The Columbus journal., 1909-05-05
MASSACRE At hDANA
ATTACK on THE GIRLS SCHOOL

Messswesrs Sent Out 10 Secure AID
unsb,e 10 &c Thresah Ranks Of
TIE Feenxied ,Naoa
Adana, Constantinople.-Miss Eliza
beth S. Webb. q missionary Of the
American board from Bunker Hill, m,
has written q narrative. of her ex.
periences for the mission board dur.
ing 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
sides. She says:
Our friends came to the school as
usual on Wednesday. April q. Al
though We heard that there was a
good deal OF unrest in the city, We
went on with our preparations for a
school entertainment which was to
be held the next day. Soon firing be-
gan in the city and before noon things
were in such disturbed condition
that We were afraid to send the day
scholars home. The girls were too
excited to study. as there was a
constant. sound of firing. We our
selves tried to go on with our annual
meeting. but the reading of the re-
ports was interrupted by the scream
ing in the streets and the shooting.
Mr.. Chambers attempted to 80 to
the government buildings for a guard,
but he found it impossible to go
through the mob and was forced to
return. Two of our Turkish children
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 the father and to the governor were
written. but there were no responses.
''As night came on fires began to
fare up in all directions and We were
fearful that the rioters would break
into the school buildings. Finally
about 8 O'Clock there came q knock at
the gate and in walked the English
consul. You can imagine our relief at
sight of him. He had heard of the
disturbances and had come from Mer-
sina to investigate. The consul is
Major Daughty-Wylie. He could stay
only moment. but he left three of
his own guard of Turkish soldiers to
take care of us.
"All through the night we actually
seemed to be in a state of siege The
three soldiers kept firing their mar
TINS and the fire was returned from
the minaret houses nearby. In the
morning our guard discovered
whether it was new discovery or not
/ don't know-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. After good deal of parley-
ing the firing on our building stopped
for the time being. Finally, in spite of
the fact that the consul had said they
must remain until he returned, the
guard insisted that they should leave.
We urged them to stay. but they
climbed the wall and ran away.
I'm the meantime the fires abous
the city had increased and the sound
of shooting could be heard from every
point. - last the consul passed. He
was able to spare only one man. but |
thought this one would be enough.
Soon after the consul left us, fires
broke out in the adjacent streets, and
unless something was done speedily
our school building must be destroyed.
II our building burned the Cham
bers house must burn also. Then
where could we go for safety? Our |
only safety seemed to be to check the |
flames. We women and girls carried |
water, while the men cut down the |
fences and an old house in the corner |
Of our yard. A shed on the east side |
Of tho street was also torn down and |
we thought in this way that the pro-
gress of the fire could be stMyed. At |
this, time we were Mortified to learn
that Mr.. Rogers and Mr. Maurer had
been shot. 1t seemed that they had
been fighting the fire and were not
with the other men in cutting down
the sheds. They we're brought into
our dining room. Mr.. Maurer already
was dead and Mr.. Rogers only lived
D few minutes. The Rev. Stephen
r. Trowbridge. who was near them at
the time. escaped. although bullet
took of his hat.
eainbridge's Body Arrives.
Nnxv i