Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-16
TURKS, ENRAGED
At hRMENIANS,
BEGIN MASSACRE
MURDER OF MOSLEMS INFLAMES
MOHAMMEDANS, WHO TAKE
LAW INTO OWN HANDS.
CHRISTIANS APPEAL FOR AID.
Terrible Slaughter Begins in Mersina,
Where Two American Missions
Are Located
CHRISTIANS APPEAL FOR AID.
NOT AFFECTED BY REVOLUTION.

CONSTANTINOPLE, April ia
today at Mersina, a seaport of Asia
minor on the Mediterranean.
Enraged at the murder of two Mos
lens, by an Armenian and the fact that
the assassin was not apprehended, the
MOhammedan population Of Mersina,
which counts q total of 10000 inhab-
itants, took the law into its own hands
and attacked the Armenian quarters
The Christian communities of Mersina
ara appealing to the cOnsulS here for
help.
Two American missions are represent
ed at Mersina.
Started by Religion
The trouble at Mersina is in no way
connected with the political upheavaI at
ConStantlnOple Of the past two days. 1t
Involves a recrudeScence of the Arme-
man question, which is religious and
racial, and has nothing to do with the
internal politics of Turkey.
There have been several minor move
ments against Armenians in Turkey dur
ing the last twelve months, notably at
Niran-Shehr and Bagdad last October,
and religious rioting took place at
Smyrna i'll January and in Jerusalem in
February Of this year.
Mersina is thirty-six miles by rail
southeast Of the city of Adana. 1t
counts 5000 Mohammedans and some
5000 Christians. Ii has a station of the
synod Of the Reformed Presbyterian
church IL North America, and an out
station Of the American board Of com
missi0ners for foreign missions. The
records of 1907 show that Rev. G. A.
Dodds, Rev. Il. J. Dodds and Miss
Evadna NJ. Sterrett were stationed at
Mersina.
Turkish Capital Quiet
The Turkish capital is again assuming
its normal aspects, and there is this
morning little outward evidence of the
political ferment that has marked the
previous two days. The new ministry
las promptly removed Yaver Pasha from
the commandership of the first army
corps and given this post to Nazim
Pasha. Nazim Pasha was minister of
war for a brief period prior to the fall
Of the kaimIl cabinet, and the malcOn-
tents among the troops have urged his
reappointment to this post He is
popular and able officer, and the COM
mand given him today will in all likeli-
hood be n stepping stone to his return to
the ministry. 1t is believed that his re-
appointment will have a very good effect
toward restoring order ana discipline in
the army
lsmail Renal Bey, the new president
Of the Chamber of Deputies and provi-
siOnal leader of the Liberal union, was
received by the Sultan in audience to-
day. His majesty in the course of the
conversation. declared emphatically that
the future welfare of the country made
necessary a strict observance of the
principles of the constitution in conform
ity with the Sheri law.
Sultan Started Trouble.
BERLIN, April 15.-The Lokal An
zeiger today publishes a Constantinople
dispatch in which the correspond ent
says there is good reason to believe that
the Sultan himself organized the mill
tary mutiny. There are many methods
of communication between Yildiz kiosk
and the mutineers. Mahmoud Muktar
declared at the palace yesterday that if
full power was conferred upon him he
would soon make short work of the mu-
neerS. This statement was communi-
ated TO the Sultan, who at once caused
Mahmoud to be imprisoned.