Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-02-27
THE TURK PRAISED
FOR THE RECENT MASSACRES OF
ARMENIaNS.
Turkish Commissioners Nioit Tao
scenes of the Recent N~assacres,
Turks, but Ask Them 10 keep the
Peace-Armenians Are Threatened
ther Trouble.

CORRESPONDENCE of Associated Prcss.)
Constantinople, Feb. y 1T will be
remembered that the sublime porte,
sOon after the massacreS in this coun-
try, sent out commissioners to investl-
cate into recent disturbances and took
measures for quoting the country.
One group of commissioners went TO
Erzeroun and the other entered the
country ut Sassoun and came TO Siyas.
This commission from the interior did
its work very rapidly. spending only a
few days III each of the principal cities
on their route. The day after their ar
rival they summoned before them a
number of the leading men, Moslems
and Christians. These were admitted
to the presence of the commissioners
separately, first the Moslems, after
ward the Christians. Report says that
the commissioners said to the Mos
lens: I'VE did not expect so much OF
you; but now you have done it. never
mind. Henceforth 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 or
Nht btiilNtIi Sihihhs hbiib
Khan. and the perfidious conduct of
the Armenians who had started news
papers and sem men to Chicago and
Washington To agitate and stir up the
nations against their government. In
conclusion the address said: Here
after if either Turks or Armenians
stir up trouble there will be no more
imprisonments, but the death penalty
--sI L., xs@..Nl ,,tNr, a,,nl. n N n.,l,ts NC -
After reading the address Abdul An
Pasha began to address the Chris
tians in a much more violent strain.
He said If the Armenians should
again begin to agitate, not even the
name of Armenian would be allowed
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"
Converted" 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
lSldiu. i 90 HOT mean Simply Una
they have been obliged to choose be-
tween becoming Moslems and perish
ing by the sword. but that they have
been bound or held while the rite of
circumcision YVES performed without
their consent. j know of one case in
which an aged priest was tied to his
| own door and circumcised, while in
other villages Christians begged to
be killed, and their Turkish neigh
bors said to them: mo, we want you
! to till the fields. We will make you
Moslems,' and they c~ircumcised the
Christians of the place by force.
The carrying off of Christian girls
and women still continues. In the
city Of Palu Turks carry off girls, keep
them a few days and return them dis
honored. The same is done in many
other places. In one of the Arabkir
villages eight girls of the place are
imprisoned in Turkish harams. Their
friends hear their cries but can do
notring to help them. The destruction
of the Arinenians beggars description.
Men who were wealthy in October
Were begging for bread in November.
Villages were pillaged of every scrap
of food and clothing. 1t is estimated
there are between 10000 and 100000
people in extreme restitution.