The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-24

CoNsTANTINoPLE, Feb. 6.-[From
correspondent of the Associated
Press.l lit will be remembered that
thS sublime porte, soon after the mas
saore5 in this country, sent out COM
naissioners to investigate recent dis
turbances and take measures for
quoting the country. One group of
commissioners went to ErZeroum and
the other entered the country at Sas-
SCUM and came to Sivas. This COM
mission from the interior did it's work
very rapidly, spending only a, few days
in each Of the principal cities on their
route.
DOUBLE FACED.
The day after their arrival, when
summoned, there appeared before them
a number OF leading men, Moslems and
Christians. These were admitted to
the presence Of the commissioners
separately, first the Moslems, then the
Christians. The report says the com
al1issioners said to the Moslens:
I'VE did not expect so much Of you.
but you have done it, never mind.
Henceforth you must keep the peace"
When the Christians were admitted
the commissioners received them
standing and at once began to read an
address reciting the benefits the Chris
tians had received during the reign of
the benefcent sultan, Abdul Hamid
Khan, and the perfdous conduct of
the Armenians, who had started news
papers and sent men to Washington
and Chicago to agitate and stir up
the nations against their government.
In conclusion the address said:
Hereafter If either Turks or Ar
menians stir up trouble there viii be
no more imprisonments, but the death
penalty vii be visited upon such Of
Tenders
VERY VIOLENT.
After the reading Of the address
Abdul Pasha began to address the
Christians in a much more violent
strain. He said if the Armenians
should again begin to agitate, not even
the name Of Armenia would be al
lowed to remain. They would all be
blotted out Drawing himself up to
his full height. and stretching out his
arm like a sword, he said:
What we gained we gained with
blood and when we give UP this morsel
we Will give it up with blood, blood,
blood"
So far as 1 can learn, in the Harpoot
vilayet the commissioners spent all
their time in Mezren and did not even
visit the city Of Harpoot, which was
plundered and burned although it is
only two miles from Mezren. No ques-
tions were asked of the Christians
summoned before them. When the
commissioners had finished their
speech es they dismissed them.
Another fact of interest is the send
ing out of officials to enroll in the gov
eminent lists the names of Christians
who have become Moslems. Multi
tudes have been
FORCIBLY CONVERTED TO ISLAM
IT do not mean simply that they
have been obliged to choose between
becoming Moslems and perishing by
the sword, but that they have been
bound or held while the rite of circum-
cision was performed. without their
consent I know Of one case in which
an aged priest was tied to his own
door and circumcized, while in other
villages Christians begged to be killed
and their Turkish neighbors said to
them; No, we want you to till the
fields. We will make you Moslems"
The government has said that these
conversions were worth nothing and
that no one would be forced to change
his religion, but now the government
officials write the names of these new
converts, while the Turks drive them
20 say they are Moslems. In the vii
lage Of Sheikhaj the officials said to
the Christians:
l write your names on a separate
list to satisfy the Turks there is no
force about it."
But one acquainted with Turkish
ways may expect to find those Christ
1anS soon enrolled as AIoslem citizens
The carrying off of Christian girls and
women, 100, still continues. In the
city Of Palu
TURKS CARRY OFF GIRLS.
keep them for a few days and return
Them dlShonored. The same is done
IN many other places. In one of the
Arabekir villages eight girls of the
place are imprisoned in Turkish har-
Ems Iner friends hear their cries
but can do nothing to help them
The restitution of the Arnoenia,,. ba-
kars description Men who were wealthy
~ n OctoDer were begging for bread in
Nove1noer. villages were piIlaged of
every scrap OF food and clothing. When
Inc piunderers could find nothing more &c to
carry of, the villagers returned ana sis+o ~
me Gust TO gather few kernels of wheat
e., ~ oS az Doors and windows were car
Ileo on. In many cases the tinnbers Of the
houses were pulled out and carried off
Jars we're broken. Everything of v.I,Ic
, willch could not be carried away was
We're smashed. The utmost pains uers
taken TO leave behind nothing of value
ana All this was done at a time when
Hlnter was SO close at hand as TO make
IL reasonably sure that
COLD AND HUNGER
would destroy those whom the SWORD
NAG spared Wherever you go you meet
want, plnched faces and people clad in
5canty garments And you know that
mulutudes spend the long cold nights
nuddleo together with nothing TO lie
down upon and nothing to cover them. OF
course disease sets in and carries them
It Is estimated there are between 50 600
ano lO0,0O people in extreme restitution.
Europe ana America are touched with
compassion, and funds are being gather
ed for the relief Of tbs sufferers in
every town and city. 1t is far
DIFFERENT WITH THE TURK
He. views his work with complaoencv
with. The government has given a litfIa
ana occasionally. In many cases the AL |
lowance Is one-Si2th as much as is given |
TO 4 Turkish genderm or soldier. have
seem the bread given in several places,
II resembles the linSced used in Flurona
and America for feeding cattle. Even |
this allowance is seldom Continued for |
any length Of time. A large share az the |
governments appropriations for the re- |
lief OF the destitute goes into the pockets !
OF the officials. Moreover, the Turks are |
hostile to relief work, ssEd oppose it in |
various ways. In the city OF Palu the |
Turks said to the Christians:
IL our ber5efceat sultan wishes You |
70 have money, he ts abundantly able to |
give 1t; but he has not seen fit to do so |
ana now you are receiving money from |
the English and forming an alliance with |
them. We Will cut you off" No Christ |
tan In Palu dares to receive or dis |
ty4 butte funds / happen to know that |