Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-05-22

ton of Stamboul for ten days, but it
has not been used since 1850 for that
purpose. Constantinople has an ex-
client water system carried in aque-
ducts running to various quarters of
| the city. For many years this and
leveral other great cisterns. hay
ing been pumped out, were used for
storage or government supplies. but
OF late they have been practically
| abandoned, and certain Armenian
manufacturers of rope, carpets and
other articles which required more
| room than light, have been using them
rent free, because of their large size
aud other advantages. During the
massacre of 1896. however. the Tur-
kish mob surprised the Armenians at
work in this cistern and killed be-
| tween sixty and seventy in cold blood.
Hence it is not an agreeable place to
visit
Two thousand children. orphans of
OF people who lost their lives in that
7'assacre, are employed in carpet
'actory in the suburbs of CONSTANT
1ople. of which Mr.. Pardo, Spanish
merchant, who was at the worlds
air, in Chicago, is the manager.
Some people think that the sultan
vas not responsible for that massacre.
others are confident that he ordered
It, Just as Charles of France ordered
The massacre of St Bartholomew
'hcy believe that he was induced to
10 so by representations of the Sheik-
pl-lslam and his ministers that the
trmenlans were on the point of rev
olution, and there was circumstantial
evidence to sustain their claims
There had been repeated massacres
IVY the Kurds and other Turkish bar
harians in Armenia, and thousands of
Christians there lost their lives and
property. When a committee of Ar
nenians went to the sublime porte to
present petition demanding the pro
lection guaranteed their countrymen
bv the treaty of Berlin in 1878, they
we're prevented from entering. and
attempted to fight their way in, which
7aused a riot and gave their enemies
m excuse to secure an official sanction
or their persecution.
But what is known as the lotto
idU Iiuh dhdlI WIS really int llll-
Mediate cause of the massacre. 1t is
practically the only bank in Constan-
tinople. and is managed by an En-
;lishman. One morning in 1896. while
business was going on as usual, par
v of forty or fifty armed men entered
he building and closed the doors.
rhe manager, Mr.. Vincent, succeeded
n escaping. The bank was promptly
urrounded by troops. which made 1t
impossible for the bandits to get away
With any booty or with their lives.
but they threatened to blow up the
taults and to set fire to the building
'nless they were granted immunity.
Nr, Vincent had sufficient influence
With the authorities to secure such
'erms. and during the night after the
aid the bandits were taken from
he bank to the nearest dock. and
placed on board Mr. Vincent's pri-
'ate yacht and carried to Marseilles,
where they were put ashore and dis
appeared.
They claimed to be Armenians, but
we're all strangers. Some people
hink it was a fake" raid concocted
" the Turkish police to arouse the
public prejudice against the Armen-
ans. Others think that foolhardy
-roup of American revolutionists in
ended to secure funds to carry on a
evolution. But whatever the intent
'r expectation. on the following day
he sultan was persuaded that unless
he Armenian community was effect
,ally terrorized it would overthrow
us government. He gave the word
he prests and softas led the mobs
md the Turkish fanatics continued to
ill Christians until they were ex-
iausted WILLIAM CURTIS.