The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-08-07
GRAVE CHARGES
Against a Priest of Being Leader
in Murder Plots
IN CITY OF new YORK.

Threatening Letters Been Revealed
Four Indictments Against the Al.
mcni;,u. Who Is Central Figure In
Rug Merchant Murder Case-Sev.
er;sl Other Crimes Are Being
Shown Up.
IN New York four indictments now
lie against Father Martoogessian, the
Armenian, who, it is alleged, some
times lays aside his priestly robes to
practice eNtortion and blackmail. The
priest is just now the central figure
in the conspiracy which the district
attorney seeks to prove had for it's
object the robbery. of wealthy Armen-
ians and led to the murder of the
rug merchant, TavShanjian. and 9TH
ers, who refused to be financially
fbled.
From the slayer of Tavshanjian.
Bedros Hampartzoomian, as he is
known in New York, the police hope
to secure confession establishing
that the youth unwittingly was the
agent of blackmailing terrorists. A
trunk which HampartZoomain had in
Lowell, Mass. has been brought to
New York and its contents may throw
light on the investigation.
Of the three additional indict-
ments against MartoogeSsian brought
in by the grand jury. two charge at
tempted robbery as did the original
Indictment and one alleges extortion.
The latter charges that the priest
was responsible for at least one Of
the blackmailing letters which quick
ly followed the death Of the rug mer-
chant. The letter was mailed in New
York on the afternoon of July %, the
day that Tavshanjian was shot. 1t
was written in red ink in the Armen-
ian language. and was signed by the
symbol of the terroriStS, three hands
with daggers uplifted. poised above
red heart The letter is as fol-
lows:
''Gulabi Gu1benklan & Co.,
s.Brunswick Bid, New York.
Death Warrant: -
The executives of the CONSTANT
nople Armenian revolutionary terror
lists organization condemn to death
Haroutian Gulbenkian, Gulahi Gul-
benkian and Patrick Gulbenklan, the
three brothers who, entirely, have
deaf ears to all appeals for national
freedom. Our executive board. hav-
ing given its decision to Haroutian
and Gulabi Gulkenkian, in America,
gives them twentv-four hours time
to decide between their duty and
death.
"Corstantinople Armenian Revolu-
tiolarv Terrorists' Organization.
The letter is dated Constantinople,
June q. 1907.
Following the letter is a postscript,
also in red ink, which reads as fol-
lows:
Although neither poison nor
hanging can prevent us from fulfill
ing our duty to the end, it is neces-
sary that you should know. 1t you
betray this letter or cause harm to
one hair on the heads Of one of US
against that consider your whole fam
ily WHIPPED out.
Before this letter came Haroutlan
Gulbenkian, who is the accusing wit
ness against the priest, had received
a blackmaling letter demanding S2o.-
900. but had not complied with the
demand.
The sense Of the Indictment is that
the priest either sent the quoted let
ter or caused it to be sent. Also, II
is alleged that in September. 1903,
Father Martoogessian threatened TO
Kill or cause to be killed. Bedros
HanZaniian. a merchant OF 29 Union
square. unless the latter gave up
$4,000 to the Armenian revolution
lists.
Further, it is charged thatFather
Martoogessian represented, or caused
to he represented. to Miriam G. Kara
pensian. an Armenian. that he would
meet death unless he gave Sl0o,oVo
tc the Armenian revolutionary fund.
karagensian, it is said. received TINS
communication in the form OF let
ter on August 30, 1905. The letter
added:
The list is not finally closed yet.
There NAV be several others and you
may be next.
The late afternoon develope an
imnortant witness. when Magderlck
austrian. blacksmith, was eXamln-
ed hv Assistant District Attorney
Nanlev. According to information
later given out at the assistant DIS
,rict attorneys Office. the witness sald
that he had often attended meetings
Of the Hunchakist, at which Mart
ooeessian presided. Continuing, he
is alleged to have stated, that he
knew OF five different cases, "here
men had been sent from this country
10 Europe at the instiSatlon OF man
named to murder persons. ON t"o
occasions. austrian said. he had neen
chosen 10 do murder. bat managed III
various WAYS TO shift the response
bility.
Some time ago he was told that ne
would have 10 kill Nikolat Mllach be-
cause at that time it was DelleNeo
that Niiack was Turkish spy. Ac-
cor6inc to Mr.. Manley. the black
smith made further startling admls-
..ions and furnished corroboratlFe
evidence of great Importance against
tho prisoner. who is declared by
other Armenians to have been the
moving spirit in the blackmalhnS
band.