Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-09-18
HUMAN SLAUGHTER GOES ON
5000 CHRISTIANS IN MACEDONIA
MURDERED BY TURKS.
Government Will Be Forced to Mobil-
ize for War-Such Barbarism Never
Before Seen-Sultan Has Over Co.
900 Soldiers on Bulgarian Frontier
One Engagement Reported.

| WIG engagement 'iSfe
Sofia, Bulgaria, Sept 14.-With the
arrival of new and sensational ant
wholesale massacre of Christians II
Macedonia, the situation here is hour
ly becoming more alarming. If the
latest messages, which state that 6OOC
Bulgarians have been slaughtered IN
the districts of Okhrida and Leren
should be confirmed, no doubt exists
mat the government will be forced to
order the mobilization of the army
according to information brought to
the revolutionary paper Autonomye,
force of Albanians, assisted by Turk
ish regular forces acting under or
ders direct from the Yildiz Kiosk,
massacred the entire Bulgarian Chris.
llan 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-
rection, 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 5000.
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 too
true. Rumors are current that at a
council of the ministers it was decided
to mobilize Immediately the first and
second army divisions.
This is officially denied, but well in
formed persons do not doubt that the
caDinet, which is meeting in council
daily, is seriously considering such a
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 less
than 10000 soldiers in the village u
Adrianople, large bodies of them with
in 10 to is kilometers of the Bulgarian
frontier Confronted with such situ-
alton, it is argued that Bulgaria would
be amply justified in mouInzing the
first and second army divisions, the
headquarters of which are at Sofia
and Philiopollis, and which comprise
the forces nearest the Turkish from
tier.
The government appears to be firm
ly resolved to avoid giving Turkey the
slightest pretext for declaring hostili-
ties, and is doing its utmost to restrain
the war fever. Sofia and the country
generally are outwardly as calm as in
the most peaceful time, but the Bull,
garians say this calm is more to be
feared than at any other time.
An engagement is reported to have
occurred between force of insur-
gents and Turkish troops at Suipindol
in which not a single revolutionist was
killed, while the Turks lost heavily.
kilograms from Burgas say the Bull
garian population is fast disappearing
from the district of Losengrad, and
that everyone unable to escape to the
Bulgarian frontier is killed Five hun.
dred fugitives, who have arrived al
Burgas from Tekengea, report that two
men, one 100 years old and the Other
SIS, were impaled by the Turks. The
war office here is greatly concerned
over the increasing number of desert
ers who join the insurgents.
Later Reports.
Sofia. Bulgaria, Sept. 15.-The AL
, bantam and Turkish troops contained
in the vilayet Of Adrianople appear t.
be pursuing their usual tactics of burn
, ing and plundering the villages ant
killing the peasants instead of maxim,
an attempt to break up the Insurgen
bands. Very little news is filterin,
through from Monastir, but all report.
agree that the position of the Chris
tians is desperate. The Turks are
making clean sweep of the Who'll,
Bulgarian element.
More Frauds Exposed.