New Britain herald., 1915-03-17
COMMUNICATED.
Editor Mooshie Writes to Local
Clergyman of Persia.
January 8, 1915.

January IS, 1915
Rev. Elisha Adams
l write to- tell you of the conditions
here and the great misfortune that
has befallen our poor nation, as YOU
may not hear from Urumia for q long
time, since all communication has
been cut off. Our little nation was
in the way of prosperity and peace
when suddenly the Russian soldiers
(the protection Of the place. were,
called away from the province of
Adarbagan. This was a bitter and
terrible day for all the Christians, for
the time for escape Grom the oncom-
Ing Turks) was very short and only
few We're able to get horses We
would gladly have paid $50 for a
donkey and 5000 for a faiteon Gear
riage) to take US to Julia Ga Russian
town., which is just one hundred
miles from Urumia. Every woman
was looking for a chance to leave
for they surely knew that to stay
would mean death or worse at the
hands Of the Turks and kurds, who
were looking for just such oppor-
tunlty. We saw persons fleeing to-
ward Russia and leaving their fam
lilies in the care of the American mis-
no means of escape and far from the
city remained behind. Most of the
| fugitives were from the district of
Nazloo and walked all the way to
Julia. We were ten days on the way,
without food or money.
| The AssNrians and Armenians from
various places, Salamas, Targomar.
! Margomar with their children and
J blankets over them fed in the freez-
! ing winter cold. AS far as the eye
| could reach was a regular stream of
| men, women and children. Some
! times the road was blocked You
! would have been amazed to see from
!, 100 to 200 carts drawn by bul1ocks
| on the paths running over the noun
/! tain Or hill and waiting to move
| ahead. 1t was indeed pitiful to see
, women and children and old men
| freezing and dying Of cold and hum
/ ger. The Russian Bishop Sorgis was
| busy burying the dead, the soldiers
digging the graves. In the marsny
| ground near the district of Kay many
| carts were sunk so deep in the mud
you could hardly see the wheels, and
| women and children We're left there
all night suffering and weeping. Chill
drcn lost their parents and some We're
| crushed under the animals feet. Hun
dreds were killed by Mohammedans
I their mutiated bodies lying by the
oaIside.
People who left Urumia later saw
| the Christian part of the city with all
| the churches burned, and houses
pundered of their furniture. About
| seventy-fiye of the prominent men
were hanged, amongst whom were
Bishop Ella, DR.. Sorgis, Mr.. Baboo,
| a lawyer; Mr.. Germargis, and many
| others who could not flee 4 COM
| pany of 800 young men acting with
a company of Russian soldiers as a
patrol in Trumia was wiped out by
the Turks. Fifty thousand persons
fed into Russia TO Julia and Tit1is,
and $4,000 Christians remained in
Urunia under protection of the
American mission. But the mission,
of which DR.. Fl. f. Shedd is the head,
is in imminent danger All are in
greatest need of food. Here in Tinis
we have a relief committee which is
| doing as much it can to care for
these refugees, but it is absolutely
impossible to care for them all unless
we have aid from America We cry
! to you for help. Please to read this
! letter to our young men and urge
them to send help for these starving
ones. We have sent telegrans to
| Secretary Bryan and Robert Spccr,
head of the Presbyterian Mission
Board With best wishes to vo,
and yours.
Respectfully yours,
JOHN MOOSHIE.