief work in her individual ca
pacity, and will waive her rights I'M
der the Red Cross treaty. 1t would
not surprise anyone acquainted with
the situation to hear that the Sultan's
government would not allow her to
administer relief on account of the
resolution and speeches at the Chi
cago and Boston meetings when the
murders in Armenia were specifically
recognized as the outcome of the
Turkish policy of determination.
Mr.. Frederick r. Coudert, the emf
nant lawyar of New York. now of the