The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-06

april 20 VIA lpnSlHnIlHOple, May bl
The Rev. Stephen r. Trowbridge. q
missionary of the American board oi
commissioners for foreign missions
estimates the number OF Armenians
killed In the province of Adana since
the outbreak OF the anti Christian riot
ing at $4,000. The missionary said
today:
"A conservative estimate of the
Christians killed in the city of Adana
Is 1900 This calculation Is made up
from the list prepared by the priests
and others officials who give permits
for burials. Not less than 5000 per.
ished In the town and villages OF this
country Estimate is based on full in.
formation sent forward by the British
consul
The surviving Armenlans in the en-
tire province are largely women and
children They amount TO about 25.-
900 souls and are today without
homes, shops. tools, clothing or bread.
a most pitiable and wrctched multi
Jude is passing up and down the
streets OF Adana like a lost people.
where dole OF -four is given out by
|Alt ltDtl tlDnuS VI
broken-hearted women and children
are coming in from the country to even
greater misery in the city.
Mr.. Trowbridge has written a fur
thcr account of events at Adana. es-
pecially with reference to the attituue
OF the Turkish authorities. In this re.
cital, he says:
I'VE understand from kilograms
that the sublime porte assured the am
bassadors at Constantinople that a
slight outbreak had occurred at Adana
with about fifty casualties, and the
burning Of few houses. and the porte
declared further that the Americans
here were amply protected.
I'VE do not know the exact origin
OF the struggle. say struggle be-
cause this has not been a massacre I'm
the sense that the Armenians died
without resistance. They fought des-
pcratelv i'll sclf-defensc. and the fury
of the Turks Increased In proportion
as the Armenians succeeded in slaying
Mohammedans. For two days preced-
ing the outbreak there had been a bit
ter fcud between Moslems and Chris
tlans.
In one vineyard, shooting was be-
gun and hatred was aroused on April
12. An Armenian, who had been beat
en-, shot one of his opponents dead and
wounded two others. This man es-
capped to MersIna and took passage on
vessel
THE Turks in Alana then assumed
a menaclng attitude, which greatly
alarmed the Armenians. The body of
the Moslem killed in the vineyard was
purposely dragged TO an open square
aud left there exposed by the Turks as
a fanatical challenge.
"A rumor spread among the Ar
meninns on April IA, that massacring
by the Turks already had been begun,
and as demonstration OF self defense.
a volley of shots was fired from the
roofs OF Christian houses. This in
turn was interpreted in the Moslem
quarters as an attack. and the word
spread like wildflre that the Amen
ians were In revolt and must be
crushed
Subsequent events have shown
clearly that the Adnna government
acquiesced. II 1t did not actually par
ticipate. in the cruel and indiscrimIn.
ate attacks made with fire and rife
and sword upon the entire Armenian
colony. including our Protestant con-
gregation. which as n body, has been
wholly loyal 10 the government. Two
Christian prisoners. who escaped from
government headquarters. declared
horsemen came In at intervals from
outlying towns and villages and re-
ported to the military authorities as
follows:
'Hamidieh is finished, or 'Osmin.
yeh Is finished. meaning of course.
that the Armenian populations of
these places had been put TO the sword.
The military officers received this In
formation matter OF course.
The further occupation OF Moham-
medan minarets by regular soldiers
began shortly after noon of April II,
at the very outset OF the struggle.
These soldiers kept up n cruel fusil-
lade into all parts of the Christian
quarter. They were shielded by the
parapels OF the minarets. There were
no patrols Of soldiers or police all day
Wednesday. the fourteenth. none on
Thursday and none on Friday at the
real crisis. when a Moslem mob filled
the streets from mere W tue IlfSl'
surgng against the walls of the girls
school. The government furnished us
10 protection whatever"
Continuing, Mr.. Trowbridge related
how he had reached the governor OF
Adana by a dash across the city. car
rying a Turkish flag and accompanied
bv two Turks. The governor was
running about In dismay," Mr. Trow-
bridge said, and he could scarcely
give a coherent answer TO my Qufes-
tions and demands l told him of the
murder Jof Henry Maurer and d. NJ
Rogers. American missionaries. He
turned pale at my statement. although
he had already heard oil the killings
His answers were: Y cannot be re
sponsible.' To this ! replied; You
must be responsible we have no other
force TO rely on except the govern
ment. You have completely abandoned
us through this crisis
The governor was so alarmed ana
oonfuscd that II was clear that he had
no mastery Of the situation. Prison
erS and soldiers, common Turks, were