American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-10-16
BABIES BURIED ALIVE BY
THE TURKS.


v Y
Burial alive Of babies ia trenches
with the bodies Of their mothers. who
had been slaughtered or allowed TO
perish from exposure. vas practiced
By the Turks In their work os exter-
minating the Armeniana Is was de-
ciarcd ia New York. sunday. by the
Rev. Henry II. Rises. missionary OF
the American board % commissioners
for foreign missions 20 ilarpui. Tur-
key. who recently oame back 20 this
country. A trench wns dug beaidc a
camp az Armenian women. he said. and
as they acf death The survivors were
forced 20 draE their bodies 60 u and
bury them
~Thc rendarmes said they could pot
take care OF The babies that we're left
behind. 70 many Of those we're buried
Nith their mothers" DR.. Riggs said.
when visited this camp I frequently
saw Turks wandering about among
the Arucniana picking out pretty girls
and little children 20 take away 10
their homes. some mothers told us
that they had themselves thrown their
babies into The Euphratea river rather
than allow them 20 be taken 10 Mos
lem homes Many more throw them
selves Into the river 20 escape a bond
3 OF shame worse than death.
About fifteen miles from Harput ia
a lake hidden from sight with many
ravlnea about a. We we're told that
the Armenian eNiies we're being killed
and left To- these rayinea. Two Amer
leans Investigated and brought back
photographs and actual facts. They
aaa ln a twenty-mile ride 10000 hu-
man bodies. most 81 them killed BY the
bAyonot with a few exceptions they
were women and children and the
mangled condition Of their bodies
showed The horrible fate that has been
theirs
The story 81 the deportation OF the
Armcnihun Of linrput ls one Of per.
ndy. violence and murder" Dr Riggs
went on. adding. III % nearer 10 tbs
truth 90 gay the Turkish government
undertook the extinction 81 the Ar.
mtnlan population. After the issue OI
hn odict for an Armeniana % go a
Mcsopotamla. he said. there came the
arrest ~ an the men of standing
Inhaman B%utchery.
"Thry were sent bot on ne road tiet
together in groups OF two 90 nye,' h'
said. driven aud beaten by the gen
darmea OF the nrai party Of 500. on
young man survived tn tell the STORY
az what happened The party were
taken into q rafine and ordered 10 al
down. he told mo Then the Eendarmo.
climbed upon the surrounding rock
aud Hrcd with their rifles INTO th'
crowd Of bound prisoners az long al
they showed signs OF life.
THE man who old me the story sue
cfetcd in rrttlnE hia knife and cutting
himself loose. A. he made hin daal
for liberty DE- was followed hy "a vollel
Of shots. but got away unacathcd. AT
the other mon az that and similar par
tlea we're ruihlesHly h%utchered
The women and children we're thel
started on the road toward Meaopo
tamin in companies OF " cor tire
thonaaud Ny Indirect routes the.
Wrro forced Co wander about until thI
summer heat and diseaHe wasted ava.
the majority SO transportation wa
provided l ahw one old nan Wit
had travelled goo miles. start out q
SO the remaining 900 miles carrying
90 bis back hts pack uf quilts aul
clothes aud ou top of that hia aged
paialed wife. who could not walk
often fhc routes chosen took IN.
people over Nuterieaa deserts whor'
thousands persisted from thirst.
passed through such "a region wher
thousands nf bicachcd skeletons cacI
side the way told the story OF "a water
less journey across tho plains 4
August
like Hungry Wolves.
The people who passed throug.
Harput frnm the north usually Hpeu
two or three days in camp within sigh
of my home Tho sights we saw Their
can never be- forgotten They wer
absolutely without shelter. day d
might. from heat ur cold The air wa
~unspeakably foul from dead bodle
lying near A. We approached m
women aud children came around u
like hungry wolves. an restraint lo.
in the one desire Tor "a picce of hrea'
Tho sick and dying las around uf
der the blazing sun With no % 20 ear
for thcm waiting FOR The end On