The Indianapolis journal., 1896-01-29
THE sAssouN HORRORS.
Report of the Consular Delegates
Who Attended the InyesfiEnfion.

LONDON, jan 2S-Blue books have been
issued containing all the official dispatches
relative TO Armenia between July "a 1894,
and Oct. l6 1895. apd the reports OF the
consular delegates attached TO the Sas-
soun commission. The report gives the
history OF the Armenian agitation for sew
eral years, and records the obstacles thrown
in the way of the commission by the Turk
ish delegates. 1t also acquits the Armenians
of the charge brought against them Of burn
ing their own property to incite an outbreak
amongst their people. adding that the facts
elected failed to prove that the Armenians
were i'm revolt. but show that the agitator.
Murad, instigated several Armenian out
RACES on Kurds. The latter then retaliated.
and the Armenians fed TO their villages.
The conflicts between the Armenians and
Kurds followed. and the government did
nothing TO arrive at a peaceful settlement
or TO protect women and children.
The delegates are compelled to believe.
the report says. that all the Armenians who
fell into the hands OF the soldiers. the
Kurds or the zaptiehs were either killed or
wounded, and that. with the exception OF
the eleven villagers OF Talorlx. not a single
prisoner was taken. The report shows that
the number OF killed has been grossly ex-
aggerated. but the report admits that. ow-
ing to the absence OF registration. IL Is i'm
possible even approximately. TO fix the
number OF victims. There Is appended.
however. to the report a tabulated list of all
the evidence. rendered TO the commission.
The six villages mentioned show a total or
es5 victims, distributed as follows: Shenik,
ia: Semal, 65: Ghelleguzan. the scene OF
the story of the great pit which was filled
to ovsrfowing with massacrei victims. 40;
Agpi. p; spagkank. 10: Talori. IL. These
villages were all burnt and the inhabitants
were scattered.
The British delegate. Shipley. in a MEM
orandum attached 10 the joint report. from
the evidence gathered by Consul Hampson
during his tour, estimates the total number
of victims In the SasSoun district. including
deaths from starvation. at about nine hum
dred One OF the worst cases OF cold-biood-
ed cruelty, Delegate Shlpley says. the
murder OF prisoners I'm the camp at Ghcl-
leguzan. under a promise OF a safe con-
duct. But the number OF those so muir
dered was only forty or fifty, and not hum
ley, while he admits that there was viola
tion OF women, asserts that the alleged
wholesale butchery Of women was not con-
firmed. He points out that, while an agl-
tation subversive OF the Ottoman author
ity had existed amongst the Armenians In
Turkey and abroad. aad had exasptrated
the Turkish government. II must be ad-
mitted that the government had failed IN its
duty OF affording protection 10 all classes OF
its subjects. lie complains of the concoc-
ton and suppression OF evidence before tho
commission by Turkish officials as not cali
culated TO advance the Interests OF truth.
Mr.. Shipley. the British delegate. further
declares that the Armenians were hunted
not greater IL was solely owing TO the vast
ness OF the mountain ranges. which faciIi-
tated the escape OF the Armenians. he va