The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-04-27

Adana. Asiatic Turkey. April n
(Via Constantlnople)-Tbe Rev. Her
bert Adams Gibbons Of Hartford
Conn. a missionary of the American
board of foreign missions stationed
here and at Tarsus. was an eve VIII
ness of the scenes of terror and de
struction at the center OF the Mos
lem upTIsing. He gives as follows
the first graphic story OF the series OF
massacre rapine and incendiarism:
THE villayet of Adana has been
visited during the past FIVE days by a
terrible massacre of Americans, the
worst ever known in the history of the
district. The terror has been uniyer.
sal, and the government is powerless
to check the disorders. Adana the
capital OF the province, has been the
storm center.
Conditions have been unsettled for
some time, and there has been anil
mostly between Turks and Armenians
owing To the political activity of the
latter, and their open purchasing OF
arms.
Early last "Wednesday morning.
while | was In the market, / noticed
that the Armenians were closing their
shops and hurrying TO their homes.
THE sight OF the dead inflamed
the inhabitants, and crowds at once
began TO gather in the streets armed
with sticks, axes and knives. a few
young Armenlans assembled in the
center of the covered market and be-
gan firing reyolverS into the air By
IL o'clock In the morning, the crowd
had begun the looting of shops.
''Thc military commander of Adana
was by my Side in the market when
the firing commenced. He had not
tho courage TO endeavor TO disperse
the mob; he returned TO his residence
and did not venture out for two days.
William Chambers. field secretary
OF the Young Mems Christian associa-
tion, and myself. proceeded TO the
Knoak and found bowling mob de-
mandiDg arms with which To Kill the
Gaurs. We then went to the telo.
graph Office to summon the British
consul. On the steps Of the building,
We saw three Armenians who had
been massacred. Their bodies had
been mutilateJ While we We're in the
telegraph office, mob burst into tho
room where we were and killed two
Armenians before our eyes.
The unfortunates were supplicating
the protection Of the Vail when they
were struck down.
I'VE managed to make our way into
the next room, where we made repre-
sentatlons to the Vail This official
said he could do nothing He was
afraid of his own life, and he made
no attempt To protect us. Somehow.
We managed to get into the interior
OF the Konak, where We remained at
the side OF the government officials
for the next As hours.
That afternoon, the situation grew
distinctly worse. The Armenilns
withdrew TO their quarter OF Adana,
which is situated on hill, and con-
verted their houses. that held advan-
tageous positions, into fortresses.
Here the fighting went on for two
days, during which the Armenians sue
ceeded In beating OF their Turkish as
sailants.
Wednesday evening. Major Daugh-
ty-Wylie. the British vice consul at
Mersina, arrived at Adana, and estab.
lished headquarters in the house of a
Dragoman, a wealthy Greek resident,
where many refugees had. been re-
ceiyed. The wife of the British vice
consul. who was brought into Adana
under fire on Thursday, attended per-
sonally many wounded women and
children.
"Adana was q hell The bazaars
were looted and set on fire. There
was continued and unceasing shooting
and killing in every part Of the town,
and fires ragged In many quarters.
"Moslems from the peighborhood be-
gan pouring into the city, and not
withstanding our vehement protests.
the Vail distributed arms to these
men, all1ing that they were Turkish
reserves.
Major Daughty-Wylie. at the head
OF troops which he compelled the Vail
10 supply, went to the rear end of the
town and was successful IN prevent
Ing the villagers from coming to Ad-
ana Later, while the major was at
tempting TO pacify the town, he was
shot and disabled.
Missionaries of the Central Turk.
ish mission had assembled for dis
trlct conference In the center of Adana
on the day of the outbreak. They
received and protected hundreds OF
refugees In the American seminary
for girls. and courageously endeayor-
ed TO pacify the warning elements.
ION Thursday. Daniel Miner Rogers
end Henry Maurer. American mission
aries, were killed under trcacherous
circumstances.
"On Friday. the Armcnians yielded,
since when there has been little muir
dering.
"Adana is in a pltlable condition,
The town has been pillaged and de
stroyed, and there are thousands OF
homeless people here without means
Of livelihood II is impossible TO csti-
mate the number of killed. The
corpses lie scattered through the
streets. Friday. when | went out,
had to pick my way between the dead
10 avoid stepping on them Saturday
morning, | counted dozen carloads
M Armenian bodies. in one half hour,
neIng carried 20 the river and thrown
INTO the water. In the Turkish ceme-