The Washington times., 1918-09-01

go with the orphans The three sisters were very glad
they to be saved One of them friend Of Lu-
sannes and to her she said "Our God viii know why
doing this; will always pray to Him in secret "
Esther Magurditch daughter of Boghos Artes great
Armenian author and poet who lived in city, also was
willing to take the OATH and chosen. Esther had been
one of my playmates. Her mother English woman,
who had married her father when he was travelling in
Europe Esther had married Vartan Magurditch young
lawyer, just week before When both her father and
husband taken from her she almost lost her mind
When all the fourteen girls had said the Mohammedan
ka soldiers took them with the orphans to the big house
in which Esher's family had lived 1t was the largest
Armenian home in the city.
AS soon as the children and the apostasized girls
entered the house Esther prepared meal for them
from the bread and other food that had been left While
the children eating the girls summoned to
ther part of the house. where aged Mohammedan
awaited them with yashmaks or Turkish veils which
she told them they must put they had become Mo-
hammedan women and must not let their faces be
The young women were then told to seat themselves
and wait until officer to give them further in
structions They still waiting in the when
great screaming in childish voices broke out in the other
part of the house. The girls rushed the door Of the
room, only to find it locked against them.
Suddenly the door opened and Vahby Bey, with
his chief of staff Ferid Bey, and Ali Rizi Efend the
High Hakm, Police Commssary, whose headquarters
in HaYpout entered. With them were number of
other smartly dressed officers who had been travelling
with General Vahby The girls fell to their knees before
the officers and asked them in Allah name, to let them
go to the children The officers laughed The three
children appealed to General Vahby to tell them what had
happened to their little Vahby Bey did answer
but pointed the taller of the three girls the who
handsome and said to the chief of staff This
| will take guard her carefully Ferid Bey, the chief
officer then called soldiers who picked up the girl
and carried her upstairs to which Vehby Bey had
occupied Vahby Bey followed Ferid Bey then selected
Esther and soldiers carried her up to another
Fed Bey followed and dismissed the soldiers with orders
place guard outside his door and another outside the
door of Vahby Bey's room
Downstairs the other officers of Vahby Beys staff each
selected girl the officers Of higher rank taking first
choice There were three girls left of them the
youngest sister of the girl Vahby Bey had TAKEN and
the soldiers took possession of these not removing
them from the room.
How long these three girls lived cannot tell It
Esther who described to what happened that afternoon
her house. for she the only of the fourteen who
escaped alive Before she got away from the house she
looked into the where the soldiers had been and
saw that the three girls dead
Esther tried to resist Ferd Bey and to plead with him;
but he threatened to kill her. When she told him she
would rather die he opened the door she could the
men standing guard in the hall and said to her:
Very well then il you do not be quiet will give you
to the soldiersr
Surely God will not blame Esther for shrinking away
from the sight OF those many and allowing Ferid
Bey who onlv one man, to shut the door.
The officers busted themselves with the girls until
evening When.Ferid Bey left her Esther begged him
again least tk6er where the children were that she