The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-02-28

An EYEWITNESS Describes a Mas
saore by the Turks.
Moslem Women Cheer the
Butchers at Their Work.

''All the west and south part Of tho
city seemed to be In an uproar ;crowda
Of people rushing in every direction.
The roofs we're covered with excited
men, women aud children. The strange
mingling OF cries Of fear, anger, aud
defiance, with occasional pistol and
gun shots, made up an exhibition OF
the most fearful tumult aud confu.
/ sion.
Already troops we're hurrying for
ward, and soon a company Of some
sixty soldiers were stationed in front
Of the American Girls Seminary, with
pickets out to cover the approaches to
hospital aud college. From our posi-
tion we could see the narrow streets
densely crowded with Intensely cx-
cited people Now and then a rush
was made upon some house or gate.
There was a rally of defenders on the
roofs among whom women were fore
most, using stones, clubs and some-
times guns and pistols, as best they
could. Sometimes the attack was
beaten of, and the assailant withdrew
to organize a new assault Some
times a gate or wall was broken down,
aud then the noise of conflict subsidized
and the work of massacring and
plumber began. Later We saw long
lines of people moving off to their
homes, laden with plumber, and later
still the flames and smoke rising from
the burning houses.
"What We heard was the indeserib-
able roar of the mob, pierced by the
sharp reports Of pistols and guns, with
now and then shrieks of agony and
fear, and over all aud most horrible of
all the loud, shrill 'zullghat, very like
the cry OF our Northern looms, pro.
louged and sharpened, raised 10y the
Turkish women crowded on the roofs
and cheering on their men to the ut
ack. The massacre and pillage began
in the markets aud in these parts Of
the city where Christian houses sur
rounded by Moslems neighbors Of
fered easy points OF attack. These
places having been looted, the mob
moved on toward what are known as
the Christian quarters. Here the re-
sistance became more obstinate, In
two of these the old street gates were
still in use, by shutting which the dis
trict enclosed became a small fortified
community, capable of making a very
strong resistance to an unorganize(
mob. Here the assailants were ar
rested and beaten of.
"Under such general conditions the
storm of mob violence ragged withou
! much abatement till the middle of thu
Q afternoon, when the tumult gradual,
subsidized, and night at last brough
: quiet, except in the vicinity of burn
: lag houses, where the uproar went OF
till near midnight.
BY morning military arrangement
seemed to have been made, whic
s gave us hope that order would be re
: stored. Soldiers were posted at in
o tervals around the Christian quarter
9 of the city. Very early in the morn
+ ing of the 18th crowds of villagel
# were seen hurrying toward the cit
IS from every direction, evidently cage
20 to share the plumber of another da
If of riot. The soldiers met and turne
t. them back, and even beat some {
20 them and chased them off The!
N however, soon returned in increasin
If numbers, and being joined by friend
E from the city, became very turbulen
ID About noon, through held glas
D could be seen an officer, apparently
8. captain, who rode forward into Il
IN mob and addressed them at son
length. Immediately, without ar
ne show of opposition from any one, Il
le whole crowd came pell-mell with Il
in soldiers into the city. At the san
a. time much the same thing occurred
We the northwest part of the city.
at ''Then for an hour chaos was
lis loose again and the horrors of t
>" previous day were repeated, only tn
its the Christians we're prepared, and b
he ing in a strong position, were gene
as ally able to beat of their assnilant