Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-02
u. S. WARSH|P SENT
TOPERSUADE TURKS
Destroyer at Mersina Demands
Release Of American
Missionaries
FRANCE CONTRIBUTES AID
BY the Associated Press

Washington, July 2.--In concerted
effort TO bring about the release OF Mr.,
and Mrs. Paul Nilsson, Of Illinois. who
are held by Turkish Nationalists, an
American destroyer has been dispatched
TO Mersinn and the French authorities
are holding Turkish hostages, Admiral
Bristol, at Constantinople, reported to-
day to the State Department.
| Americans at Hadjn, in the noun
tainous region Of Cilicia, six Of whom,
according to press reports, have sur
rendered to Turkish Nationalists, were
we'll rs late as April 90. the date OF
the latest direct news from Hadjin to
Constantinople. Admiral Bristol In re-
porting this to the State Department.
said efforts were being made to secure
reliable information concerning these
Americans. 49,,
Admiral Bristols report snid the Nil
sons, who were connected with the mis-
sion school at Tarsus, passed beyond the
French lines on June If and had been
missing since then. Notwithstanding
later statements that Nilson, would be
delivered at Mersina no further lnfor =
nation had been received regarding him
or his wife up to June "a. At that time
the destroyer was dispatched to Mcr-
sina.
Admiral Bristol said vigorous repre-
sentations had been made to the proper
Turkish authorities at Constantinople
and that he was doing all he could for
the protection Of the Americans.
Constantinople. July 2.--(By A. P.)
A dispatch from Mersina under date
Of June 80 reitcrates that Paul Nilsson
and his wife, American missionaries,
who recently were captured by Turkish
bandits, were taken to Silvisk from
Tarsus. Asia Minor. but the Turkish
officials here deny any knowledge as to
where the Americans are. They prom l.
isc to investigate. however.
The American destroyer Parker has
sent an airplsne to Tarsus and Adanu.
demanding the release Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Nilsson.
All the Americans are safely out Of
Hadiin, where the Armenians were still
holding out against the Turks up to June
1S, according 10 advices received here
today. Miss Edith Cold. Of Cleveland g;
Miss Mary Super, of Narbcrth. Pa,
and Miss Katherine Bredemus. n Cana =
dian relief worker. have arrived at
Samsun. on the Black sea west of Trebi
zond. CA Constantinople dispatch on
June 30 announced that another Of the
American relief workers in Hadiin.
Miss Alice Clark. of Evanston, ILL.,, had
arrived at Samsun on her way to Con =
stantinople.)
Miss Mary Super, one Of the Ameri-
can relief workers reported safe at
Samsun. on the Black sea. comes from
Narberth, Pa. Her relatives there have
been anxious for months over her
safety. Just this week they heard from
the American Red Cross that she was
safe, but no details were available as
to her movements.
The Americans at Hadiin were cut of
from communication with the outside
world at the end Of last winter, when
they yielded their compounds to the
Turkish authorities. The last letter
received from Miss Super was datGt
just before communications closed. Her
family had received no further WORD
from her until an Associated Press dis
patch mentioned that she and Other
Americans at Hadjin were safe some
thing more than a month ago.