The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-11-27
HORRORS or WAR
IN TURKISH CAMP
Where Cholera Kills Many
Thousands.
MANURE PILES USED FOR BEDS
And Pitiful Sufferers De-
MED Attention Common
ly Paid to Beasts.
PEN PICTURE OF AWFUL DEATH

Constantinople, Nov. 2S.-The
half has not. been told of the un-
speakable scenes of suffering and
misery that are enacted daily at
the Turkish cholera camp at San
Stefano.
Much skepticism has prevailed
in Pera, the foreign quarter of
Constantinople, both among mem
bers 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 declared that many
thousands were stricken with chol-
era. No reliable figures were OBJ
tainable from official sources, and
in the absence OF these reports, were
regarded as grossly exaggerated.
The camp is situated at the side
of a railway embankment 80 feet
in height, A large open space like
a village green stretches away for
some distance. This Is surrounded
by better class houses, two or three
stories high, built in European
style, for San Stefano is the sum-
mer resort of many of the more
wealthy foreign residents of Con-
stantinople.
T,ro nttop,an SnIdfarc mara stand =
ing on guard at the entrance. to the
camp, but they never made a mo-
ton. Their duty was to prevent
those within the Gordon from es-
Gaping and not to hinder other peo-
pie from, entering.
A nauseating picture was wit
messed 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 EN-
bankment; others had rolled part
OF the way down, and some had
reached the bottom. Some Of the
corpses lay stiffiy alone. Others
were in groups of threes or fours.
Around one-story stable at the
foot of the embankment was =
group of so dead and dying, lying
close together, apparently for
warmth, 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 trough,
in which to lie. The trough soon
became his grave.
AS the visitors came near, one
victim 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.
When half way across the fields
the visitors passed dead and dying
men,, sometimes at intervals of n
yard, sometimes from 20 to 80
yards apart.
A group of tents stood in the
center, where four or five Turkish
soldiers wearing the arm piece of
the Red Crescent, stood on guard.
Inside the sick and dead lay in
groups. The doctor on duty count
eS TWENTY-FIVE patients In one tent,
while double that number lay just
outside, sheltered from the wind
to leeward of the cancas.
Some of the stricken men, found
difficulty in getting into the Moslem
position for prayer. looking toward
the East. Ore praying victim was
SO weak that he could not replace
his blanket around his head when
the wind blew It on.
The Red Crescent attendants
made no attempt to assist any of
these suffering soldiers. not even
placing stones which were plenti-
full, under their heads to permit
them to lie easier. A number of
these attendants gathered around
to watch while the visitors we're in
specting the camp.
A water tank drawn by a donkey
passed along the road. Those of
the victims who were able to rise to
their feet went uhassisted toward It
and struggled feeblys for a drink.
Those unable to arise got nome, =
In similar way what appeared