New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-30
Turks Attack
College and
Murder 1900
Massacre Of Armenians at
College Witnessed by
President Of Institution

The slaughter with axes of all the
Armenian faculty members of Anatolia
College, Marsoyan, Northern Asia
Minor, together with 1900 others, by
Turkish peasants, whose pay for the
work was the privilege Of stripping the
clothing or their victims bodies, was
described here yesterday by the Rev.
George f.. White, president OF the col
lcge, recently returned to this country.
The massacrcs were committed at night
by order Of the Turkish government. he
said, the Armenians being sent out in
lots of a hundred or two TO their doom
and their bodies rolled into prepared
burial trenches.
"Somc groups of our college boys
asked permission 10 sing before they
died, and they sang Nearer, Ny God,
to Thee. Then they were struck
down" DR.. White said.
"Thc situation for Armenia became
acute in the spring of 1915, when the
Turks determined 10 settle the Arme-
MAN question by eliminating the Ar
menians. The Armenian question arises
from poltca! and religious causes.
"On the pretext of searching for
deserving soldiers, concealed bombs,
weapons, seditious literature or reyo-
lutionists, the Turkish officers arrested
about 100 Armenian men at Mar
sovan,. accompanying their invcstiga-
tons By horrible brutalities. There
was no revolutionary activity in our
region whatever.
Girls Sold at 81 Each
"The men were sent out in lots of
one or two hundred in night 'deporta-
tons to the mountains, where trench
es had been prepared. Coarse peas
ants. who were employed to do what
was done, said it was a pity to waste
bullets and they used axes.
"Then the Turks turned on the wom-
en- and children, the old men and
little boys. Scores of oxcarts were
gathered, and in the early dawn as
they passed the squeakng OF their
wheels left memories that make the
blood curdle even now. Thousands or
women and children were swept away.
Where? Nowhere. No destination
was stated or intended. Why? Sim
ply because they were Armenians and
Christians and were in the hands OF
the Turks.
Girls and young women were
snatched away at every turn on the
journey The girls sold at Marscvan
for from 81 to 81 each. | know. be-
cause heard the conversation Of
men engaged in the traffic. | KNOW
because / was able to ransom three
girls at the price of s4.4O.
THE misery. the agony, the suffer
ing, were beyond power Of words to
express-almost beyond the power OF
hearts 10 conceive. In bereavement
thirst, hunger, loneliness, hopeless
ness. the groups were swept on and on
along roads which had no destination.
Soldiers Demanded Inmates
az received word from Ambassador
Morgenthau that our premises would
not be interfered with. Next morning
the chief Of police came with armed
men and demanded surrender OF all!
Armenians connected with the college,
girls school and hospital. We claimed
the right to control our grounds as
American citizens.
"More than two hours we held them
at bay. They brought more armed men
They again demanded surrender or the
Armenians. ! refused. They chal-
government. They said any one W no aid
so was liable TO immediate execution.
"They broke open our gates, brought
in oxcarts and asked where the Ar
menians were. ] refused to tell. They
went through the buildings, smashing
down the doors. Then our Armenian
friends, feeling that further attempt on
our part to save them would bring more
L H. 10
professed themselves loyal Turkish
subjects and offered to do what was re-
quired.
Took Seyenty-two From College
Gan oxcart was assigned each family,
with a meagre supply Of food, bedding
and clothing. The mother sat on the
load. with her children about her, the
father preparing to walk beside the
cart. offered prayer, and then the sad
procession, carrying seventy-two per-
sons from the college and hospital,
moved away.
"These teachers were men OF char
acter. education, ability and useful
ness. several of them representing the
fine tvpe of graduates from American
or European universities. The COM
panv went in safety for about nifty
miles. Then the men were separated
from the women. Their hands were
boupd behind their backs and they were
led away. The eight Armenian mem
bers of the staff of instruction Of Ana
tolia College were among the slam.
The women and children were moved
On and on. No one knows where and
no one knows how many Of them are
still living"