The times., 1897-03-30
CULLEN HOLDS The FORT
SeriOus Allegations Against Former
Well-knOWn WaShingtOnians.
Armenian Refugees Said to Be Held
Captive In a Virginia Fortress.
Escaped Prisoner Insane. q

One Armenian refugee is insane as a re
sult OF his American experiences since flee
ing from the torUures ofthe Turk, and six
others are held prisoners, it is alleged, in the
nearby town Of Buckton, Va.
Arshk K Ansa gianis the name Of the un-
fortunate man now confined in cell at
police precinct No. / TO await the result
of an inquiry into his sanity and his six
countrymen are said TO be prisoners in a
hotel, or rather d fortress, kept by Charles
Cullen a Son, both Of whom have local
record.
The story behind these unfortunates be-
gins with the charitable impulse Of Mrs.
FessendeG, a wealthy Boston lady. Mrs.
Fessenden sought by correspondence to
secure enploymentfor some so Amenians
who arrived in this country lastfalL Among
those with whom arrangements were made
was Charles Cullen & Son, representing
themselves to be proprietors of the Warren
White Sulphur Springs Hotel, Ut Buckton,
Va.
Seven Of the Armenians were sent to
Buckton toy Mrs. Fessenden, under con-
tract 10 work in the hotel and nothin more
was heard Of them until the latter part of
February. At that time nanvel Caprelian,
an Armenian, reSidin g in New York, whose
brother was among the Arnenians sent to
BuCkton, received a letter from his mother
indicating that all was not right.
The hotel it was stated, was a house
on the top OF a mountain surrounded by
forests The place was kept, Caprelian's
brother said, by an old man. younger
man and a woman about forty-five years
Of % q oh
the Arrnenians, who were virtual prison
ers, aud We're compelled to chop wood in
the forest
They were held in subjectiOn by a dis
play Of firearms, and outsiders were pre-
vented from holding communication with
the captives by the s anne means. The hotel
was surfneuuted by cupoIa, or turret, from
which the Cullens fired guns when people
were seen approaching.
This is the story told by Caprelian.
and which was communicated to the Wash
ingt0n police by his New York brother
The detectives here, however, could do
nothing hut write TO Caprelian, suggesting
that he lay the matter tefore the sheriff
OF Warren county, Va, the case being
beyond their jurisdiction.
In the meantime B. s. Casbarin, an F
bStSSI ufdtEi Al OllGEldli udhBttil NdT-
ting for the wants OF fellow-countryman,
A X. 4 ns5 gian. who came TO him destitute,
ssy ying he had escaped from some bad men
who had tried To kill him AnSagian, WHO'S
"a young man II about twenty, told Mr..
Casbarin that his father and mother had
been killed 10y the Turks during the massa-
cres in Armenia.
He came - America and was sent with
uthers to The Cullen placein Bnckton by Mrs
Fessen den. What happened TO him there
ran only he gathered from his disconnected
statements, for his treatment seems to
have turned his mind.
He is in constant fear OF being killed by
someone, and Sunday became so violent
he was removed to the First precinct sta
ton, where he viii be examined as
10 his sanity. When AnSacian escaped from
the Cullen place the ArmcRians Were eng gag
ed in building high fence around the
fortress" They were paid FOR their serv-
Ices, he said. but the money was found to
be ''wild cat'' currency and worthless.
The Cullens are wen known in Washing
ton, the younger man having figured as a
witness in the celebrated holt viii case
They at one time kept a toarding house
on North Capitol street. The Junior Cul-
len is said to have visited Washington re-
Gently, had a fast time and departed |
leaving a large hotel bin unpaid.