El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-20

FLIGHT DIE ON
PERSIAN ROADS
Fear Of Turks Drives Thous-
andS From Homes in
Wintry Night.
APPEAL FOR AID
MADE TO WORLD

FEW YORK, March 2O.-The hor-
N rors Of the great war have now
- brought suffering and exile to
more than $4,000 Christian people in
northwestern Persia, according TO a
statement given out by a newly organ
lied Persian war relief committee.
The invasion Of Persia and the cap
ture by Turks and kurds Of the cities
of Urumia, TabriZ and other cities
which mad been held by Russian troops,
drove the Assyrian and Armenian peo-
pie, in fear OF massacre, either out of
the country into Europe or into the
American missionary compounds in
Urumia and Tabriz.
Flight starts in Night.
The flight from Urumia began at
midnight the people having only a few
moments notice Of the approach Of the
Kurds and the need of flight Rev. J.
D. Barnard. missionary OF the arch
bishop of Canrerbury's mission of the
Church Of England, who left Urumia
with the refugees in view Of the ap-
preach OF the Turkish troops. writes:
Practically the entire Christian pop
ulation Of the Urumia plain and neigh
boring districts were in flight as we
left As Tar as the eye could reach in
both directions was a constant stream
OF refugees. sometimes so dense that
the road was blocked. 1t was a dread
full sight. and one 1 never want TO see
again Many old people and children
Many Die on the Way.
Most Of the refugees who fled 10 Rus
sia made their way to the city of Tiflis-
The long journey Of the thousands Of
in the depth Of winter with no provis-
ion for the journey afOOt through snow,
rain and cold
One Of the refugees, John MOoshie, a
naturalized American citizen and su-
periutendeut OF the day schools in the
Urumia plain, writes from Tiflis: Dur
ing the 10 days journey we have wit
messed a long chain Of men. women and
children from Urumia to Djoulfa, most
Of them walking in cold and mud, with
out food or shelter. We have seen many
women and children dead on the way,
as they could not endure cold and IA
tigue. The Christian inhabitants OF
Tabriz and Salinas have left, except
those in Tabriz. who are protected by
the American consul"
From TabriZ. Frederick y. Jessup
writes: Everyone is seeking shelter
with US. French. Belgian, Swede. Aus
trian, German, Turkish, Armenian and
even Moslems. The Armeuians are in
great terror and everyone breads the
kurds and their coming. We have been
advised by our consul TO withdraw from
our other properties and TO concentrate
here in the school compound We have
permission to receive Europeans and
our own people among the natives For
two days refugees have been coming in.
All our school buildings are given over
to them. All benches have been taken
out and people are coming all day long
bringing rugs, provisions and bedding
Some refugees from Maragha have alb
sOlutely nothing. Some have walked
the 50 OF so miles in the winter cold
and blizzard leaving everything, lead
ing or carrying children"
Many Thousands Destitute.
The American consul in Tabriz, Cor
don Paddock, cables:
Appeal Red Cross and friends;
telegraph money aid. many thou
sand destitute refugees"
The American consul at Tfflis cables:
Fifteen thousand Persian Chris
tian refugees Caucasus. Local au-
thorities doing best, but funds
needed return them home. Four
teen thousand refugees mission
premises Urumia destitute Fifty
thousand dollars urgently needed.
Telegraph funds Tabriz"
For over rs years American Chris
tians have carried on missionary work
among these people in northwestern
Persia and for the past generation An
glican missionaries from England and
Roman Catholic missionaries from
France have worked among them. The
disaster which has now fallen upon the
people falls upon them all indiscrimin-
ately and includes many Moslems that
have been subjected to the same hard
ships and loss as their Christian neigh
bors. Relief funds viii be distributed
wherever there is greatest need without
regard TO sect or nationality
Missionaries at Their Posts.
The American missionaries Of north
western Persia are all at their posts
and have filled their compounds and
buildings with refugees A relief COM
mittee has been organized in Tabriz I'M
der the American consul and ". s.
Nanneman. " D.; Rev Robert NJ. La
BARGE, Of Tabriz, has gone to Tiflis TO
work with a local committee Of leading
native Christians. Relief in Tiflis will
be supervised by this committee, Mr..
Labaree and the American consul
OF all those throughout the world
who are suffering on account Of the
war. none have suffered more or in
greater innocence than these thousands
Of poor people who have been driven
from their homes in the depth Of winter
and left homeless and destitute. They
must be cared for in the cities 90 which
they have fled and now that the Turks
and kurds appear to be Withdrawing
from Persia. must be returned to their
destroyed homes and enabled to rees-
tablish themselves. The need is urgent
and appalling, but Rle amount needed is
not unlimited: 100000 Will meet the
pressing immediate need
American Committee Distributes Funds.
An American committee, with Robert
F. SDeer. chairman. will be responsible
for the prompt forwarding and distri-
button or the funds Six thousand dol
lars have already been forwarded from
the Red Cross and from the missionary
societies and DR.. Nanneman has cabled
the receipt Of this
amount and stating that $4,000 had al
ready been expended and that relief
would be required for several months.
Any foreign mission board will forward
to the committee any funds designated
for Persian war relief"