Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-29
MANY STARVING At HLDJlN
Message from Besieged Women Re.
ceived at Constantinople.
WHITE FLAG NO PROTECTION
DesperadOes Firing on Crowdr from
from windows of the Armenian
CIoister-TroOps Fail TO
QuelI Mob.

CONSTANT1NOPLE. April S.-The fol-
lowing telegram was received here today
from Miss Rose Lambert. one of the be-
selged American women missionaries at
Hadjin. II sets forth the danger surround
ing Miss Lambert and her companions,
who are quite alone. The messenger who
first started with the message to the tele-
graph office was hot down on the way.
The communicates is dated Hadtin, April
26, and says;
THE rising against the Christians Of Had
jim began nine days ago. The government
sent troops 70 suppress the fighting be-
tween Mohammedans and Christians, but
the men were not strong enough numer-
ically to restore order. Many are dead and
wounde on both sides.
"Desperadoes occupied the Armenian
cloister five days ago and have been firms
on the people without interruption since.
The Armenian churches are now showing
white flags, indicating that there will be
no further r~esistance; yet the shooting and
the plundering continue. Many shops have
been robbed and others undoubtedly will
be. The Armenian settlements and vii
lagos in the province have been burned and
many persons killed.
PeOp1e and Animals Starving.
"Hadjin is almost entirely without food,
and animals in the city are dying OF starva.
ton. The provincial authorities have been
appealed to both orally and in writing 70
send more troops to Hadjin, but thus far
without result.
The messenger who first started with
this dispatch to the local telegraph office
was killed on his way"
The American women at Hadjin are:
Miss Virginia A. Billings of Kirkland, o.;
Miss Emily E. Richter OF Chicago, Miss
Lambert, who is a daughter OF Bishop
Lambert, and a Miss Baldwin. The two
last mentioned women were sent out by
the Mennonite Brethren in Christ of Ohio.
Christian refugees by the thousands have
massed at Hadjin, and for eleven days the
town has been threatened by fanatical
Mohammedan tribesmen. whose camps
completely ~encircle II.
Death List is Growing.
BEIRUT, April 27-LAtest advlces re-
ccived here show little Improvement in
conditions throughout the disturbed regions
OF Asiatic Turkey. Bvery day adds 10 the
suffertngs OF the refugees and to the death
list. A dispatch from Adana says that the
fires have been extinguished. but there is
great fear of further incendiarism. The
American mission buildings, the Catholic
sisters school and one Gregorian church
have been saved. The Jesuit and Armenian
Catholic and Protestant churches and
schools have been burned. Twenty thou
sand persons are destitute and there arc
few supplies of any kind. Doctors have
been sent TO the town from Beirut and
Tarsus.
Thousands Of refugees have arrived at
Latakia and the governor with the few
soldiers at his command is doing his ut
most to prevent disorders. The British
wafship Diana will arrive at Latakia to-
morrow. as the presence of a ship at that
place Is absolutely necessary.
Beirut is quiet and announcement OF the
succession of Mehemmed-R eschad Effendi
TO Abdul Hamid as sultan was we'll received
tonight. Aintab is apprehensive and un-
settled. Unless the disturbances are i'm.
mediately checked they will extend into
the interior to Mesopotamia, which sec.
ton Is bitterly reactlonary.
Miss Effie Chambers, one OF the mis-.
sionaries at Kessab is safe, news to this
effect having reached DIR. ]. NJ. Balph
who is In charge Of the missions at Latakis
today.