The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-02-07

L
berry and acts of violence and of the terror
of the women whose husbands and fathers
had been wounded In the attack and then
imprisoned; how these poor creatures sat up
night after night holding their mattresses
against the windows and bolting doors,
while they sat waiting the attacks of the
soldiers. 1t seemed very terrible then, but
since the massacre 1t has been so eclipsed
that 1t has passed from most minds.
On the next Monday l was awakened
| early by the sound of drum beating furi-
ously, a tom-tom rather. Looking out to
the southwest where a hill (''hog's back"
they call them in the south believe) pro.
jects into the city with an outline as clean
cut as cameo, l saw hundreds of people
and hundreds more running to that place.
Beyond were three companies of soldiers
drawn up, and between the hill and the
barracks joining us at the west, were horse
men galloping back and forth, and stiH
the dreadful din of the TOM tom went on.
An hour or two of suspense and the crowd,
down into the city again. 1t was only
few hundred Kurds from the plain below
Marash and few hundred Moslems that
came In from the mountain villages, who
had come up to plunder. They had been
sent off by the government, and the SOL
diers were drawn up to keep them in order.
Either they hoped that the government
would change its mind about not permit
ting plunder, or possibly they had not
changed their minds about doing it, per-
mission or no permission, but they remained
on the hill like flock of vultures, and for
many days we heard their music and saw
their restless movements. Finally, we
learned, they attacked caravan of camels
carrying rice to the coast, taking that to
their encampment further down the plain,
in lieu of better plunder. When the crowd
broke that first morning they rushed down
to the market looting the shops of Chris
tians, killing some, beating and wounding
many others. Then came along the police
and every wounded Christian was seized
and taken to prison. Did not the fact that |
they were wounded prove them malefactors? |
L have spoken of the fact that they locked |
their shops and fled, and kept out of the
streets. They did SO but the Pasha sent |
the town crier around, demanding that they |
be opened under the severest penalties. A
number who dared not refuse complied--wth
the above result. Still no matter how many
mobs were loose, nor how many Christians
were killed or imprisoned, the Pasha de-
clared confidence restored.
The fact is that the Pasha was not only |
wicked but weak and many sharp criticisms |
were offered by other of the higher officers, |
both in the army and local government. |
They knew and told him that perfect order
could be restored If he would set about it. |
There are most intelligent men among them |
and not necessarily blood thirsty ones either
Days of the worst confusion passed, the
rice fields of the Christians were spelling,
the Moslems took possession and harvested
the rice or turned water on to spoil them,
killing and beating enough to make an ex-
ample of any who had the temerity to think
of going out to their fields. The vineyards
were uprooted and the houses in them
pulled down, leads of the timber going by
every day. Men appeared at Christian
houses, demanding certain sums of money, |
accompanied by the most dreadful threats,
and 1t had to be forthcoming. Some SOL |
diers on their way here caught young
Christian villager, compelled him to come a
days journey or more, to guide them, then
demanded sum of money or they would
kill HIM. or course he did not have 1t.
They were tired and angry and there is no
doubt but that they would have done as
they said but he finally promised to try to
get it for them. Coming to shis uncle,
a near neighb0r of ours, he plead for money
and the soldiers outside were going to kill
the whole family or burn the house. There
was no money to be had, but they did have
rings, so the soldiers finally took them and
left. A wretchedly poor woman near us,
who has but hovel came to us saying she
OWOu AbOoiO" q uODb, dihOuhsih6 w pSh
haps $l.50, and he had told her he was COM
ing to burn her house. We had no reason
to doubt 1t, so we gave the money.
Even women would visit Christian houses.
making demands for all kind of things and
IL refused would say, swell, wait while,
then seep The soldiers came pouring In.
The Pasha went out to meet them and in
his presence they stoned church, breaking
all the windows. 1t was not possible to
have services In the city but there are a
large number of the best protestant families
near us. These, together with the Acade-
my boys, theological students, and of course
our own pupils met with us and had service
every Sunday morning.
We have for our nearest neighbor, fam
lily, the father being man nearly sixty
years old. He used to be our mission treas
urer, SO you can understand how much con-