Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-05-05
.ADANA MAS!'SICjRE:S| / !
Missionary to Turkey Writes
of the Horrors Perpetrated:
HER SCHOOL MENACED BY MOB
Miss Elizabeth s. Webb, Missionary
From Illinois to Asiatic Turkey,
Writes Dramatically Of the First
Days of the Slaughter. -

- Specldl lIUlu Audua WA OOlotdu-
tinople says: Miss Elizabeth S..
Webb, missionary from Bunker
Hi, ILL.,, has written as follows Of
ehe first days Of the massacres in
Adana when the girls school to which
she was attached was in the greatest
danger:
"Our friends came to school as
usual on Wednesday (April 21). AL
though we heard there was much :un-
rest in the city, we went on with
preparations for a school entertain
ment, to be held next day. Soon
firing began and before noon we were
afraid to send the day scholars home.
There was constant firing. We tried
to go on with our annual meeting,
but were interrupted by the scream
ing in the streets and the shooting.
"Mr. Chambers attempted to 60 to
the government building for a guard,
but found it impossible to get
through the mob. Our Turkish chill
dren were present and we thought it
would be possible to send word Of
our danger by Turk who had come
to take them home. Accordingly
notes to their fathers and to the
Governor were written, but there was
no response.
GAS night came on fires began to
flare up in all directions and we were
fearful that the rioters would break
into the school buildings. Finally,
about 8 O'Clock, there came knock
at the gate and in walked the English
consul. He left three Of his guard Of
Turkish soldiers to take care Of Us.
"All through the night we seemed
to be ip state Of siege. In the
r.eantime fires about the city had in
creased and the sound of shooting
could be heard from every point. At
last the consul passed. He was able
20 spare only one man, but thought
this one would be more useful than
!hc other three, who had run away.
Soon after fires broke out in the ad-
jacent streets. Unless something was
done speedily our school building
must be destroyed. We had hung
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.
eff our building burned, the Cham
hers house must burn also. Our only
safety seemed to be to check the
flames. The women and girls carried
water, while the men cut down the
shed and an old house in the corner
of our yard. A shed on the opposite
side of the street was also town down.
About this time we were horrifed to
learn that Mr.. Rogers and Mr.. Maurer
had been shot. It seemed that they
! had been fighting the fire and were
not with the other men cutting down
the sbeds. They we're brought into
[our dining room. Mr. Maurer already
4 was dead and Mr.. Rogers only lived
4 a Few minutes. The Rev Stephen r.
I tTrowbridge, who was near them at
4 the time, escaped. 4;
i fsA new misfortune overlook us.
Our guard Of one man disappeared.
i I came to my room, where the girls
were waiting. For me to tell them
what had happened would only cause
a panic, so said: I'VE have done
! all we can now; let us pray
"Before I had finished praying, the
bugle of the eonsul's guard and the
Turkish officials with whom he was
patroling sounded. He could not
spare guard, but promised to send
one Immediately. 1t was a terrible
situation; women and girls practi-
cally alone in the building; a muir
derous, bloodthirsty mob outside,
with knife and bullet for the
Armenians, and the torch for their
homes. To add to the misery, there
were the dead on the floor below,
and the widow of one Of them, Mrs
Rogers, with her infant, 10 weeks
old, to comfort. The afternoon and
evening passed and no guard came
The following day we learned thai
the British consul had been shot In
the arm. That night young mer
from the Gregorian and Protestant
committees ,patrolled the street:
around our building. The situatlor
was grave. A great crowd, bent oil
plundering, had gathered at the real
of our house for an attack. oul
Armenians asked those below to senc
one man to confer with representa-
tive of our side.
"This was agreed to, but in plac
Of one man, hundreds started tt
come. They demanded that we CIV
up our arms, but this meant certall
death. We decided to take the girl
10 Mr.. Chambers house. Here refu
gees covered everywhere. Bot
houses and court apparently had beer
overfowing with refugees before ou
arrival.
-Four Lions Are Bagged.
H,;rob; pr;+icb East Africa, 81