The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-09-18

one Engagement hSPOItSNs
Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept. 14.-With the
arrival of new and sensational and
wholesale massacre of Christians in
Macedonia, the situation here is hour
ly becoming more alarming II the
latest messages, which state that 5000
Bulgarians have been slaughtered IN
the districts of Okhrida and Leren,
should be confirmed, no doubt exists
tnat the government will be forced to
order the mobilization of the army
ACCORDING to information brought to
the revolutionary paper Autonomye,
a force of Albanians, assisted by TURK
ish regular forces acting under or
ders direct from the Yildiz Kiosk,
massacred the entire Bulgarian Chris
uan population of the Okhrida and
Leren districts.
Fearful descriptions are given OF the
sights there, the soldiers slaughtering
men, women and children in every di-
recrion, displaying a barbarism never
before witnessed. The number of
killed is not stated in the cOurier's dis
patch, but according to reports from
other sources, the total number Of the
victims will reach 6000
Official circles are so far without
information regarding the reported
massacre, but in view of the charac
ter of the latest advices from Mace
donia, it is feared the news is only toe
true. Rumors are current that at a
council of the ministers it was decided
to mobilize Immediately the first AM
second army divisions.
This is officially denied, but well in
formed persons do not doubt that thS
caDlnet which is meeting in council
daily, is seriously considering such {
measure.
A deputatiOn of leading professors
and resident professional classes wait
ed on the ministers and urged the gov
eminent to order immediate mObiliza
ton. Minister Pretoff said the minis
try was unable to admit OF such mea
sure at this time.
The Turkish government is believed
to have at the present moment no les
than $4,000 soldiers in the village Z
AdrianOple, large bodies of them with
in 10 to Is kilometers of the Bulgarian
frontier. Confronted with such a stu
alton, it is argued that Bulgaria woul'
be amply justified in mounting tn
first and second army divisions, tn
headquarters of which are at Soft
and Philiopolls, and which compris
the forces nearest the Turkish from
tier.
The government appears to be firm
1y resolved to avoid giving Turkey tn
slightest pretext for declaring hostil
ties, and is doing its utmost to RESTRAIN
the war fever. Sofia and the countr
generally are outwardly as calm as il
the most peaceful time, but the Blu
sarians say this calm is more to b
feared than at any other time.
An engagement is reported to hav
occurred between a force of insul
gents and Turkish troops at SuipindC
in which not a single revolutionist wa
killed, while the Turks lost heavily.
kilograms from Burgas say the Blu
garian population is fast disappearin
from the district of Losengrad, an
that everyone unable to escape to tn
Bulgarian frontier is killed. Five hui
dred fugitives. who have arrived &
Burgas from Tekengea, report that tw
men, one 100 years old and the othe
SIS, were impaled by the Turks. TIL
war office here is greatly concerne
over the increasing number Of deser
ers who join the insurgents.
Later Reports.
Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept. 15.-The A
bantam and Turkish troops cOntaine
in the vilayet of Adrianople appear
be pursuing their usual tactics of bur
ing and plundering the villages an
killing the peasants instead of maxim
an attempt to break up the lnsurgel
bands. Very little news is filterin
through from Monastir, but all report
agree that the position Of the Chri
tians is desperate. The Turks al
making a clean sweep Of the who
Bulgarian element.
officer and Prisoner Dead.