The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-21
Bodies Thrown From the Train
Lie as They Fall.
CORPSES SEEN IN GROUPS
Sufferers Are Provided With
Neither Food Nor Water.
Hundreds of Dead and Thou
sands of Sick.

Constantinople, Nov. 21.-Heartrend-
ing scenes of suffering and misery are
enacted daily at the Turkish cholera
camp at San Stefano. The correspon-
dent of the Associated Press, accom-
panied by the secretary of a foreign
embassy and by Major Clyde S. Ford,
U. S. A, who is here on leave of alb
sence, paid a visit there today.
Much skepticism had prevailed In
Pera, the foreign quarters of Constanti-
nople, both among members of the
diplomatic corps and foreign residents.
No one there believed the figures given
by railroad employees and others in
contact with the Turkish army who de-
clared that many thousands were
stricken with cholera. No reliable fg-
ures were obtainable from official
sources, and reports were regarded as
grossly exaggerated.
The camp is situated at the side OF
railway embankment 30 feet in height.
A large open space stretches away for
some distance. This is surrounded by
better class of houses two or three
stories high, and built in Euro
pean style, for San Stefano is the
summer resort of many of the more
wealthy foreign residents of Constantt-
nople. Two Ottoman soldiers were
standing on guard at the entrance to
the camp, but they made no motion.
Their duty was to prevent those within
the Gordon from escaping and not to
hinder other people from entering.
Lie as They Fell.
A nauseating picture was witnessed
at the side of the railroad. The bodies
which had been thrown from trains lay
as they had fallen. Some had stuck on
top of the embankment; others had
rolled part f the way down, and some
had reached the bottom. Some of the
corpses lay stiffiy alone; others were in
groups of threeS and fOurS
Around a one-story stable at the foot
of the embankment was a group of 60
dead and dying lying close together on
the slopes of a manure pile, which the
sick men had found softer than the
hard ground. One man on top of the
pile was digging with his fingers a sort
of trough in which to lie. The trough
soon became his grave.
AS the visitors came near, one VIC
tim attempted to crawl across the road
to the crowded manure heap, but failed
and fell in the roadway. Others lying
around raised their heads and cried in
the hearing of the attendants that they
were given no bread or water.
Walking half way across the field,
the visitorA passed dead and dying men,
sometimes at intervals of a yard, some
times from 20 to 80 yards apart.
Twenty-Five in One Tent.
A group of tents stood in the center.
where four or five Turkish soldiers
wearing the arm piece of the Red Cres-
cent. stood on guard. Inside, the sick
and dead lay in groups. The doctor on
duty counted twenty-five patients in
one tent, while double that number lay
outside, sheltered from the wind by the
canvas
Some of the stricken men found Diff
fculty in getting into the moslem posi-
ton for prayer, looking toward the
east. One praying victim was so weak
that he could not replace his blanket
around his head wheL the wind blew
it off,
The Red Crescent attendants made no
to assist any of these suffering
soldiers not even placing stones, which
were plentiful, der their heads to per-
NIT them to lie easier. A number of
these attendants gathered around to
watch while the visitors were inspect
ing the camp. One of them became in
solent, and was ordered of by the doc
tor. water tank, drawn by a donkey.
passed along the road. Those of the
victims who were able to rise to their
feet, went, unassisted, toward IT and
struggled feebly for drink. Those un-
able to rise, not none.
Hundreds of Dead.
In a similar way what appeared to
be army bread was distributed to
those able to reach the place of dis
tribution.
Several of the sick men raised them
selves witt difficulty and stumbled to-
ward well, from which they tried to
dip water with their long sashes,
wetting the ends and moistening thslR
parched mouths with them.
There were hundreds of dead and
Csands of tick in this camp, many
Of them living on the open ground. and
great numbers supporting their backs
; ainst the houses bordering the open
fields most of which were deserted.
The comparatively few Turkish SOL
diers brought to the hospitals. bar
racks and mosques at Constantinopfe
more fortunate, although most of
them die after reaching their destina-
tons.
Some are given beds to lie in and
water to drink, and all of them II they
do not get warmth are provided with
shelter from the winds and the rain.
San Stefano is not the worst cholera
Camp. That at Hademkeui, near the
lines, is still more extensive.
How many patients are there is not
known. but 1t is certain that there are
many thousands and most Of these are
who came from Asia Minor
to ffeht for the defense of the Ottoman