Omaha daily bee., 1915-03-26
AMERICAN MISSION
WORKERS IN PERIL
Presbyterian Colony in Northern
Persia Which Has Been Protect
ing Assyrians in Danger.
HUNDREDS OF NATIVES SLAIN


TIFLIs. Wednesday. March "a
(via Petrograd, March %. and via
London, 1910 p. m.)-Telegrams
and letters reaching here from Uru-
miah, in northwestern Persia. de-
scribe the situation of the American
Presbyterian mission, stationed there
as desperate. Turkish regular troops
and Kurds are prosecuting and mas
sacreing Assyrian Christians.
Harry p. Packard. the doctor Of the
missionary station at Urumiah. of the
Board of Foreign Missions OF the Pres
byterian church, risked his life in a sue
cessful effort TO prevent frightful mas
sacFe at GeoGtapa. where 5000 Assyrians
I made their last stand.
They had fought for three days and all
their ammunition was gone At this june
ture Dr. Packard unfurled an American
flag and advanced between the lines. His
act resulted I'm the asaving OF all bnut go
| OF the Assyrlans who had been burned In
a church.
Fifteen thousand Assyrian Christians
have taken refuge under the protection
OF the American mission station. while
1000 are at the French mission.
Orthodox Bishop Hanged.
A dispatch received at Ttflis from Urli-
mia yesterday declared that seventy
Turkish regular troops had entered the
mission. hanged the Orthodox bishop,
Mar Ella. and four Orthodox clergymen
and beat and insulted- a missionary
named Ellen. Shortly before the sixty
fsnfn had d.
French mission and executed. In spite Of
the fearful pleas OF the nuns.
At Gulpashan the Kurds were particu-
larry cruel This was the last of total
OF 1903 Assyrian villages to hold out and
il was occupied month ago. The Kurds
ordered all the Assyrian males into the
streets. tied them in groups OF five.
marched them to the graveyard and
! killed them barbarously to the last boy
Girl babies and older women were exc
cuted with great atrocity. while the
younger women were carried away as
| slaves.
As result OF the war LEGO Assyrians
are taking refuge in the Caucasus, some
i.eoo are described as IN imminent danger
at tho Urumiah missions. while 5000 arc
dead OF missing Furthermore property
has been destroyed. The Assyrians fought
their assitilaHts bravely and as long as
they had ammunition they we're victor
ious.
! The missionaries are untiFing in their
efforts TO help the people and they are
spending money to this end freely In
Urumiah they are disburslng the equiv
alant Of SEQ daily. Disease Is prevalent
anseng the refugees
United states Fakes Action.
The situation at Urumlah already has
been taken up with Turkey by the United
states Secretary Bryan has telegraPhed
American Ambassador .Morgenthau at
4 ConstantInople 10 seek the protection OF
the missionaries and the refugees. Pre-
vious dispatches from Bjolfa. Persia. have
described the danger at Urumiah, but
none Of them has given so much detail
a. the message from TifiiS
The AmeFiesh missionary station at
UFumiaa is maintained by the beard Of
foreign missions OF the Presbyterian
church in the United states of America.
The staten was established as long ago
Ss 1885; les oOntroi was transferred to the
Presbyterian board in 1871. The work
has seBe GA thore without serious inter
rsptions o. mishap TO the missionaries
The force normally at Urumiah consists
OF five clergyn,en and ore physician, with
their wives and four aRsle women.
bF. PRsEard h from CoiSEslsi0.
! DENVER. Colo. March &.-Dr. Harry
+. Packard, mentioned In dispatches from
Ttfiis az havtng risEcd his life 20 prevent
n IaAssscre OF native Christians near
FruH,ieh, Formerly lived IN Pueblo. Colo.
Mrs, Packard is daughter Of the Rev.
FraRk T. Bayley. pastor OF the Plymouth
consresatoaal church 81 Denver. Let
tiers received by relatives OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Packard several weeks ago described
conditions In Persia as critical
ncda seh Graham
The Cincinnati club has sold First