New Britain herald., 1916-03-04
SHIMMON DESCRIBES
 HORRORS IN PERSIA
Missionary Will Speak Tomorrow
 at St. Marks Church

Paul Shimmon, of the English 1 Church Mission staff, will tell of the recent terrible massacres in Urn1i at the services at St. Marks Episcopal church tomorrow morning. Mr. Shimmon, while a native of Persia, is a graduate of Columbia university and the General Theological Semin- ary of New York and it is expected his talk will prove very interesting. He comes to this city through the in- vitation of Rev. Elisha Adams ard will speak to the members of the latter's Syrian class tomorrow evee- ing. Describing his experiences in Persia, MT. Shinmon says:
 "I am in New York at last It Is a marvel. I cannot write of all my past life in Persia, but I will en- deavor to give bare outline of the past year.
 "On January ?. 1915, the Russian regiments at Urmi in northwestern Persia suddenly withdrew. To escape being held for ransom money and even the worst, a few we'll known persons and I stole out at night with the retreating army. No rear guard action, however, took place, nor were our communications actually cut off as we had greatly feared. We made for Tif1is in the Caucasus and were there and in parts of Russo-Persian frontiers following the now newly advancing Russian columns till they reached again to Urmi on May 24, 1915.
 Before leaving Urmi, however, | had just time to take my family to the city, a five minutes walk from our home. They stayed at the home of my brother-in-law which is sep arated from the American Mission premises by a wall, thus putting them all under the American flag. They remained there for four and one-half months, witnessing fearful tragedies never leaving the house.
 Loses Fifteen Relatives.
 '"rhe Kurds and Turks immediate ly took possession of the entire plain and city. The beautiful villages were all plundered, many burned to the ground and one thousand persons killed in the first few days of Janu- ary 1915. My stepmother and her two children were among the 2,00O iii Geogtapa who were saved by an American missionary. The old home stead has been burned. Some fifteen of my near relatives were killed m one or two instances burned or. died of typhoid and Restitution. I used to pray that if God would spare one or possibly two of the members oI my family I would feel that I was the most fortunate man. But thank God they are all safe and living. At one time a dozen were down with ty- phoid in our house, four were in one w fear fully crowded American yards pee pie were dying every day by the scores My wife was down for thirty two days with typhoid but pulled at last. I am sorry to say that Mrs. and Miss Neesan both died the latter through fear of re- ported impending massacres.
 "I joined my family in, May nd stayed in Urmi till August, devoting myself to the work of restoration of property and visiting the ruined vil- lages one after another.
 ''On the second flight of all the Christians from Urmi on August 6, 1915, my family left ahead of me. l was in the country and by the time I returned all had gone. I found the house empty and doors standing open The harness left for me to
  and I was compelled to ride on horse back day and night until I reached them some forty miles away making for Russian border. The people were however sent back by the Rus sian general and promise was given to leave sufficient forces to keep Drmi safe, which I am glad to say has proved true, but the people are pass ing the winter with hunger actually staring them in the face.
 Here to Aid Refugees.
 q decided to come to America at the instance of the Patrlarch of the Syrian church to help in the com- mon cause of the refugees. We came to Tif1is in the Caucasus where I left my little girl with my brothers Wte and other relatives. My brother, Az hasie, however came to America. From Tif1is we passed by the Caspean Sea to RastoV Moscow, Petrograd, Sweden to Christiana, nd through the wonderful mountains of Norway to Bergen from where we 1 ,ook steamer through the North Sea, escaping mines and submarines till | 1t last we reached England on Oc- l ober 11th.
 We stayed in London for three months. During the time we were here over $25,000 was raised nd sent for the relief of the Assyrian Syrian or Nestorian) refugees. The Archbishop of Canterbury made a 1 special appeal, as did the Lord May ITS Armenian Refugees committee or the 1000 newly arrived refugees If Mar Shimun's mountain flock, of whom the British consul had tele- cra rahad ha EIneliSh f0rnion