Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-04
STORY OF MASSACRE
.OF TWO AMERICANS
TOLD BY MISSIONARY
Rev. S. R; 'Trowbridge, As
signed to Adana, Sends Mis-
sion Board Report Of Murder
O. Fellow Missionaries.

CONsTANTINOPLE. May 1.-stephen
r. Trowbfidge. a missionary for the
American board of foreign missions, was
the only American or European to wit
ness the killing in Adana of d. NJ. Rogers
and Henry Maurer. fellow-missionaries at
Adana. He has supplied the following
account of the occurrence, dated Adana,
April "a, to representatives of the grand
vizier. and has written it out also for
the mission board at home. Mr.. Trow-
bridge says:
Fighting began April IA between Mos
lens and Armenians which resulted in
number of casualties on both sides. BY
nightfall it was clear that incendiaries
we're at work, for several districts of the
city were covered by clouds of smoke.
All night long the reports of fire alarms
rang out from all sides.
Swept by Flames
The rext morning, April 10, the con-
iagrations had spread to such an extent
that we were obliged to watch closely
the environs of the building of the girls
school and the residence of William n.
Chambers.
THE wind famed the flames and drove
them from house to house in our direc-
ton. u was clear that the large school.
a building of brick and wood. was In dan
ger We spent the morning in ripping
off projecting woodwork and porch posts.
1t soon became evident that direct efforts
to put out the flames must be under
taken.
up to that time no one had dared to
go on the streets because of the shooting.
Moslem pillagers. armed and in desperate
mood, were looting the houses opposite
the buildings on fire.
"All this time there had been no sign
of any effort on the part of the govern
ment authorities to stop the rioting, pill
Laying and burning
when I first climbed to the roofs near
the flames. armed Moslems appeared on
three sides within close range. When
they understood that 1 was not firing
upon them, but had come to work against
the flames they lowered their rifles and
assured me I might go on unmolested.
Then three Turks appeared at the win
dows of a house just across the street.
and, after assuring me of my safety.
dropped back again to their work OF
plumber Back of that house, In a pro-
Itected position, was a turbaned Moslem
covering these loiterers with his rife and
firing frequently to protect them.
Was Carrying Water
I'm the meanwhile Mr. Maurer, who
has been carrying water in pals from the
yard of the girls school. came UP to me
and made use Of a crow-bar in throwing
down wall, one side of which was burn
ing fercely. We worked with pals o.
water, the crow-bar and the ak for over
an hour
THE real danger that pressed upon
our minds was not the possible loss of
the building. but the perilous situation
| in which cur American friends, the hun
dreds of Christian refugees, and the
eighty school girls would find them
selves in case the building burned.
'Tn every direction there was rioting
and shooting. There was no refuge ex-
cept possibly in the protestant church.
| threatened from three sides by the con-
| nagrations.
, $50 we came back to the school and
asked for volunteers. Mr.. Rogers came
in. He worked considerable time with
| out being harmed by the Moslems, when
| the Armenians at the other end of the
street commenced firing on the houses
where the looters were at work.
Shots Ring Out
| Suddenly two shots rang out not more
/ than eight yards from where we were
working. Mr.. Rogers. who was in the
street bringing water, was mortally
wounded. He called to me by name and
then fell in the middle of the street
, The Other DulieJ nit MI Maurer IN the
J left lung near the heart, a wound that
caused him to suffer great pain. The
crow-bar fell from his hands. He then
/ climbed down the ladder and collapsed
/ at the side of Mr.. Rogers.
Immediately after the two shots, sew
eral other bullets fired by the Moslems
whizzed past me. 1 dropped fiat on the
/ roof and made my way to the edge,
| whence 1 could see Mr.. Maurer climbing
! down the ladder with the greatest diff
Guilty. I could also hear Mr.. Rogers
| grooming. I went rapidly to the school
to tell DIR. Thomas d. Christie and Mr.
| Frederick w MacAIlum.
Just then the British vice consul at
Mersina. Major Daughty- Wylie, arrived
with twenty Turkish soldiers on a tour
| of the city. They rode up and found
/ Mr.. Rogers and Mr.. Maurer lying
wounded in the street. The entire neigh
| borhood was deserted The soldiers were
! ordered to the roofs to fire in several di-
rections. but by this time the naurderers
| had disappeared.
Mr.. MaCrer died a few minutes later
| in the school building, and Mr.. Rogers
lived only a few minutes longer than
Mr.. Maurer.