The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-27
ARMENIANS
SLAIN AT BITLIS
New Bryce Commission Report
Gives Further Details Of
Butcheries.
NJ AS LEADERS

Special Cdbk DesD0sch TO The SvN.
LONDON, Nov. 26.-viscount Bryce.
head OF the Bryce Commission on Atroci-
ties. made public tonight fresh details
Of Armenian atrocities which, the report
says. 'surpass in horror. II possible.
what has been published already"
The evidence comes from Armenians
Of good position at T1his. who received 1t
from refugees escaping from the re-
gions where the events that are de-
scribed took place. The sufferings OF the
peasants and m%ountaineers in the re-
sions Of Van, Muss and Basun seem TO
have been more terrible than o OF
the townsfolk.
Many of these atrocities. the report
points out. are vouched for by the tests-
mony OF several persons. Following are
extracts from the evidence:
Tn May David Bey. the military
Governor. who was expelled from Van.
fled southwark and entered Sairt with
5000 soldiers whom he called Butcher
Battalions. He massacred most OF the
Christians at Sairt. On the best au-
thority II Is reported hat he ordered
the soldiers to burn In the public squave
the Armenian Bishop Eghishe Vartabed
and the Chalcon Bishop Addaisher.
Men and Women Separated.
ION Juno Is the Turks surrounded
Bitlis n cut OF communication with
the n%cighboring Armenian villages. Then
the most Ablebodied men were taken
away from the women by domiciliary
visits. During the following days all
the mon who were under arrest we're
shot outside tho town n buried In
deep trenches dug by themselves. Young
women n children were distributed
among the rabble. and the remainder.
deemed to be ussleaA were driven south.
II 10 believed that they were drowned In
the Tigris.
attempts at resistance were quelled
by the regular troops. Those Armenians
who made a stand against the Turks
either took poison by whole families
after nrir.s their last cartridges or killed
themselves in their homes In order not
TO fall into the hands OF the Turks. In
this way h Turks disposed OF about
1900 Armenians at Bills.
villagera Are Tortured.
AT Nush early in July the authorities
vi oh tHo ~ IlctllhiD ~ nhITu ONcI
their arms n 4 large ransom for the
notables Of the town and the leading
men. The villagers were subjected to
revolving %tortures. Finger nails M toe
nails were forcibly extracted. teeth were
knocked out. noses whitfield down and
ne victims done to death in lingering
agony. The female relatives OF the vic
TINS who came to their rescue were out
ragged before their eyes. and the shr.eks
NJ fhA vvNtsttlasoA snAn and tho siAneh via
Of the victims filled the air.
In Mush Itself the Armenians IN
trenched themselves In churches and
stone houses and fought for four days
TO saw themselves. but the Turkish ar
tillery. manned BY German officers. made
short work OF all Of the Armenian posi-
tons. Every Armenian WAS killed fght-
ing and when silence reigned over the
, ruins the Noelem rabble descended upon
women and children n drove them out
Of own into large camps.
The method employed In d~.sposing of
the women and children in the concen-
trated camps was by burning, Large
wooden sheds were set ahre in Allan,
| Mograken. Khaskogh and other Armen-
ian villages and helpless women and chill
dren were roasted to death. Many threw
away their children. Some kneit and
prayed amid the flames Others shrieked
IOT ntlIl.
THE execu,ioners. who seemed 90 he
unmoved by the unparalleled ~savagery.
grasped infants by one leg and hurled
them into the fire. calling to their burn
Ing mothers Here are your lions The
stencil Of the burning flesh permeated
the air for many days.
In the hill country Of Sasun 1900
surviving warriors were surrounded by
3d. 900 Turks and Kurds. Then followed
n desperate, heroic struggle FOR life
Men. women and children fought will
knives, scythes. stones-anything they
could get. They rolled blocks Of stone
down steep slopes, killing many OF the
enemy. In "A frightful han to hand
combat women thrust knives into the
throats OF the Turks. When every war
| rior had fallen several young women
who were In danger Of falling into the
hands Of the Turks threw themselves
from the rocks. some with infants in
their aims"