The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-06
TURKS PLUNDERED
AND STARVED OUT
HISTORIC ]UDEA
People Were Driven to Desert
to Die, Declares Returned
American Sergeant Who
Was With AIIenby'S Army.

ATLANTA, Ga, Feb. 6.-Sergt, Al
bert S. Matthew, Of 42S Ormond street.
this city, who enlisted with the Brltisn
army prior to the entrance OF the United
States, and who saw service in Egypt
and the Holy Land, was with e Al
lenby at the occupation ole Jerusalem,
and the Atlanta boy, who has Just re-
turned to his home, gives y graphic ana
highly interesting account OF the con-
ditions that were found to exist among
the natives in Palestine when the Brit
ish army took possession OF that coun-
Sergt. Matthew went over to Eng
land with owen Cobb Holleran, who has
written some Of the most brilliant
stories about the war. and Meredith
Gray, another Atlanta boy who was
when the British army reached
Jerusalem" said Sergeant Matthew, we
we're looked upon by the people In that
city as their deliverers. They were IN
dire need Of the necessities Of life, ana
great celebrations were held as the
English forces took charge OF. the city.
It meant food and other things they
done without for months, and they were
glad to see us come. The same was
true Of all the villages about Jerusa-
lem," declared the sergeant, and "
would be difficult to picture the vast
amount Of suffering these poor people
had undergone. After they mad peen
stripped of all their worldly goods, The
men and BOYS were impressed into mill
tary service and the women ana chill
dren endured almost unbelievable
agonies.
| tives, Christians, Is herding sheep ana
| goats, olive and fruit growing, and to
some extent, the raising of grain, but
the herds had been killed off by the
Turks, and the men had been taken
away by the Moslems, leaving no one
to make the necessary crops to FEED the
people. Conditions were pitiable IN the
extreme, and great numbers of refugees
many OF whom were children, starved 70
the point of complete p~rostration, were
brought to the army for rations.
Speaking of the cruelty Of the Turks
to Christians, Sergr. Matthew declared
he had seen hundreds OF children, whose
little bodies had been horribly mutilated
lby the beastly Turk.
Cruelty of Turks.
mot lily did they starve, often driv-
ing them over the big waste place;
without food or water, but they forced
these children, in many cases, 70 wit
ness the murder of their parents II
some places the Christian children
would have their hands ard arms and
their eyes blown out by explosive con-
traptions that had been set by. tht
turks. The children were afraid tC
touch a tin can, or even a string, fear
ing it would set off explosives. Imag'
inc the terror Of these little ones
hundreds of whose mothers and fathers
had either been killed or driven away
from them, living in mortal terror OF in
formal machines set about among ar
ticles they were expected to handle
and on top OF this, think Of their pitt
full condition, when they were forcet
to go hungry, thirsty and naked through
their great suffering.
THE people In America, who hay
good homes for their little ones, should
he SO grateful for the blessings an'
safety that are assured them, that the,
would not hesitate to shoulder the grea
obligation that rests upon them to at'
the cruelty used natives of the Hol,
Land,
Mir. Matthew described the operation
in which he took part, beginning wit
the Ne. 7 light car patrol, which !
composed Of Ford cars with Maxir
puns mounted in the rear, which wer
used with great effect against tn
Ifpon leaving this country for Eng
land 10 enlist, Sergt. Matthew went vi
savannah TO New York, where he too
n cattle boat, arriving with his compan
ions in England a,short time afterwart
lJolleran and Gray went with the Dub
lin Fusileers, while Matthew Joined tn
mechanical transport.