The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-13
Unwilling tn Go to War. hut May Be
Goaded by the Atrocities of the
Turkish Troops.
MANY SOLDIERS DESERVING
QUITTING THE BULGARIAN SERVICE
AND JOINING THE REBELS.
Reported Dismissal of the Vail of
Beirut Confirmed by Minister
Leishman's Advices.

SOFIA. Bulgaria. Sept. 12-With the ar
rival OF new and startling reports of the
wholesale massacre Of Christians in Mace
donia, the situation is hourly becoming
more alarming If the latest message,
which says that $1,000 Bulgarians have been
slaughtered in the districts of Okrida and
Leren. shall be confirmed, no doubt exists
that the government will be forced to or
der the mobilization of the army imme-
diately
According TO information brought by
courier &c the revolutionary paper Auton-
omye. a force of Albanians, assisted by
Turkish regular forces acting under orders
direct from the YiIdiz Kiosk. massacred the
entire Bulgarian Christian population Of the
Okrida and Leren districts. Fearful de-
scriptions are given of the sights seen there,
the soldiers slaughtering men, women and
children in every direction. displaying bar
barism never before witnessed. The num-
Der Of killed is not given in the courIers
dispatch. but. according to reports from
other sources, the total number Of the VIC
tins will reach $1,000.
Official circles are so far without informa-
tion regarding the reported massacre. but.
in view of the character OF the latest ad-
vices from Macedonia, IL Is feared the news
Is only too true.
Rumors are current that at a council OF
the ministers to-day 1t was decided TO
mobilize Immediately the First and Second
Army Division. This is officially denied,
but weli-infOrmed persons do not doubt that
the Cabinet. which is meeting in council
daily, is seriously considering such a mea-
suTe. deputation of leading professors
classes Yesterday waited on the ministers
and urged the government TO order imme-
date mobilization. Premier Petroh replied
-I..I< hat frf-
able to admit the necessity for such a step
at the present moment.
The Turkish government is believed to
have at the present moment no less than o.
600 soldiers In the Vilayet of Adrianople
large bodies of them within ten to fifteen
kilometers of the Bulgarian frontier. Con-
fronted with such a situation, IL Is argued
Bulgaria would be amply justified In mo
bolizing the First and Second Army Divi-
sions, the headquarters of which are at So
fa and Philippopolis, and which comprise
the forces nearest the Turkish frontier.
The government appears to be firmly re-
solved to avoid giving Turkey the slightest
ing its utmost TO restrain the war FEVER
The situation. however. is rapidly becoming
worse and popular excitement IS lncreas-
Ing. The Bulgarians are singularly un-
demonstratve and self-restrained. and are
not accustomed TO give vent TO their feel
ings in popular demonstrations and noisy
professions. Sofia and the country gen.
orally outwardly as calm as in the
most peaceful times, but people who know
the Bulgarians say this calm Is more 10
be feared than any outward evidence that
they realize the fearful condition of their
brethren i'm Macedonia.
y special dispatch received from Rila
says that the insurgent chiefs intrusted
with the leadership of the outbreak in
eastern Macedonia have met at Piera and
completed their plans.
An engagement Is reported to have oc-
CURED between a band of insurgents and
Turkish troops Suchindol. in which not
q single revolutions Sas killed, while the
Turks lost heavily.
kilograms from Burgas say the Bulgar-
Ian population is fast disappearing from the
district of Losengrad. and that every one
unable TO escape to the Bulgarian from
tier is killed. Five hundred fugitives have
arrived at Burgas from Tekengea. They
saw that i'm the surrounding villages the
Turks search the houses for guns, failing
20 find which they force the peasants to
buy arms These fugitives report that two
men. one agel one hundred years and the
other eighty-five. were impaled by the
Turks The War Office is greatly con-
cerned over the increasing number Of de-
scrters who go to join the insurgents.