Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-09-15
HOLY war IS ON
IN THE CAUCASUS
ARMENIANs Ar FORCED TO
EMBRACE IsLAMISM OR
SUFFER DEATH.

EMBRACE ISLAMISM OR
SUFFER DEATH.
ENTIRE VILLAGES ARE
WIPED OUT BY TARTARS
Mutilated Children Thrown to the
Dogs-C ossacks Kill and Wound
Many at Tifis-Cause and Origin
Of outrages.
st. Petersburg, Sept. ia holy
war has been proclaimed in the Cauca-
sian districts of Zangezur and Jebrail,
where Tartars are massacring the
Armenians without distinction of sex
or age. The country is swarming with
bands of Tartars under the leadership
of their chiefs. Many thousands OF
Tartar horsemen have crossed the
Perso-Russian frontier and Joined the
insurgents in destroying Armenian vii
lagos.
Children Thrown to Dogs.
At the village of Minkend 300 Ar
menians were slaughtered. Dispatches
say that mutilated children were
thrown to the dogs and that the few
survivors were forced to embrace Is
lamism in order to save their lives.
Naphtha firms are cut off from the
delivery of oil fuel to the shipping
companies, which are now confronted
with the necessity Of suspending their
services and discharging their EN-.
ployes, which would result in leaving
thousands with no means Of subsist
ence.
The salt works at Baskunchak have
been obliged to close owing to the
scarcity of fuel, and this will paralyze
the fishing industry.
There is growing agitation among
the Mussulmans at Batoum against the
Christians. The authorities have
seized documents melting an outbreak.
Many Killed in Tiflis Panic.
Tif1is, Caucasia, Sept. ia hun
bred social democrats were killed or
wounded Tuesday in conflict with
Cossacks at the town hall and many
were trampled to death In subse.
quent panic. Two thousand social
democrats had forced an entrance into
the town hall, which was closed owing
to the celebration of religious holi-
day, the beheading Of John the Bap-
fist. Revolutionary speeches were
made and the chief Of police ordered
the meeting to dispense.
Part Of those present obeyed, but the
remainder refused and some revolvers
were fred A large force Of Cossacks
drawn up outside the building then
fired volley into the crowd time and
time again, killing 30 and wounding
upwards of 20. In the ensuing panic
many persons fell and were trampled
to death by their comrades and the
pursuing Cossacks.
Trouble Long Pending.
Washington, Sept. Estate de.
partment officials who are thoroughly
familiar with conditions in the eau
casus use two words to describe the
origin and reason for the continuing
Of the pillaging, fighting and massa.
crism in the eastern mountain region
religion" and nationality"
AS LAT Udch dS last pcpI udAy q 40
Dor dispute among the workmen in the
oil and naphtha plants was made the
excuse for an attack on the Armenians
by the Tartars. The hordes of the
Inter took advantage of the fact that
German, Russian and Swedish labor.
srs did not like the course of the
Armenians during a strike, to work
out their fanatical race and religious
hatred Of the Christian Armenians.
This trouble was checked, but later
It broke out again and, despite the
presence of Russian troops, the Tar
tars massacred 1900 Armenians in a
single day, perpetrating frightful
atrocities on the helpless women and
children.
ii, Incited by Rebels.
Washington officials say the revolu.
tionists of Russia proper some months
ago turned toward the Caucasus and
had a hand in the melting of riot.
For some reason the revolutionists
thought that the destruction of the
oil industry which contributed 100000.
900 of rubles each year to the state
treasury, would aid their cause.
The oil industry has been practically
wiped out Of existence, and 1t will
take years to reestablish It, but the
Russian government can lay the direct
cause Of the loss to the hatred of the
people Of one religion for the people
OF another.
In the meantime the officials believe
that the Turkish government is look
ing with something like Joy on the
destruction Of the Armenians and is
secretly aiding their destroyers.
Gear Decorates an American.
New York, Sept. 13.-GhafIes ]. Muir
ply, formerly foreign agent Of the
United States department of agricul-
ture, has received from Emperor Mich
olas OF Russia the decoration Of the or
der of st. Stanislaus. The honor was a
recognition of his services In behalf OF
Russia's peasants during the famine o.
1891. when as foreign agent at Berlin OF
the department of agriculture he start
ed the movement for sending shiploads
of corn to Russia.
Trouble Ends in Shooting.
Cincinnati, Sept. l3.-As an out.
growth of trouble which is said to have
started when James Marshall placed
thistles in the street at Van Vert. o.
80 that the children of Levy Mullen
could not pass barefooted without he
ing injured, Mullen probably fatally
shot Marshall Mullen tten surrer,.