The Sentinel=record., 1915-04-29
MISSIONARIES REPORT ATROCL TIES AT HANDS OF KURDS
 AND THE TURKS.
SAY SOD ARE MURDERED
Turkish Soldiers AssaIants in Some Instances and Only Arrival of the Russian Forces Saved Some From Murdes- Following Torture.

New York. April 2S.--Details of the mas sacre of native Christians at Uru- miah, Persia, received today by the Presbyterian board of foreign mis- sions state that not less than eight hundred have been murdered there and that not less than two thousand have perished from disease.
 The attacks, it was reported, have not been confined to Kurds, but have been made in at least one instance by Turkish soldiers. Crucifixion and burning Christians alive have been | revived, missionaries reported.
 The attack in which Turkish sol. i diers were assailauts, according to reports received by the board, was made upon the American mission and the French Roman Catholic mission. Five native Russian priests. the re. ports assert. were taken from the | American mission by the Turks. The l missionaries stated that these men were treated badly" and added that it was not known whether the pri sts were killed.
 A report had reached the Presby- terian missionaries at T@brz that | Americans at Uumah had been forced to pay $4oOO0 as a ran om for refugees wio had fled to the mission for protection This report, it was stated, had not been confirmed
 These and other reports pertaining to Urumiah We're related in two let ters from Dr. W. $ Vanneman of Salem, N !, head Of the Presbyte ran mission hospital at Tabriz, and chairman of the relief committee ap. pointed by the American consul there.
 Writing from Tabriz under date of March II. Dr. Vanneman said:
 About ten days ago the Kurds in Salmas, with the permission of the Turkish troops, gathered all the Nes. torians and Armenian men remaining there, 1t is reported, about soc Four hundred were sent to Khosroya and 400 to Haft DaWan under the pretense of giving them bread They were held a few days and then all of them tortured and massacred Many of the women and children were taken away and il-treated. This uaarpen q day or two before the advancing Russian army took Salinas.
 We are very anxious about Uru- miah. letter dated March 1 from Dr. Shedd Ole Rev Dr. W. A Shedd of Marietta Ohio). came through by messenger two days ago. He said things were getting worse. Gu pa shan, which hitherto has not been dis turbed by the Kurds as it had not fought against them has been plum dered and ruined,
 T think this was t1e only village which remained, Ftfty-one of the most prominent men of this village were taken ont at night to the village tery and shot. The women and girls who could not escape were mistreat- ed This was done by the Turkish soldiers.
 Forty men had been taken from the Roman Catholic mission in Uru. miah City and sAot. There were sixty cases of typhoid among the refugees at the college.
 "Dr. Shedi asked the American consul at Tabriz to come to Urumiah but after consulting with three other consuls here it was decided it wo i'd be impossible to get through Mr. Paddock had te,egraphed every pos sible place for assistance We can do nothing more.
 "Dr. Shedd writes that not less than 500 had been murdered in Uru- miah and not less than 2,000 had died of disease. This applies to Christians only This is a very large per cent. as more than half of the Christians fled to Russia Under date of March 2l. Dr. Nanne. man wrote as follows:
 We are more anxious than ever about Urumiah. On the 17th Turkish troops attacked our mission and the Roman Catholic mission and took five native Russian priests from our com pound and treated them badly We do not yet know if they were killed. Mir Allen was also treated badly bea cause he had sent out three messen- l gers The gates of the Catholic mis