Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-30
BURN AND CRUCIFY
NATIVE CHRISTIANS
Missionaries in Persia Tell Of
Terrible Massaores Of People
by the Moslems.
AMERICAN CITIZEN MENACED


WASHINGTON, April Cam
bassador Morgenthau at CONSTANT
nople cabled the state department
today that there was considerable
uneasiness in Turkey over the Ar
menian situation and that be al
ready had made representations to
the Turkish government for the pro-
lection OF Armenians. He referred
to one naturalized American citizen
who had been threatened.
Details Of Massacre.
NEW YORK, April 29.-De-
tails Of the massacre of native
Christians at Urumiah. Persia, by
Kurds received today by the Presby-
terrain board of foreign missions,
state that not less than 1000 have
persisted. The attacks. 1t would APP
pear. have not been confined to
Kurds, but have been made. in at
least one instance, by Turkish SOL
diers. Crucifixion and burning
Christians alive have been revived,
missionaries reported to the board.
The attack in which Turkish soldiers
were the asssilants. according TO re-
ports received by the board, was made
upon the American mission and the
French Roman Catholic mission. Five
native Russian priests. the reports as
sert. were taken from the American
mission by the Turkish troops. The
missionaries stated that these men were
treated badly and added that II was
not known to them 10 the priests were
hanged
Made 10 Pay RANSOM.
A report had reached the Presbyterian
missionaries at Tabriz that Americana
at Urumiah had been forced 20 pay
10000 as a ransom for refugees who had
fled TO the mission for protection. This
report. II was stated. had not been con-
firmed
These and other matters pertaining TO
Urumlah were related in two letters re-
ceived today from DR.. w. 8. Vanneman
Of Salem, N. j., head OF the Presbyterian
mission hospital at Tabriz and chair
man OF the relief committee appointed
Writing from Tabrlz under date OF
March IL, Dr. Vanneman said:
About ten days ago the Kunds In Sal
mas, with the permission Of the Turkish
troops, gathered all the HISTORIAN and
Armenian men remaining there. Il Is re-
ported. about 200. Four hundred were
sent to Khosrova and 4OO to Haft Dawan
under the pretense OF giving them bread. |
hal fax. 40. III
OF them tortured and massacred. Many |
OF the women and children were taken |
away and III treated. This happened a |
day or two before the advancing Rus.
sian army took Salinas.
Anxious About Urumiah.
I'VE are very anxious about Urumiah I
A letter dated March 1, from DR.. shedd
1.-THE Rev. Dr. w A. shedd OF Marietta,
o. came through by messenger two days
ago. He said things were getting worse.
"Gulpashan, which hitherto had not
been disturbed by the Kurds. as II had not
fought against them. had been piundered
ana ruined. / think this was the only
village which remained. Firty-one Of the
most prominent men OF this village were
taken out at night to the cemetery and
shot The women and girls who could
by the Turkish soldiers.
Forty men had been taken from the
Roman Catholic mission in Urumiah city.
kept prisoners few DAYS. then were
taken at night two miles from the city
and shot. There were sixty cases OF
typhoid among refugees at the college.
''Dr. shedd asked the American consul
at Tabriz TO come 10 Urumiah. but after
consulting with three other consuls here
IL was decided II would be impossible TO
get through. Mr. Paddock has tsle-
graphed every possible place for assist
ance. We can do nothing more.
Applies 40 Christians.
I'VE. hear. but DO not know n Il is
true, that the mission In Urumiah has
been forced 10 paw $4,000 as a ransom
for the refugees and we fear II is true
DR. Shedd writes that not less than 800
had been murdered In Urumiah and not
less than 1000 had died OF disease. This
applies to Christians only. This IL a very
large per cent as more than half OF the
Christians fled TO Russia"
Under date OF March n. DR. vaneli
wrote as follows:
We are more anxious than ever about
urumiah on April Il. 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 II they were killed Mr. Allen was
also treated badly. because he had sent
out three messengers.