The Washington herald., 1907-08-06

New York. Aug 5-The district at
torney obtained to-day the fundamental
constitution and bylaws Of the Reformed
Hunchakist Revolutionary Society"
Assistant District Attorney ManIey had
the document translated BY It every
member Of the organization is bound
to take an oath to obey the constitution
and bylaws. IN view Of the fact that the
constitution states plainly that the gen
eral assembly and various central com
mittees have a right to condemn persons
10 death and carry out the punishment,
it is the opinion Of the men in the dis
trict attorneys Office that every member
OF the organization Is liable to indictment
for murder, because these members take
the oath.
This new find of the district attorney
was unearthed in a raid on the establish
ment of Stephen Kodarion. at us Tenth
avenue. County detectives and central
Office men swooped down on Kodarian's
place and got mass of papers from his
trunks. The raid followed information
received by Assistant District Attorney
Manley. to the effect that Kodarian had
been member Of the central commit
Zee here a year ago, and at the same time
that Father Martoogessian is known to
have been the general treasurer.
kOdnrian Under Surveillance.
Al -
attorneys Office to-day and questioned.
He says he is no longer associated with
The organization. Father Martoogessian
has said the same thing. as have all the
others rounded up since the investiga-
ton began to locate the man or men who
ordered the killing Of Tavshanjian in
Union Square two weeks ago yesterday.
Kodarian was not arrested. but is under
surveillance.
The little document is bound in red,
and on the cover is the seal of the re-
formed Hunchaidsts-a flag. two daggers,
hammer, and shattered fetters and chains.
The preamble states that the constitution
and bylaws We're adopted In 1893, and
subsequently amended at the general con
yentiOn held IN Cairo last year.
This Is interesting as bearing upon the
present investigation for the reason that
Father Aartoogessian and other terrorist
members Of the regular Hunchakist were
expelled in 1903 and formed the reformed
Hunchakist society. It was in this year
and following the general convention oe
the reformers at Cairo that the president
of the original Hunchakist was tracked
10 London and slain. About the same
time a regular Hunchakist was killed in
Boston and another followed from this
country and killed after being frightfully
tortured in Odessa
Talks with Freedom OF Murder
Many members Of the original Huncha-
kist organization We're slain in 1893 and in
the subsequent years. The investigation
made by the district attorney has dis
closed that the original Hunchakist was
not such a bad organization. The idea in
forming 1t was to look after the needy IN
Armenia and to oppose Turkish oppres-
sion
The original Hunchakist was formed IN
1857, following the terrible Armenian
massacres Of the year previous.
However, this reformed gang comes
right out in their constitution and talks
of murder as an ordinary matter The
constitution explains first Of all the plan
or organization, and tells Just what the
general committee, OF general assem-
bly,, is.
The general committee is the governing
body, consisting Of FIVE men, elected for
a term Of three years each. and to be
elected at the general convention. To be
q member Of this general committee, OF
OF the various central committees, one
shall have been member Of the organ
ization for two years
The constitution explains the organiza-
ton OF the various central committees in
different lands as being Identical with the
general committee. only that they shall
be elected by general conventions in their
respective lands.
IF one Of the members Of the central
committee shall die or resign" says the
constitution, the remaining three mem
bers shall elect their successors; but II the
three should be depleted by death OF res
ignation before the election Of the two
remaining to committeeship. then a new
convention must be held and a new CEN
traI committee chosen