The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-08
TURKISH SPIES? ALL ABOUT US
ARMENIANS HERE ARE SURE
THEY'RE BEING WATCHED.
Who but . Spy. They Argue. Could Hit an
Armenian Priest And VINO Else Could
start q Row in q Social Meeting That
Was Doing Nothing but Talk Politics?

start q Row in q Social Meeting That
Was Doing Nothing but Talk Politics?
Some Of Abdul Hamids Armenian sub
jects in this city are positive that the Sui
tan is watching them very closely with
spies these days, In fact, in LittleArmenia
this system Of espionage by the Sultan
gets the credit for almost every row that
occurs.
The latest Of these atrocities" accord
ing to large part Of the Armenian popu-
lation, was the assault on Father Levant
Martovgessin. the Armenian priest who
was pummeled on Lexington avenue on
Friday night and openly declared in the
Yorkville court on Saturday that his assail-
ant Nacaret Domain, an Armenian. was one
OF the Sultan's spies.
This case is to come up in the same court
to-day for a hearing. Donizin is likely to
say that he isn't spy at all. but harmless
fellow subject. His friends declare that
he isn't and in the Armenian cafes both
sides are represented
Two weeks ago there was row at a meet
ing of the Armenian Young Mems Society,
in Lyric Hall The Sultan got the blame
for this. One of those in the row was the
priests aesailant. The meeting was Of a
social nature, and at it were about four
! hundred Armenians. Most Of them had
gone home when the row started. 1t
ended only when the police were called.
The Armenians say that this is the artful
wav the Sultan has Of keeping his enemies
from combining against him.
A Sun reporter who went looking for
Turkish spies yesterday in the Armenian
colony near Third avenue, between TWEEN
tieth and Thirteth streets, was met with
some queer looks when he inquired If they
were known in some OF the cafes A few
| Armenians shook their heads, and others
| maintained discreet silence.
AS the reporter left one cafe an Armenian
| in frock coat left the place and went in
he made signs for THE Sun reporter to
| follow him, and when two blocks lay be.
| tween him and the cafe he stopped and
| said:
aYou wanted to know if there are Turkish
spies here? There are. They e;s watch Sans u.s.
! He reports everything to Constantinople.
| II has been done ever since Armenians
| began to come here because Of the massa-
ores and injustice of the Sultan's rule in
their own country There are lot OF these
spies, and they are under orders to see that
none Of our young men goes back to Ar
mena without the Government being in
formed, and also to see that they do not
get together here to talk politics.
THAT is why they started the row at
Lyric Hall. Some Of the young men began
| discussing Oriental politics at the close
| of the meeting. The Sultan was denounced
| Then in some mysterious manner the row
| began The priest and others tried to in
| terfere. Thet knew it was only another at
| tempt 81 the (, an to get his enemies fight,
! ing am, ng themselves The priest accused
, Donizin # having started il, and the result
! was. IA you have seen, that he was assaulted
| and waylaii on the street. 1t is very clever
! Of the Sultan He il afraid of the Ar
| menians, and especially 40 now.
-Weare no: afraid Of the Sultan over here.
| and the spieN cannot arrest people as do
| those in Constan'inope The Sultan knows
| this, too, 80 he keeps them at work stirring
up trouble among the Armenians, and then.
| if we go too far-well, we are apt TO get
what the priest got. What can we do :?
We can do nothing. The Consul would
deny it If you asked him, just as the Sultan
does"
Tho Armenian took a look around. and
then hurried of. Apparently he, too.
had a lingering fear of the Sultan's power,
for he wouldn't give his name. There
were other Armenians who said there were
no spies over here.