The morning times., 1896-10-18

TO express an opinion upon the Armenian
question and to give Il correct account Of
the whole situation than DR.. Grace W.
kimbaI, who returned to her native coun.
try from the scene OF massacre about four
weeks ago. She knows the Armenian his
tory from personal experience extending
back fourteen years and is fully acquainted
with every phase of life, from their da of
prosperity To their present abject misery
and destitution. When she arrived in this
country the reporters, as she said, ''camped
out around her, nd hurriedly noted down
What she could tell them in a few brief mo
ments, but hitherto she has given no COM
pletc narrative of her life in the troUblOus
country.
A slender little woman, with brow n hair
and blue eyes, she does not at first glance
give one the impression OF being the power
in the world that she undoubtedly is; but
after a few moments conversation the
charm Of her manner begins to have its in
fluence. 1t is impossible not TO be moved by
her enthusiasm In defense Of the ueople
whose cause she has championed to such
purpose throughout ':heir terrible siege OF
successive Affections. And what right las
one far away from the scene OF action to
dscredi6 the testimony OF a disinterCSted
participant in the sorrows of people with
whom she sdwclt for period II fourteen
years? Who should know better tina n one
who has seen with her own eyes and heard
with her own ears-yes, and suffered with
every fiber OF her being the prosecutions
that have been heapcd upon a helpless
people?
NOW PHYSICIAN AT yASSAR.
Worn out by years OF labor among the
afflicted, and persuaded that the work
whicb she began and carried ON success
fully could be safely left in charge OF
the efficient helpers who had been aSso-
citaed with her. she finally left the coun-
try where every obstacle had been put in
the way Of the practice OF her profession,
and returned to her native shores She is
now ensconced in commodious apartments
at VasSar College, where she has been ap-
pointed resident physician.
1t was at vaSSar that l found her, and
listened to a graphic description Of her
life and experiences in that country of
which So much has been written and 50 lit
tie really known.
II suppose you want to know about the
relief work" she said.
Yes" replied, but first tell me what
you think OF the situation of things in Tur-
key. Are the Armeiians revolutionists, as
they have so often been represented, andare
the Turks partly justified in their puiicy
of slaughter?'
Every Armenian replied DR.. himSall,
sis revolutiOniSt in his heart. and 10 man
in the possession of his senses who under
stands the situation can have any respect
for an Arm enian who is anything els" In
outward act. however, T5 per cent Of the
prosecuted people are perfectly oval to
the Turkiso government; but it IS the 10y
ally of fear and not of conviction.
Even this loyalty does not save them,
however 1t is an everyday affair ~ take
a law abiding citizen on suspicion, or On
the complaint of some enemy, 3nnfiscatc
his property and throw him into prison.
there to await trial which may never
be called l know of one man who has
been imprisoned fifteen years and has
never had a trial, and nobody Knows
upon what charge he was fist commit
ted
ARMENIANS INTERPRETED WITH.
THE people are intcrfered with in
every phase of their existence; In their
schools, their business, their religion,
and their domestic affairs. An Anne
nian shopkeeper must Sell to any Turk
at the Turks own price, or run the lisk
of becoming involved in dispute which
may land him in prison. There is no
Justice for an Armenian in a dispute
with a Turk. 1t frequently happens,
when an Armenian who has been misused
by Turk brings complaint, that he him
self is fined or thrown into prison and the
Turk goes free. These are common occur
rences in Turkey, and yet God knows there
never was people who bore opp cssiun
more patiently than the Armeuians The
wonder is that they bore 1t so long, and
not that they at last piped up weak and
trembling revolution.
Unfortunately, If the revolution is to
end where it is Dow-foreunately, If it
finally leads to some alleviatiUD of their
wrongs the radicals who believed in
more aggressive measures began to make
demonstrations; as W hen, for instance, they
got together a body OF armed men at
| Constantinople and demanded the right to
present a petition TO the grand vizier, ana,
again, W hen in Trebizond, they attempted
to shoot the former governor general OF
Van, W hich ended in the TrebiZnad mas
sacre. These demonstrations We're made,
HOWE ever, to draw the attention Of Euro
peans to their condition, and should be
regarded as the last desperate resource of
an absolutely helpless people. They could
not conceive that the powers would stand
listlessly by and see them massacred fo-
asserting rights for which every Self-rc
| specting man of any race would fight tu
| the DEATH"
HISTORY OF MAssACRES.
DR.. Kimball then proceeded to recount
| the history OF the various massacres. in
Guiding the one at Van, of which So little
has been heard. notwithstanding the faci
that 10000 people were killed. and ex
termination was only averted by the in
terycntoD OF Major Williams, the British
| military vice consul. who, with the aid o
thirty armed Turks, and by using his rer
sonal influence, saved 10000 Armenians
"That is the pluckiest man In Turkey,
said DR.. Kimball as she produced Majo