The record-union., 1896-03-16
TURKISH OUHRAGES.
A Systematic Debauchery of Christian
Women Carried On.
Orders Given to Discontinue Forced
Conversions In Larger Cities, But
Continue in the Villages.

| CONSTANTINOPLE, March 10
Later news from Harpool shows in that
village yet some sort of orders have
gone out to discountenance the forced
conversions. When the authorities
from Harpool telegraphed to Constanti-
nople for instructions the reply came:
do not use force to convert" The
local Governor interpreted the orders
| literally, and even announced that every
one was to return.
This change, however, is only in the
cities and large towns. In villages and
hamlets such orders will have no effect.
Information from various points in
the Provinces of Sivas, Harpool, Diarbe
kir, Bitilis and Won shows that the
practice of forcing Christians to be-
come Moslems is still in active progress.
The purpose to abolish Christianity is
forced by depriving the Christian locali-
ties of their influence.
Where the massacres occurred ar
rests of such men are now in progress.
No charges are preferred against the
men arrested.
Another indirect method of destroy
ing the Christian communities in these
devastated provinces is the degradation
of womanhood among the Christian
communities. A systematic debauchery
of Christian women is carried on in
nearly all the devastated districts. It
| is as if the Turks wish to make sure
that the women, always conservative
in matters of religion, shall lose their
self-respect and the grounds of their re-
ligious hope. They, therefore, seize the
Christian women day after day and
week after week, and outrage them with
impunity.
1t seems the Christian Governments
are powerless in the presence of a beg
CARED nation of 100000 Turks, or they
are unwilling to take any peremptory
measures to prevent Christianity from
being crushed out of certain parts of
the Turkish Empire. Surely they might
take so simple a measure as to appoint
Consuls to reside in the principal cities
of the Provinces. The mere residence
of a Consul will stop a host of infamies
which the Turks ordinarily dare to COM
nit only when they think they can deny
them with impunity.
MISS BARToN'S REPORT.
NEW YORK, March 15-The fol-
lowing are extracts from a report by
mail from Miss Clara Barton to the
American National Red Cross Society
here. The report is dated CONSTANT
nople, February 25th, and Miss Bar
ton says:
Immediately upon our arrival here
Judge Terrell, with his customary
promptness, lost no time in notifying
the Turkish Government of our arri-
val and asking for an audience for me
with the Foreign Minister. This was
most courteously granted, and held on
the 18th. We were informed that the
permit was granted for my party to en-
ter the interior to afford relief to the
suffering people there, and that no OBJ
structions would be put in the way.
Mr.. Terrell at once cabled that infor-
nation to Mr.. Olney, but the permit
or papers are to be signed by the Sui
tan. This is the time of the great fast,
Ramsean, during which none but the
ordinary labor is supposed to be done,
and the papers have waited until now
Minister Terrell yesterday demanded
through the Russian ambassador that
the papers be attended to, and he waits
in much certainty for favorable action
immediately
Since the date of this letter cable dis
patches have announced the signing
of the papers by the Sultan and the
issuance OF the necessary permits al1O
passports.
The report continues: Meanwhile,
we are not losing moments time
Dreadful news comes. in from the bat
tlefield of Zeitoun. 1t has not failed to
reach u.s. for it went to the press.
Sir Philip Currie has asked that I send
relief to Zeitoun, and we are getting
our supplies ready for shipment via
Alexandretta at the first moment the
papers are issued. Our agents are to-
day purchasing supplies to be taken by
caravan from Alexandretta. Our drag
omen are ready the Turkish guard will
be provided and General Field Agent
DR.. Hubbe1l will head the first detach-
ment UP into the mountains.
I'VE find supplies here as cheap as at
hcme. some even better. 1t i; said ths.
food sucn az grain, noEr, etc., csn he
had through the interior. Therefore
we shall lot have to transport that. We
shall employ our customary methods
in an endeavor to assist the people to
provide for themselves as soon as cir
cumstances viii permit"