The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-29
Details of Irprising


 New York, April 2S--Details of the re- cent messacre of native christians at urumiah, Persia, by kurds received to- day by the Presbyterian board of foreign missions, state that not less than Su1 have been murdered there, aud that not less than 9Coo have perished from disease.
 The attacks, it would appear, have not been confined to kurds, but have been made. in at least enc instance, by Turkish soldiers. CrucfiNon and burning of Christians alive have been revived. mis- sonaries reported to the board. The attack in which Turkish soldiers were the assailants according 10 reports received by the board, was made on the American mission and the French Roman Catholic mission. Five native Russian priests the reports assert were taken from the American mission by the Turks. The missionaries stated those men were treated badly" and added that 1t was not known to them whether the priests were hanged.
 Americans Pay Ransom A report had reached the Presbyterian n issionaries at Tabriz that Americans at Urumah had been forced to pay S4o,0 900 ransom for refugees wao had fled to the mission for protection. That re- port, it was stated had not been con- l firmed.
 Those and other matters pertaining to I lIruiniah were related In two letters re~ l ceived today from pr w <. Vanncman, ci New Jersey, head of the Presbyterian mission hospital at Tabriz. Writing from Tabriz, March 14 pr. vannenlan said
 About 10 days ago the Knrds in Salmas with the permission of the Turkish troopf. gathered all the Nestorian and Armenian. int 500. Four hundred were sent to Khosrova and 100 to Haft Dewan under the pretense of giving them bread. There were held a few days and then all or them tof- turcd and massacred. Many of the wom- on ana children were taken away and lll-treated This happened a day or two before the advancing Russian army took Salinas.
 Conditions Getting Worse
 We are very anxious about Urumiah. A letter dated March 1, from pr. Shedd (Rev Dr. w. Shedd of Marietta, o.1 came through by messenger two days laro. He said things were getting worse. Gulpashan, which hitherto had not been disturbed by the Kurds. as 1t had not fought against them, had been plum dered and ruined. 1 think this was ths only village which remained. fi1ty- one of the most prominent men or this village were taken out at night to the cemetery and Snot. ine Wonith anu girls who could not escape were vio- lated This was done by the Turkish soldiers.
 "Forty men had been taken from tho Roman Catholic mission in urumiah City kept prisoners a few days then were taken at night two miles from tho city and shot There were so cases of typhoid among refugees at the col lege.
 pr Shedd asked the American con- sul at Tabriz to come to Urumiah. but after consulting with three other con. suls here it was decided 1t would be im- possible to get through. Mir Paddock has telegraphed every possible place for assistance. We can do nothing more. We hear. but do not know If 1t Is true that the mission in Urumiah has been forced to pay $40,o00 as ransom for the refugees and we fear 1t Is true. Dr. Shedd writes that not less than S0J had been murdered in Urumiah. and not less than 2O00 had died of disease. This applies to Christians only This Is a very large per cent as more than halr of the Christians fell to Russia. Under date of March 2l, pr. Vanne man wrote as follows:
 Turks Attack Mission
 I've 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 compound and treated them badly. We do not know yet if they were killed. Mir. Allan was also treated badly because he had sent out three messengers. The gates of the Catholic mission were burned, and they were all in great danger We rec ceived word from Ambassador Nor genthau that orders had been sent to Urumiah to protect Christians but the order was received too late. We ara working to get all the remaining Chris tians away from urumiah
 some of the native Christian preach CTS have been crucified and some burned but these were of other de nominations. Dr. Absalmon's son Ia ma tive physician) who had been buried three years. was taken up and dishon~ ored This was done by the owner oe the villages. of which he was overseer. This man has returned and Is preaching 8 holy war.
 "If the Russian troops should be with ldrawn again every Christian would hava to leave Tabriz.
 "I do not believe the real condition of affairs is conprehended in America. It Is practically the extermination of the Syrians tNestorians) and very had for the Armenians also The only hopo Is occupation by Russia"
 
 of feeding and clothing our rapidly srow-