Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-03
WOMAN VIVlDLY DESCRIBES
TURKISH MASSACRES
INcENDIARY FIRES ADD TO HoR-
RoR OF REVOLUTION
Teachers and Their Girl Pupils, After
Night of Terrible Suspense,
Help Garry Water to-
Check Flames

"A Elizabeth H. Webb, missionary
of the American board from Bunker
Hill. Ill, has written for the mission
board narrative of her experiences
during the first days of the massacres
in Adana, when the girls school, TO
which she was attached, was in the
greatest danger and the lives of the
students were threatened from all sldeS
She says: "Our friends came to school
as usual on Wednesday (April 2l), al
though we heard that there was a
great deal of unrest in the city. Soon
firing began and before noon things
were in such disturbed condition that
we were afraid to send the day pupils
home. The girls were too excited to
study.
1--WE ourselves tried to go on with
our annual meeting, but the reading
of the reports was interrupted by the
screenings in the streets and the shoot
ing Two of our Turkish children were
present and we thought 1t would be
possible to send word of our danger
by Turk who had come to take them
home.
Accordingly notes to their father
and to the governor were written, but
there was no response
"As night came on fires began to
flare up in all directions and we were
fearful that the rioters would break
into the school Finally, about 8
o'clock to our relief the English con-
sui arrived. He had heard of the dis
turbances and had come from Mersina
to investigate.
1.-The consul is Major Doughty Wylie.
He could stay only a moment, but he
left three of his own guard of Turkish
soldiers to take care of us.
In State of Siege
"All through the night we actually
seemed to be in a state of siege. The
three soldiers kept firing their Mar
tinis, and the fire was returned from
the Minaret houses nearby. In the
morning our guard discovered that the
men in the Minaret houses, whose fire
they had been returning, were Turkish
soldiers, and that others who had been
firing upon us were friends whom we
knew by name.
Finally, in spite of the fact that the
consul had said they must remain until
he returned, the guard climbed the
wall and ran away.
Meantime, the fires about the city
had increased, and the sound of
shooting could be heard from every
point. At last the consul passed He
was able to spare only one man. Soon
after the consul left us fires broke
out in the adjacent streets. We had
placed Turkish flags on all sides of
the building, but this did not stop the
thousands engaged in the riots from
firing their weapons, although ap-
parently they were not directed against
us.
Our only safety seemed to be to
check the flames. We women and
girls carried water, while the men cut
down the fences. A shed on the east
side of the street was torn down.
about this time we were Mortified
to learn that Mr. Rogers and Mr.
Maurer had been shot while fighting
the fire. They were brought into our1
dining room. Mr.. Maurer already was
dead and Mr.. Rogers lived only few
minutes. Rev. stephen r. Trowbridge,
who was near them at the time
escaped, although a bullet took off his
hat.
Our guard of one man disappeared;
things looked pretty dark. / came to
my room, where the girls were seated.
For me to tell them what had hap
pened would only, have caused a panic
so l said, We have done all we can,
now let us pray
Before | had finished praying the
bugle of the consul's guard sounded in
the street. Unfortunately, he could not
spare a guard for us, but promised to
send one Immediately.
1T was terrible situation; women
and girls practically alone i'm the build
ing; a murderous, bloodthirsty mob
outside, with knife and bullet for the
Armenians To add to the misery
and the widow of one of them, Mrs.
Rogers, with an infant ten weeks old
to comfort The flames we had been
fighting finally died out, but fires could
be seen in all parts of the city, and
the shooting was constant
1.-THE British consul had promised us
a guard, but none came. The following
day we learned Maj. Doughty-Wylie
had been shot
"rhat night young men from the
"a
patrolled the streets around our build
ing The situation was grave. A great
crowd composed of soldiers and others
bent on plundering had gathered at the
rear of our house for an attack. Our
only defendant was a self-appointed
guard of young Armenians A steady
fire was kept up on both sides, but that
of our young men was intended only to
frighten the crowd and if possible drive
them away.
our Armenians called to those be-
low: We are brothers, don't fire. and
asked them to send one man to confer
with a representative of our side. This
was agreed to, but in place of one man
hundreds started to come. They de-
manded that we give up our arms, but
with that angry mob this meant GER
tain death.
Girls Endangered
"Finally Mr.. Trowbridge talked with
them from a window. This, too, failed
The greatest danger, of course, was for
the girls, and we decided to take them
to Mr.. Chambers house. SeeminglN
without fear they marched out in order,
two and two, across the street to the
house of Miss Wallace, the English
nurse, where they arrived in safety
Il cannot describe the crowd the
noise and confusion in this house and
yard. Refugees crowded everywhere.
''Mr Trowbridge returned from the
school to say that the only hope to
any Americans seemed to be to re-
turn to the school, staying there alone, |
separated from the Armenians. He de-
cared we were powerless to save the
Armenians. After we left the school
Miss Wallace, Mr.. Chambers and a
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