The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-02
kEYORK ODABASHIAN.
Once an Armenian Merchant, Now
Making Cigarettes.
THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO
WORKS in THE WINDOW.

Death Himself-An Armenian's Stories
of the Reign of Terror.
Many psople have seen the young man
who for some days has been rolling
cigarettes in the show window of the
Schlotterbeck & Foss Company's store
on Congress street. Few of them knew,
however, that the young man was only
few months ago prosperous merchant
in Asiatio Turkey and that he recently
came to this country after narrowly
escaping death in the n,assacres Of the
Armenians there. The young man Is
Kevork Odabashian, and be Is men,
Der of prominent family among the
Armenian residents of Sivas. After
his escape from Turkish power, he
came to America, and entered the en-
ploy Of his cousin. Mr.. Mihran Ateshian,
of Boston. Mr.. Ateshian has been in this
country for abouts seven years and is
leader among the Armenians living in
Boston. He was in Portland yes
terday, on business. To report
er of the PRESS, Mr. Ateshlsn
told the story of his cousin, Kevork
Odabashian, the young man who is at
work in the window on Congress street.
Incidentally, Mr.. Ateshian threw much
light on the situation in the Armenian
cities. He told how the Armenians,
notw ithstanding the secrecy with which
the Turks planned the atrocities, learned
of the horrible fate in store for them
aud how they sought to avert 1t.
The Turks method of procedure was to 60
to the places of business of the Armeni-
ans, the soldiers doing the killing and
the citizens pillaging the stores. If. then,
an excuse could be found for keeping
the stores closed. the owners thought
that much of the danger might be
avoided. Their plan was to make merry
in the midst of their peril, although 1t
must have been sad sort OF festiy1ty.
When an Armenian marries, there fol-
lows succession Of balQuets and mer-
~ making, during which time the stores
arc closed. The festivities last for eight
days. So 1t came about that In Sivas
as the time drew near when the people
had reason to dread the massacre, there
were many weddings and in consequence
the stores of the Armenians were closed.
There would be 40 weddings on Mon
day, the merry-making lasting all the
week until there had been 900 or 700
marriages. Many of the persons 8" united
were mere boys and girls. Mr.. Atcshian
was surprised to find that a relative of
his, boy of IS. who reached this ooun-
try, has been married over b year ago as
the result Of this system. Finally there
was a massacre of 5000 at Gurin, only
six or eight miles from Sivas. Again
preparations were made for the we'd
dings, but the Governor General sent
to the Armenian bishop asking why the
stores were closed and why SO many Ar
menians were marrying. The Governor
pledged his word of honor that there
would be no trouble were the stores
opened, but threatened dreadful things
if his wishes were not obeyed. So the
bishop directed his people to open the
stores and no sooner had this been done
han the massacre was begun. In Sivas,
400 were killed. Kevork Odabashian at
the beginning of that day was pros
porous merchant. He had just received
lao camel loads Of merchandise which
were still unopened. That night his
goods had been stolen and scattered and
he himself. was fugitive. But he had
escaped with his life and had little
money. He owed his life to a hint Civ
ell him by a Turkish official.
Shortly after the stores had been
opened in consequence of the Governor
Generals promise that there would be
no trouble, the Turkish collector went
to Mr.. Odabashian's place and asked
him if he had received a set of cut
glass that the collector had ordered.
The proprietor explained that 1t would
be impossible to get it that day as it
was in the bales of the caravan, but the
offi cial replied: 81 must have it today
or I shall not get it at all. You had
better take the money and get it for me-
Beyond this the Turk would say moth
ing, but the little was enough. The
glass ware was found and delivered and
as the Turk paid for it, he said: "Now
go and don'u be seen here again.
Odabashian took the hint and was soon
in hiding with % or 80 other merchants
who crouched behind bales of sugar and
coffee in q storehouse for three days.
He saw some of the work of the MUIR
derers and tells of watching soldiers
with the bodies of infants impaIed up
on tho bayonets Of their muskets. and
when ne at last ventured from his place
of concealment of finding in the streets
where they had lain for days, here
head, there an arm, yonder headless
trunk, while the air WAS heavy lacen
with the stencil of deoayiug human
flesh. Finally, after quie1 was restored,
on the pIetence OF entering again into
business Oda bashian secured passport
from the Governor General, made his
way to Constantinople and then came
to America. That is the story of the
young man whom many have seen roll
ing the cigarettes in the store window,
as told by Mr.. Atesbian.
Mr.. Ateshian tells many similar stories