The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-05-23

II ON Armenia asserts tnat at least 0O,UcO
unoffending Christians have been killed.
$50 900 to 100000 reduced to a condition
worse than beggary. and $4OOOO,OOO worth
of property destroyed
How the Trouble Began.
The traveller said:
These massacres of Christians by the
Turks have been frequent. During the
last century there have been seven in
stances of such crimes, but the most SER
ious and largest of all was that which
broke out in Sassoun in August, 1894. This
was brought about by the Kurds raiding
a Christian village and carrying off cat
tie. The Christians, instead of appealing
to the government for redress, which they
knew they would not get, went themselves
after their property. There was a Skin
mish and killing on both sides. The Chris
tians fled to their homes after the fight
and the Kurds took their dead and carried
them to the government representing that
the Christians had risen in rebellion
against the sultan and We're raiding the
villages, killing the inhabitants and plum
dering their homes. These alleged facts
were telegraphed to Constantinople and
word came back to the headquarters of
the Fourth army corps ordering the gen
eral in command to take the troops nee
essary and quell the rebellion at any and
all cost.
He modified 10000 troops and started
for the region of the disturbance, reach
ing there with his soldiers and about as
many Kurds. He then gave orders for
the determination of the Armenians; they
were to be destroyed root and branch;
not one to be left alive. The Kurds were
the first to attack the village, and the
Christians, thinking it was merely raid
of the Kurds, endeavored to defend them
selves. For three days they withstood the
attacks of the Kurds, who then refused
TO longer continue the fight, and the reg
ular troops were sent forward. The Chris
tians, supposing the troops had come to
succor them, sent out a number to meet
the soldiers and welcome them. All these
unfortunates were shot down by the SOL
diers, and seeing this the villagers fed.
The village was destroyed and the raid
was followed up until 30 or 40 villages
were destroyed and 10000 helpless and in
offensive Christians were killed.
Bodies of the Living Burned.
"A large number of young brides, with
small children, took refuge in a church,
| thinking that the sacredness of the place
might protect them. This was reported
| to the general in command, and the sol
diers were instructed to do as they pleased
with the heret.cs. The doors of the church
were forced the women ravished, and
all killed save half dozen of the best
| looking young women, who were told their
lives would be spared if they embraced
Mohammedanism. They replied, you
have killed our relatives and friends, why
should we live" whereupon they We're
slaughtered.
"a large number of the male prisoners
were tied together in single file and told
of they would go to the government they
would be saved. Upon reaching head
quarters they were ranged along a ditch
that had been dug and cut down one by
one, their dead and mangled bodies fall
ing into the ditch To add TO the horror
kerosene was poured upon the dead anC
dying and the mass fired Children were
required to stand in line, and a soldier
taking his sword, cut off as many heads
as he could with one swoop. Still Other
helpless little ones We're placed in a row
and soldier experimental to see how
many bodies a bullet from his rifle would
pierce. A woman carrying two infants il
her arms fled to the mountains, hoping tC
escape. She was overtaken by soldiers
one of whom seized one of the infants by
the feet and holding it before the terri
fled mother told her if she would becom,
a Mohammedan the lives of herself anC
children would be spared. She said sh,
could not give up her religion and tn,
child was torn in twain and its mangleC
body thrown over cliff. The second child
was treated in a like manner and tn,
mother was again asked to embrace Islam
ism She refused and was butchered.
Chose Death.
'There were many cases in which Chris
tians were informed that heir lives woul,
be spared if they would confess NOLAN
mechanism, but they generally chose dealt
rather than yield. Frequently they wer
simply asked to hold up finger in tokel
of submission. but even this was refused
Many of them were skinned while still
living. Others having yielded, were cir
cumcised forcibly. being tied TO trees unit
the act was accomplished
'In one instance some 5000 persons too
refuge in church, having been requisite
to do so by the troops and given to un
derstand that they would be safe. Whe
they were packed in the church the troop
withdrew, barricaded the doors and wiz
dows, opened the roof and poured in Il
gallons of kerosene. The building wa
. tHen set OH IRE, anu Oniy OO Ol those IL
side escaped. This thing occurred severe
times, though in other cases not so man
were destroyed. Two pastors were killed
One attempted to escape from the doc
OF his church, but was knocked down b
the Kurds. who placed fagots about h
unconscious form. Testament, whic
was found in his pocket, was forced int
his mouth and he was told to read. TT
= faPOts were set on fire and n { conscious
y ness returned he tried to crawl away, bl
: | a..ac a shnt ILL.