Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-02-13
THE SULTAN YIELDS
win Permit Miss Barton To Dis
tribute Relief to Armenians.
HR. TERRELL'S EFFORTS SUCCESSFUL
Aaosher Letter Received in This Country
Telling Of tho Terrible sufferings of
Christians at the Hands of
the Bloodthirsty Kurds.


Constantinople, Feb. 1.-THE repre-
sentative of the United Press learns
%Aat tho Hon. A. w. Terrell, the Ameri-
can minister, has procured for Miss
Clara Barton and her assistants, who
are now onroute for this city, the sui
tan's safeguard, which will allow them
10 visit tho six distressed provinces of
AnAtolia and personally distribute re-
lief among the sufferers,
Work Of tho Barbarous Kurds.
Philadelphia, Fob 1.-THE denial of
tho stories by tho porte that Armeni-
ans are being given the choice of ac-
eopting 1slamism or death would seem
TO be again refuted by undeniable evil
dence II. M. Siraganian, who re-
Gently learned of the murder of his
father, tho Rev. NJ. Siraganian, a Bap-
tist missionary, and thirteen relatives,
by Kurds and Turks, yesterday re-
csivod letter from his son at Arab
kis. This letter is dated Jan. 10, and
is as follows: 1--WE have wept already
on the misery of our country. You also
road, and think, and weep. The bar
barous Kurds suddenly attacked us.
Those OF US who could walk escaped to
tho mountains, with the hope of saw
ing our lives, as we had no means to
protect ourselves In other ways For
four days we wandered in the rocky
hills that surround our villages, hun
CRY, thirsty, naked and unprotected.
After four days we went back to our
IL -,
but, alas, there was not even left dry
loaf OF bread or handful of flour or
piece of carpet. They had carried
away everything; however, our misery
did not end with this. Our enemies did
not givo us time enough to mourn our
lost property, and, above all, our
wronged honor. They came back after
two days with double forces and
burned down all the houses left un-
burned.
Forced To Accept Islamism.
II am unable to describe all the par
ticulars of It because after seeing that
bloody scene l have lost reason and
everything. Dear father, your Chris
tian son is now Mohammedan may,
by name only, as they forced us to ac-
eept their religion as a means of saliva
tion. Ny name is Mohammed Zelii. If
you ever write to me please address me
in that name, or l will never get your
letter. We have no bread to eat, no
home to 1.-Two in, but that gives us no
more pain than to see our church
robbed OF all its glory and made a
9 L..
the bella We hereafter will hear the
voice of Imam Turkish minister), and
instead of psalms and hallelujahs the
praises of Mohammed. Blessed are
those who are dead. They were more
fortunate than we are. We also will
die, while there seems to be no mercy
in this world. We will die, but alas,
they will even decline a little space
near our forefathers in the church
yard. Mohammedan priests will say
prayers upon our graves. Think, dear
father, about our condition. Accept
your soma salutation. Perhaps it is the
last"
Attempt To Arrest Rev. Geo. Knapp.
London, Feb 1.-The Daily News
to-day publishes dispatch from Con-
stantinople, dated February s, which
reports that an attempt has been made
by Turkish officials at Bitlis to arrest
the Rov. George P. Knapp, one of the
American missionaries there, on a
eharge of sedition and murder based
on an accusation wrung by Turkish
methods from an Armenian prisoner
The dispatch adds that the Hon. A. w.
Torroll, tho American minister insists
to the porte that if the charge is main
t'ined that Mr.. Knapp shall be brought
TO Constantinople to be tried before
him.