The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-30
NEGLECT DUTY.
A Missionary's Charge Against kd
miral Kirkland
SAID TO HAVE Disseminated,
Protest to Washington Be-
came imperative.

PTTTsBURG, Jan. 30.-A letter was re.
ceivcd here yesterday from Rev. David
Mctheny, DID, the venerable missionary
of the Reformed Presbyterian church az
Mersine, Asia Minor, which brings tho
cheering news of his personal safety. In
this letter, dated Dec. 81 last, DIR. Metheny
states that the u. s.. cruiser Marblehead
Is now lying in the Mediterranean sea,
within sight of his home, and makes seri-
Gus charges OF neglect OF duty against
Admiral Kirkland, Of another cruiser, in
not providing protection for American
citizens. The letter in part is as follows:
These arc fearful times in Turkey.
While the %signatory powers are gazing on
the scene, the Turks are destroying Chris
tians by the thousands. Such awful bar
barities are a disgrace TO all the nations
that permit them. Truly WE are kept in a
dreadful state Of feeling. Then, too, it Is
evidently growing worse every day.
While we arc stirred TO realize this be-
fore our eyes, we are sure that God will
still watch over US. After destroying all
our outside work, the Turks attacked the
work we carry on in our homes. This
failing them, they attacked mo personally,
made all kinds OF charges and insinuations
against me, and denied me every right
they possibly could. l appealed to our
government in vain.
But as time went on, and our representa-
tions became more and more urgent. at
last the department OF state ordered two
cruisers TO come to Mersine and examine
our affairs and hear any complaints We
wished to make. Admiral Kirkland, a
bitter enemy Of missions and mission
aries, made a cruise, but did not call at
Mersine. We protested against the dis.
elimination in calling at ports where no
was neither needed nor sent.
Consul to tho Rescue.
Consul Gibson took up the matter with
great vigor, II sent u protest to Wash.
ington. The navy department. ordered
Kirkland to return from an italian port
to Mersine. He wal. 10 is said, going TO
some European horse race. So he was
angry ut us because we stood In his way,
when we claimed our rights as United
States citizens. Then, too, he was angry
at the Turks for acting in such n
as TO call for the intervention OF the
United States government. He did not
let us know the orders given him from
Washington. and wo did not get the OIL
cial letter telling us TO present our claims.
But God overrules all. Tn consul came
from Beyroot and had n list of our ON
plants, aud worked with great energy
and iirmncss aud prudence. The governor
of the state was ordered on board the
cruiser. He presented list of complaints
against me personally, which were proved
before his face, in the presence of the
naval consul, to be utterly untrue and
preposterous. On the other hand, every
claim 1 had made was substantiated and
my points all granted.
The sultan had demanded my deporta-
ton from the country, but the grounds OF
thisd demand having been proved baseless,
the United States declined TO allow IL.
Now the ". s. cruiser Marblehcad is an
chorcd in front of our home, where we can
signal them il need be. Everyone feels AS
sured that but for its presence here there
would nave been IA massacre In Mersine,
1arus and Adana.
No city now of any considerable size has
escaped massacre in the interior. We are
hoping that God will soon intervene and
upturn this detestable government. The
missionaries in the interior are in dan
ger. Icannot at all put any confidence in
Turkish premises. They have lied every
time.