New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-14
MONASTIR MASSACRE.
CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK.
BasMbasouk attack Suppressed by
Turkish Troops.
Especial to The New-York Tribune by French Cable,

1specIaI 10 The New-York Tribune by French Cabe3
Copyright: 1909 By The Tribune Association
Monastir. Macedonia via London, May 10
Hearing from secret sources that something of
great Importance was likely TO happen here.
came from Salonica by train Something ola
happen but 1t was not what had been expected
by my informant, and the action came from
an unforeseen source Like the premature re-
ports Of the destruction Of the ottoman BANK at
Salonica, 1t had been rumored for long perioo
that a preconcerted, systematic attempt "ouio
be made at Monastir. Many bands were re-
ported to be coming down from the Jumaia ois-
trct for that purpose. and ordered to conceh-
trate here. avoiding ali encounters and keeping
close to the mountains until the right moment
1 Gid not see how the promised preconcerteo
action could take place when the Turks were
we'll Informed and on the watch The predicted
movement did not occur. but the unexpected
happened A miniature massacre took place. or
which exaggerated accounts probably nave peen
telegraphed from the coast.
1t was begun entirely by bashihazouks. was
carried on by them, and only stopped by TURK
ish troops under direction Of the Governor, All
Ria Pacha.
There a quarrel between Bulgarian and
a Turk and the Bulgarian. much to the as
constituent OF the Turk. was armed. When sew
eral Turks came to the rescue Of their COM
rade the Bulgarian drew a revolver and shot
one of them. AS the news spread a crowd COL
lected and the bashitazouks, when the outcry
kill" was raised, swarmed into the Bulgarian
quarter. shooting right and left, and beating
the unfortunate victims whom they overhauleo-
Thirty victims were reported killed and seVerai
hundreds beaten numerically. knocked sense
less and their bones broken before the troops
could arrive in sufficient strength to drive on
the Mussuiman population.
The troops were careful neither to kill nor to
hurt the Moslems, but drove into their homes
all the Bulgarlans found the streets. They
did not allow Turkish civilians to enter the
houses of BuIgarians, did they go them
selves.
The riot began at 1870, and was quelled by
8 O'clock. The bodies were taken off in carts as
done at Saloncia. Even the consuls were
stopped by the soldiers from going to the scene
of the disturbance to make Investigations. L
was present at the outbreak with another cor
respondent, and was treated with great dis
courtesy by the authorities bent upon conceal
ing the truth, hardly being allowed to move
to ask questions.
The town fell into a panic. Shops shut up
and the new branch of the Ottoman Bank was
closed and strongly guarded. The next day the
panic prevailed anew. Small outbreaks OF
Turkish bashibazouks occurred in other por-
lions of the town, and few more Bull
garians were killed. Greek villagers living In
the Bulgarian quarter have been warned by
their Turkish friends to leave the town.
A general Massacre would undoubtedly be
brought on if the committees should begin
throwing bombs. There cavalry patrols go
ing about the streets to-day, and four thousand
troops are massed in the town. AS I made the
rounds under escort not a face could be seen
for block after block in the almost deserted
streets