The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-02
American Relief Agents Praise Courage and Endur- ance of Russian Soldiers in Caucasus.

! March 20.-Fifteen thousand Armen- iaTs were killed by Turks at Mamak hatun prior to the evacuation of Err ,zerum1, according to a statement pre- pared for the Associated Press by Richard Hill, a local representative of the American Committee for Arrnen- ian and Syrian Relief: of New York. More than that, many more, expelled from Erzerum and surrounding Vi1- 1ages, have dropped out of sight and it is assumed that most sof them have met a. like fate It is estimated that in the Caucasus. They are beginning to return to their homes in large numbers. By April first it is thought 20 900 will have been repatriated. M ore than $12o, 900 has been expend- ed by the American. committee for their relief ITS. 1000 articles of cloth ing and bedding. several tons of SUI gar, tea. soap and kerosene having been distributed
 MT. Hill describes interestingly the almost suRerhunlan achievement of the Russian soldiers in scaling the heights around Elrzerunn, packing heavy guns piecemeal over the noun tain ranges preparatory to attacking the Actresses. His information. was gathered from various officials and army officers who have ireturned to Tif1fs from Erzerum-
 siThe work of the Russian forces vas nothing short of marve1Ious.'' = writes MT Hill. They had to fight their way fron1---------their original position near Sarf Kamysh clear up to their waists. pushed on through a bnndfng snowstorIn, scaled apparent 1y impossible heights all in weather as intense and bitter as that of the Arctic circle. Guns were taken apart and carried on the backs of soldiers. hauled up by ropes to the top of cliffs
 oIr ana put together in the clouds from where they brought terror and con sternation to the enemy Too much praise cannot be given to the yalor and hardfhood of the Russian soldier. An artillery officer who was in the fight from the beginning told me that the wonders performed and the diff scu1ties over come were every whit as great as those which made Napole- on1s march over the Alps. a military classic.
 ssThe city itself is little if any dam aged, the forts even hardly showing evidence of severe bonbardment. When the fall of the city was iTnnlin- Fent the Turkish soldiers in certain quarters began to loot and burn. but before much damage was done the in habitarlfs were able to prevent the fire from spreading. The approach of the Russian soldiers caused the looters to beat a nasty reatreat. A population of 25,40O was found in the place, mostly Turks Some Persians and few Greeks made up the lre- mainder. Possibly 8 hundred Armen- ians had been able to hide with frfendly Turks and were found in the city upon it's capture. Apart from these there has bee found no trace of other Arnenfans. numbering 1 B. 900, who were taken from the city and sent into the interior in June of last year. That is to say, no word has come from any Of the men, but MT. StapIeton, American missionary in Erzerum, has heard indirectly from some of the women deported at that time. The whole of the province has been cleared of Armenians with the exception of those few who hid in the lcity At the same time IS, 1000 were sent away from villages nearby These were taken as far as Mamakhatun where they were killed. Other groups have been sent off at differen times, knany of them too, no doubt, sharing the same fate as those from Erzer- tun although some hope is entertain led that many of them may still be found alive in the region of Aieppo.H
 In this, connection it is interesting to learn of an incident occurring just prior to the fall of the city, Taxi1n Bey, the Va,H. it appears had done all ihe could as far as he was allowed by Constantinople to do, to ease the AIm0H1anS-e the fall of the city was near he sent fofr MT. Stapleton and to him deliver teda message for the Russian authori- ties to the effect that if the Moslem population were mot molested by the Russian troops, he would do all he could to help the expatriated Armen- Hans in Mesopotamia; otherwise he would not answer for what might happen It is only just to the Rus isiaAs to say that the relations between ltha troops and the inhabitants are exceedingly friendly The bazaars and shops are open and the people are glad to sell to the Russians.
 The fall of Erzerum had hardly been announced before groups of Ar naenians in various parts of the Cau- hcasus began plans for their return. Many have already gone back and enab1e them to move T ehVan, Bit1is and adjacent vi1ayetss have already been opened and permission to go back, seems easy to obtain.
 The number of refugees at present would total close to 100000. They have managed for the most part to get through the winter somehow, helped by the various relief .organiza- tions at work here. It is realized that to permit wholesale return of all would be madness They would re- turn to ruined homes and devastated fields. Very wisely therefore those in authority are urging the women and children to remain here while the men take up the work of rebuilding their homes.
 Among the organizations at work are the Russian government, local Ar menian and American committee The latter, composed of F. Willoughby Smith, American Consul in T1flis, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Macallun. MT. Hill and MT Gracey have been at work for some months. They represent the American committee of New York. Nearly 500, ,000 rubles has been recefV- sd by them for the relief work more than half of which has been expend- ed- To this committee has come an appeal from Van from the Russian governor to assist in repatriation of that province The latter points out .s.l