The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-22
Frank Peers, Topekan In
Turkey Tells of Terrors
Turnout That Mad Land
One Thousand Arnenians Burned Alive in One Church
Turks Escape Purgatory by Killing Christians-
Peers and Sister Are on Their Way Home.

story Of life today in Armenia IL
told graphically in a letter received this
week from Frank W Peers, Topekan
1916 BY Edwin A Menninger, OF New
York. The letter was written March
so. 1920. in Aintab. Turkey. the scene
Of the recent massarres- Since then,
Peers has gone to Beirut to join his
sister. AdeIine. and together they will
sail soon for America Peerss letter
follows;
IF could tell you half OF what
should Ike TO, I would have to move
to a country where paper Is cheaper
than it is here and where I would
have many more than twenty-four
hours Il day. You have read the
Arabian Nights; you have dreamed of
the Orient, you have pictured the
glamour of the Middle Ages; and you
have thought what fun it would be TO
set a few modern Inventions IN the
midst Of an ignorant. unknowing peo-
pie Well. all of these things have be-
come a reality to me. I sleep with my
revolver within reach and don't need
to draw simply from imagination to
visualize the most fantastic Knives.
daggers. all silver and gold inlaid IN
steel and isweled handled scabbards,
and CORY hatchet-liks tools of torture
such as Biuebeard would have used
And a shrek in the night sends nice
little chilly shiver down ones back
bone In short. I am in the midst OF
a barbaric country where might is
right, where great feudal lords nave
many wives many servants and wealth
in land. cattle Jewelry, silks and rugs
They own the little villages and the
villagers are their slaves. They can
order a. man to be put away when they
desire and they can defy the world
and do II.
No whistles Heard.
"a railroad or factory whistle was
never heard here. one never heArs
tI,a rumble of machinery or sees un-
slightly sn,oExestacks There is the hum
Of the multitude. the jargon Of foreign
Languages the tinkIe OF camel and
donkey bells, the oozed-out bawl or
the donkeys. the weird chant or the
Turks calling to prayer from plctur-
esoIre rinarets- Once in a while there
is the hum of a familiar auto, and we
know who II is. or the whir OF an air
pIane. for they have been coming iate-
". and then the city roofs swarm with
humanity. They shout and clap their
hands and don't believe that Pegasus
could have been more beautfuA or
wonderful or awe-inspiring-
Il presume the newspapers nave
bean fl1U of wild tales of this country
and particularly Of this region How
ever with ali the false reports that
have made their way to the press. none
could be more horrible than the truth.
Two Americans Massacred.
ssOuly two Americans have been
r11assacred that I know of. and they
vvera two Y NJ g. A. men. Perry and
Johnson, on their way from Aleppo to
Aintab in an auto. Two Syrtans. the
chauffeur and his brother-iu-law also
we're killed in the car All TOUR men
we're sf1amefulIy and brutally treated
/ Many Americans have had pretty close
calls. actually been shot ar-women,
too had come Up 10 Aintab about
two weeks ahead OF the car that was
attacked. together with two Of the Red
Cross girls. Ordinarily with good
roads it is a four or five hour trip II
an auto (Reo truck, but the roads
were bad. the weather cold and rainy,
and we had engine trouble Night
overlook Us before We we're much more
than half way to Aintab and. not hav-
ing lights. as they went bad. We went
back to road khan (inn) and drove
into the centraP yard These khans
are not much more than q waIled-in
area with perhaps n mud house at he
side OF or over the central door The
caravans put up at these places for the
night. camels. horses. sheep. cattle and
donkeys occupying the yard and the
/ natives crowSing into the sheltered
portion
Cave OF Ruffians.
The khan where we stayed had .