The Cordova daily times., 1920-08-03
EYE WITNESS TELLS OF TURK
 MASSACRES

NEW YORK, Aug. 5 (by Associated Press) ).-The Turkish Nationalist forces in besieging Marash, Syria, last January deliberately and continuously fired on the American college and Near East relief hospital and orphan age there, according to Dr. Mabel FL liott of Benton Harbor Mich, who was in charge of the hospital during the three weeks attack.
 Dr. Elliott, who has returned to this country, with Mrs. Mabel Power of North Hero, Vt, Miss Helen Shultz of Reading, Pa., and Miss Minnie Dough erty of Holyoke, Mass, told an eye witness story of the attack, directed against the Armenian population.
 The slaughter of men, women and children was horrible, she said, and the pillage of houses barbaric. In one Armenian church 2,5O0 persons were killed-only 22 surviving the attack on it-she said.
 Of a fleeing column of 5000 Arme- nians, mostly women and children driven from the besieged city, Dr. Ell liott said only 2,2OO reached their ob- jective, Islahie, but 75 miles away.
 "The whole three weeks of the siege the firing from housetops and windows never ceased" she said. ''The Turks fired many buildings all over the town, and from our windows we could see columns of smoke rising first from one part of the city and then another, every hour of the day and night
 The largest Armenian church at first sheltered some 2,500 Armenians of the better class, shop keepers, bus1- ness men and merchants and their families But the Turks finally fired the church and forced them out. Only 22 of them escaped with their lives.
 "A communication trench was dug from French headquarters to the hos pital by which the French wounded were brought in to us. They were all Senegalese and Moroccans. The Sen egalese blacks suffered frightfully from the cold. We had 900 cases of wounded and frozen feet mostly frozen feet.
 "All over town, the Armenians would gather in the nearest churches for pro- lection, largely because by being con. centrated they were in greater force, and also because the church buildings are of stone, and surrounded by high walls, and thus made the best means of defense. It wasn't possible to live day in private house, as the Turks would fire the house and drive the in- habitants out, killing them as they ran for shelter. We could see that going on everywhere.
 There were about 5000 Armenians who joined the column and tried to make the march over the mountains to Islahie, 75 miles from Marash, when the French troops evacuated the city
 There was no food for anyone, and only few carts. Practically every body had to walk the whole way.
 Tt was a ghastly, incredible night mare. The worst blizzard that Marash had ever known caught us.
 Most of the fugitives were women and children The men stayed behind to fight and cover our retreat.
 They died like flies. Every 50 yards or so someone would drop in the snow There was no use trying to do anything. It was all anybody could do to keep going.
 we had to cross many streams, which were frozen at first, but the ice was broken by the French trains and artillery, and when we came along we had to wade in the icy water and then walk on in the snow I saw the French general in command wading the streams on foot.
 "Out of the 5000 who started only 2,2O0 ever got there.
 Mrs Mabel Power of North Hero, Vt, and Miss Helen ShultZ of Read ing, Pa., who came out with me, went to Adana in a French hospital train"