The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-01

New York. July d.-After four indict-
ments, three for attempted robbery and
one for blackman had been filed against
Levant Martoogessian. the clergyman
who is implicated in the Armenian nur-
der and blaokman investigation, the dis
trict attorneys Office piled up a lot of
additional evidence against. the priest
It is the most important evidence OBJ
tanned so far, in the opinion Of Assistant
District Attorney Manley.
Martoogessian IS accused directly OF in
stigating murders and Of having had in
his possession letters blackmailing rich
Armenian merchants
The information was furnished by
Hugerdich Calustian. blacksmith. who
lives at 2s9 West Thirty-seventh street.
lie was known as the strong-arm man of
the Hnehakist before it was split. be-
cause Of the extravaganza Of Martooges-
sian' who was then its treasurer.
Calustian was picked up this afternoon
by Detectives Reardon and Bremen. OF
the district attorneys Office. at Eleventh
avenue and Twenty-seventh street
Calustian Is Quizzed.
He was questioned by EIr. NanIav for
over two hours. AT the same time Bedros
kaprielian. who was secretary Of the
HuncnaHst before II split. was brougbt
In As to certain parts Of the story told
by Calustian the two men agreed. Mr.
Manley was jubilant when they left
In a general way. this was Calus,ian's
story. He had known 8Iartoogessian for
a long time. Whenever Nartoogessisr
wanted meeting broken I'D. he was the
man for job. This was about the ttr,a
there was dissatisfaction against Mar
toogessian and talk Of throwing him out
Martoogessian went 10 one meeting in
Lyric Han in this city and caused enough
trouble 10 break up the meeting. Then
Martoogessian called on him for another
job.
This was 70 break Up a meeting N
Paterson. and incidentally 10 do m the
editor OF an Armenian paper. Calustian
says that Martoogessian picked him out
for the job and sent along as helpers
George Tokajian and sarkis Karbikian.
but the editor wasn't at the meeting.
That was in 1sOi. he says.
Wanted NfIaeh Killed.
About four months after that Martoo-
gessiaH- came 10 him with another con-
tract. 1t was too kill Nikolak Nfach. ths
proprietor Of a restaurant in East Twen-
ty-seventh street who is now in the
Tombs on the charge Of receiving stolen
goods Calustian says Martoogessiaa
wanted Nilach killed because he was a
Turkish spy. Calustian says he hunted
for him. but couldn't land him.
Calustian says he knows a number OF
men who were sent abroad to kill of men
who wouldn't be blackmailed- There were
at least ten Of them, ne says, and he was
present when some OF them sailed. Mar
to0gessian was there, too. and Calustian
says il was the priest who sent them on
their mission.
OF the incidents that led up to and fol-
lowed the killing Of Ounjian BY Van
tanian AT Constantinople on August 4.
1905, Calusdan gives this account: He was
on the dock when Vantanian sailed. Mar
was present Vantanian made
a little speech about being a terrorist and
what he intended 10 do
Calustian says that Nartoogessian had
picked him out 70 kill few men, but that
he always got cold feet.
Declines on Commission.
One OF the jobs that had been picked
out for him and which he declined was
turned over TO two other men He saw
them sail away. but owing TO a misunder-
standing Of what they were supposed 10
do the killing failed.
Shortly before the murder OF Ouniian.
Calustian says MartOOgessian showed him
several letters which the priest said he
had received from the ConstantinopIe
branch of the Hunchakist The letters
were addressed TO merchants in this city,
and demanded sums Of 500 or more. Mar
toOgessian said he had been ordered by
the Constantinople branch 70 make the
collections an send the money home TO the
Armenians.
After Ounjian was murdered. Martoo-
yessian showed him silimar letters. Ca
ustian wanted TO know why the first
etters had not been delivered, and the
money collected. Martoogessian said he
couldn't get the money on the first LETT
ers, but he had no doubt the merchants
would now see their way clear TO CIV
ng up.
This was not very long after Ounjian's
murder. Calustion remembered the names
# some OF the merchants mentioned in
he letters. The principal witnesses
against Martoogessian In some Of the
our indictments for attempted robbery
md blackmail are merchants for whom
dartOogessian had letters
KaprieIian Examined.
After Calustian mad made statements TO
he stenographer, Kaprielian was exam
ned by Mr.. Manley. He told of a plan
IartoOgessian had to harm him. but Il
vas called of.
CaIustian, in his statement outlined
ust what was 10 be done 70 KaprieIian.
nd he said he knew about it at the time.
After they had made their statements.
,alustian and Kaprielian were allowed
o go. Mr.. Manley thought OF locking
ID Calustian as a witness. his testimony
cling considered important, but he
lromised to return TO the district at
orney's office tomorrow and 20 over
lis story with Mr. Jerome.
To make sure that he didn't change HIS
mind. however, two detectives followed
i'm tonight.
Martoogesslan, who didn't seem q bit
was in court when the four in
ictments were filed against him.
A In Carte Lunch Served Daily
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