The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-04-27
G.F. H. CRATHERN
WR|TESO OF DANGER
MET IN TURKEY
Mr.. Crathern Has Been in Cen
ter of Area of Trouble
MANY NARROW ESCAPES
Thirty Denominations are Joined in
This Great Movement to Raise
Church Funds.
Continued from Mondays Banner)

Continued from Mondays Banner).
Jan. 29th.
1t is nearly midnight and | have
just come from a service of sorrow.
The pastors wife, of whom / wrote
you yesterday, died today and "a laid
to rest in the Seminary Compound
This afternoon we had a conference of
all American workers to decide what
TO do in case of emergency. We shall
all gather in the College Compound
and await the final issue. What that
will be we do not know. Graves are
multiplying in our midst and tales of
horror come to us nightly from those
who escape from house Of cellar. The
soldiers who went last night to rescue
a thousand Armenians, were not able
to pass the Turkish trenches. Anoth'
er orphanage was attacked, but the as
sault was not successful. Several sol
diers came down from the mountains
today with frozen hands and feet,
some of which must be amputated.
Jan. Goth.
AS yet no news of relief from the
French authorities. Yesterday was
rather quiet from the military point
of view. There was only a little can.
nonading and only a few soldiers were
killed or wounded. The uncertainty
Of the situation is a great strain on
the nerves of the ladies of our party
but they are brave and cheerful and
busy all day ministering 10 the needs
Of the unfortunate. DR.. and Mrs.
Wilson have moved over to the college
compound to live as they think II is a
little safer there in case of attack.
They invited me to go with them, but
II feel there is no immediate danger
and prefer to wait a few days to watch
developments. We have all decided to
hang together rather than take our
chances on hanging separately.
Jan. 31st.
War still holds on and no relief in
sight. Men, women and children
about nine OF them, were shot in the
College grounds today and some OF
them quite seriously wounded. For
tunately we have plenty of wheat now
and by keeping the women grinding
from sunrise to sunset we can feed the
people for quite a while. We are oh
llged 10 keep the people under cove.
as walking in the open Is too danger
GUS and our hospitals are already full
Feb. LIST.
The weather has been very cold and
we have had several cases of sever,
frost-bite among the soldiers. Mort
children have been shot in the orphan
ages. The refugees are much alarm
ed at the success OF the Turks. Sey
eral houses have been burned in the
city. The hospital still continues tC
be attacked.
Feb. End.
The war IS coming a little closer
for today 4 she fell on the hospital
roof and burst in the attic, Just above
the floor where we had a great many
patients. The rifle shots have also
been a little more personal as one plus
ged into a wall a few feet ahead o.
me, and the second hit a tree as
was creeping along under a wall tt
my room. The Turks tried to set thC
Bartell orphanage on fire today, 31s
the French re.aliated by burning thJ
would-be incendar.es houeeJ. There
was considerable bombarding today
but not many wounded. There is NJ
news of re.enforcements and we feal
that other cities and towns may be
besieged as we are and help may MOI
reach us for some time. Last nigh
we sent a message TO Hadjin by way
of Zeitoun. Seven men who had come
over the mountains for ammunition
and guns offered to deliver the mess
age to the A. C. r. N. Y. and to have il
telegraphed &c Adana and CONSTANT
nople. II WI probably be V days
before it can reach It's destination.
] suppose none of the outside worlt
realizes the seriousness OF our situa
tion or surely an %aeroplane from Bel
rut would drop us a message of cheer
This is the telegram we sent to Con
sui Jackson, to Adana and TO Const
antinople: situation in Marash des
perate, re'gn of terror in city since
Jan. FL. Hundreds of men, womer
and children massacred daily. Nc
power to stopeit as French are on the
defensive. Forces, ammunition anC
food insufficient. Americans have lit
tie hopeiif the French are overcome NJ
assurance of help as large forces Of
bandits bar all roads. Leave nothing
undone to relieve situat' on as lives OF
all christians are seriously threaten
ed. Our flag and auto fired on repeat
eddy Jan Goth. Our institutions un
der fire and many orphans and refu.
gees wounded on American property