The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-12-31
FAKIRS ARE: CAUGHT

CLA1sts TO BE AMERICAN CHRIS
T1ANs FROM TURKEY.
werc Soliciting Funds TO Build
Churches and Orpharases Over In
Greece or Bulgaria
Several times In the last few years
able-bodied men, claiming to be
American Christians, have solicited
funds from the people Of this city to
build churches in place Of those de-
stroyed by the Turks; or orpnanages
to accomodate the children Of Chris
tians murdered by the Turks. They
generally Travelled in pairs dressed In
the garb OF ministers Of the gospel,
and raised considerable money. AS
will be seen by the articles that fol-
lows below that these fellows are ia
kris, and deserve no help or pity:
The discovery that four Turks who
passed through Atlanta last week
begging for money with which to
build an orphanage at Ninevah,
were frauds, has led to the further
discovery chat other fakirs Of this
sort are operating In various parts
of the country. Three have been ar
rested in ldacon on warrants sworn
out by Joe Logan, Of the Associated
Charities, two Of whom have been
carried to Atlanta.
These three, however, are said
not to be .he four men who begged
in Atlanta. Very probably, though,
all are members Of the same band.
Skillful i:nposters of their sort
working in harmony and in all likeli-
hood directed by one leader, are car
rying on their hum buggery in num-
ber of places.
Several tines before fakirs Of this
description have passed through At
lanta, begging for some charitable
endeavor aad taking away with them
considerable sums. Such swindling
schemes have, indeed at times,
reached national extent.
Two Of the men arrested at Mac
on give their names as Deacon Mic
gael Joseph and Archdeacon Johan
Bejan, both members Of the Chald-
can church. The third man Is Thos.
| Antoin.
Officer Jordan, one Of the police
man at Macon who arrested the three
Armenians, say he believes that
somewhere they have committed a
more serious crime. He thinks this
because the moment the men we're
arrested though they had been charg-
ed with no violent crime, they began
to protest In their broken English
that they had not Killed "the man"
They seemed to know Of some one
having been murdered and each to be
anxious to convince the offlcera that
he was innocent of the crime.
| The two men who have been
brought to Atlanta admit that they
| are cheats and that they have no in
tention of building an orphanage in
Mesopotam'a.
The fraud that the band 81 A.
menians is perpetrating was brought
to light through story published In
| The Journal. The four Of them who
were In Atlanta were seen by re-
porter as they were begging from or
ace to office In the post Office
house building. They told guile
less tale Of how they had tramped
10000 miles from 8 place they nam
ed as Motah Golouw, In Syria, how
they had crossed Europe, trayersed
Great Britain and been In practically
every state In the United States
They had collected $4,000 and need
| ed only $2,500 more. They gave
their names as Rev. Showell Chirk-
!1ah and Rev. Marcus George and
Deacons George Purgeow and Ne
thanlal Daniel. Among their Gre
Aentials was letter of Endorsement
from Bishop Nelson.
Prof Isaac VI. Yonan, a native
Persian. who is professor Of theol-
| oey IL Crna college. saw the story
and recognized the men RS frauds.
Professor Yonan was visiting Capt.
R. NJ Clayton From Bishop Nelson
he learned that a collection for the
| four mon was TO be taken the next
Sunday at st. Phillips cathedral.
The rector was warned and an effort
was made to arrest the Turks. Be-
coming alarmed, however, they sllpp-
cd oIt Of Atlanta. The police at all
cities in Georgia aud other southern
cities were notified Of the fakirs and
the two now in Jail In Atlanta and
! the third. who will soon be on his
way there. we're arrested in Macon
A touching story Of how nearly
200 Christian children have heen left
orphans by tho Turkish-Amerlcan
war Is told by these men. They have
| with them credentials from Turkish
officials and from rcclesiastics
and Iaymen OF every sort. Most nf
these appear to be genuine So skill