The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-08-09
GRAVE CHARGES
Against a Priest of Being Leader
in Murder Plots
In CITY OF NEW YORK.

Threatening Letters Been Revealed
-Four indictments Against the Ar.
mcnian, Who Is Central Figure In
Rug Merchant Murder Casc-Scv.
cral Other Crimes Are Being
Shown Up.
In New York four indictments now
lie against Father Martoogessian, the
Armenian, who, it is alleged, some
tlmes rays aside his priestly robes to
practice eXtortion and blackmail. The
priest is just now the central figure
IN the conspiracy which the district
attorney seeks to prove had for its
oDJect the robbery of wealthy Armen-
iahS and led to the murder of the
rug merchant, T~avshan.jian, and 9th
erS, who refused to be financially
bled.
From the slayer OF Tavshaniian.
Bedros Hampartzoomian, as he is
known in New York. the police hone
TO secure a confession ESTABLISHING
mat the youth unwittingly was the
agent OF Dlackmailin8 terrorists. A
trunk which Hampa.tHoomain had in
Lowell, Mass, has berl. brought 10
New York and It's contents may throw
light on the Investigation.
or the three additional indict-
mcnts against MartoogoSsian trough
IN by Ii 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 matchmaking letters which quick
~ followed the death of the rug mcr-
chant. The letter was mailed in New
York on the afternoon of July 30, the
day that Tavshaniian 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 upliftcd, poised above
a red heart. The letter is as fol-
lows:
"Gulabi %Gulbcnklan e Co..
BRUNSWICK Bid, New York.
death Warrant
The executives Of the Constants
noplc Armenian revolutionary terror
lists organization condemn to death
Haroutian G~ulbcnkian, Gulahi Gull
benkian and Patrick Gulbcnkian, the
three brothers who, entirely, have
deaf ears to all appeals for national
freedom. Our executive board, hav-
ing given it's decision to HarOutian
and Gulabi G~ulkcnkian, in America,
gives them t~wcnty-four hours time
to decide between their duty and
death.
"Constantinople Armenian Revolu-
~tionary Terrorists' Organization"
The letter is dated Constantinople,
June %, 1907.
Following the letter is a postscript,
also in red ink, which reads as fol-
lows.
%"Although neither poison nor
hanging San prevent lis from fulfill
ing Il duty to the end, 1t is ncceS-
sary that YOU should know. If YOU
betray this letter or cause harm to
one hair on the heads Of II Of us
against that consider your whole fam
lily WHIPPED out"
Before this letter came Haroutian
Gulbenkian, who is the accusing wit
against the priest, had received
Il Matchmaking letter demanding $25,-
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, it
is alleged that in September, sos,
Father Martoogcssian threatened to
Kill or cause to be killed. Bedros
~IIanZanjian, a merchant of % Union
square. unless the latter gave up
SIS, 900 to the Armenian revolution
lists.
Further. IL is charged that Father
MartoogcSSian represented, or caused
to be represented, to Miriam G.. Kara
gcnsian, an Armenian, that he would
meet death unless he gave 100000
to the Armenian revolutionary fund.
Ka|ragcnSinn. il IS said, received this
communication in the form OF Il let
ter on August %, 1905. The letter
added:
"rhc list is not finally closed yet.
There may he several others and you
may be next
inno,Innt ~witnc. whom