Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-08-11
THRILLING STORY
OF SIEGE OF VAN
Told by United States Mission
aries Who Were on Scene
at the Time.
BARRICADE THE BUILDINGS
Ten Thousand Cared for in the Town
in Weeks Before Russians Arrived
Provide Ingenious Defense
Against Turk Bullets.


New York.-Letters from the staff
Of the American board of commission
ers for foreign missions who were in
Van, the old Armenian city in east
ern Turkey, during the recent trou-
blous times, have just been received
at the offices of the board by way
of Petrograd. They tell a thrilling
story of the last desperate weeks be-
fore the Russians arrived, when
Turks were determined to crush the
Armenians, when the mission prem
Uses were crowded with refugees and
the houses barricaded against shot
and shell. The wife of DR.. Clarence
D. USHER thus tells the story of the
siege:
las you know, there has been a
lOng-standing and well-grounded dis
satisfaction on the part Of the Arme-
mans with the insincerity and in
justice of the Young Turk party in
power. This feeling has grown strong
since Turkey declared war against
Russia six months ago.
This suicidal rush into the fray
was most unpopular move among
Moslem and Christian alike, but it's
consequences bore most heavily upon
the latter, who were pressed into
service and then deprived of their
arms and forced to work as day labor
ers without proper food or care. Thou
sands died of typhus and neglect.
s1La
1T was small wonder that as many
as possible secured exemption from
service or refused to be enlisted. The
government naturally regarded their
course as nothing less than treason,
so when a strong governor-general,t the
brother-in-law of Enver Bey, was ap-
pointed to Van, his first concern was
to punish the rebels.
Three weeks ago last Friday the
military head of this revolutionary fac
ton, with two of his companions, was
killed at command of the vail, who
peace commissioners to settle ques-
ton between the government and the
revolutionists. Another prominent Ar
menian leader, a member of parlia-
ment, was seized and deported to the
capital. April II, the day word was
received of the assassination of the
revolutionary leader, Ishan, Doctor
usher and Mr.. Yarrow (also of the
American board) were called by the
vail, who told them plainly that he
was determined . to crush the rebel
lion if it involved the determination
of the whole Armenian population, but
that he would prefer not to injure
the women and children.
Refuse Turkish Guard.
las we proposed to open our prem
Uses to refugees he urged placing
guard of 90 Turkish soldiers here. We
at first consented to the suggestion,
but the revolutionists said experience
had taught them the soldiers could
not be trusted. They were unwilling
to allow the soldiers to come. We
have been thankful many times since
that they refused to do so.
THAT evening we consulted with
Signor Sbardone, Italian consular
agent, the only consul left in the city
to represent our interests and those
of other forei gners. 1t was midnight
before our plans were made. That
very evening neighbors began to bring
in beds, carpets, boxes and wheat. as
those who realized the situation con-
sidered our premises, those of the Ger
mans and Sbardone's the only safe
places.
The next day was Sunday, and we
had church services as usual, but all
day long the streams of people poured
through the gates. Men, women and
children were loaded with their house
hold effects. The rich hired 'hamals'
to bring piles of bedding and beauti-
fully polished chests of clothing. and
the poor hurried in with their pitiful