New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-13
SIXTY THOUSAND SLAIN.
More Nassacres Reported - Bull
garidnS Struggle to Keep Peace.

Sofia, Sept. 12.-with the arrival Of new and
sensational reports Of the wholesale massacres
Of Christians in Macedonia the situation here
IS hourly becoming more alarming. If the latest
messages, which stated that sixty thousand Bul-
Garians had been slaughtered in the districts Of
Okhrida and Leren, be confirmed, there Is no
doubt that the government will be forced to
order the mobilization of the army Immediately
According to information brought by a courier
TO the "Autonomye" a force of Alba mans assisted
by Turkish regular forces. acting under orders
direct from the YilGiz Kiosk. massacred the en-
tire Bulgarian Christian population of the Okh-
rida and Leren districts. Fearful descriptions
are given Of the sights seen there The soldiers
slaughtering men, women and children. The
number Of killed IS not stated In the courier's
dispatches. but, according to reports from other
sources, the total number Of the victims will
reach 10000.
Official circles are so far without information
regarding the reported massacre. but. in view of
the character OF the latest advices from Mace
donia, it is feared the news is true Rumors
are current that at council Of the ministers to-
day it was decided to mobilize Immediately the
first and second army divisions. This is Off
cially denied. but well informed persons do not
doubt that the Cabinet, which is meeting in
council daily is seriously considering such
and representatives Of the professional classes
yesterday waited upon the ministers and urged
the government TO order immediate mobilization
Premier Petroff replied to the delegation that
the Ministry was unable TO admit the necessity
for such step at the present moment
The Turkish Government is believed to have
at the present moment no less than sixty thou
sand soldiers in the vilayet of Adrianople. large
bodies OF them being within ten or fifteen
kilometres Of the Bulgarian frontier. Confront
ed with such situation, it is argued that Bull
garia would be amply justified in modifying
the First and Second Army divisions. whose
headquarters at Sofia and PhilippopoIs and
comprise the forces nearest the Turkish from
tier.
The government appears to be firmly resolved
to avoid giving Turkey the slightest pretext for
declaring hostilties, and is doing it's utmost to
restrain the war fever. The situation. however,
Is rapidly becoming worse. and popular excite
ment is increasing. The Bulgarans are IN
demonstrative and self-restrained and are not
accustomed to give vent to their feelings in
popular demonstrations and noisy professions
Sofa and the country generally are outwardIy
as calm in the most peaceful times but peo-
pie who know the Buigarians say this calm is
more to be feared than any outward evidence
that they realize the fearful condition of their
brethren in Macedonia.
A dispatch received here from Ria states
that the nsurgent leaders Of the outbreak in
Eastern Macedonia have met at Pirin and COM
pIeted thier plans.
An engagement is reported to have occurred
between a force OF insurgents and Turkish
troops at Suchindol. in which not a single in
surgent was killed. while the Turks lost heavily
kilograms from Burgas say the Bulgarian
population is fast disappearing from the district
Of Losengrad, and that every one unable to
escape to the Bulgarian frontier is killed Five
hundred fugitives have arrived at Burgas from
Tekengea. They state that in the surrounding
villages the Turks search the houses for guns
and, failing to find them. force the peasants to
buy guns. These fugitives report that two
men. one one hundred years old and the other
eighty-five were impaled by the Turks in the
course of their search.
The War Office here is greatly concerned over
the increasing number of deseTteTs who go to
Join the insurgents. No precautions avail to
stop the assertions. The men escape from the
barracks at night and succeed in reaching the
frontier before they missed. or in other
cases. obtain leave o. absence and fail to return