The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-03
AMERICAN GIRL BOUTS BAND
 0F BANDIT TURKS
Pathos, Admixed With Humor, Describes Experiences of
 Yankee Nurses In Heaven
 forsaken Armenian Areas
Rx Assoointed Press


 humorous experiences are described in American girls who protected the Ar menian orphanages in Kars Armenia, when the Turkish troops captured that 1 city in October last. --.s...... r--ss
 The American young women not only had to calm the panic-stricken orphans, | but to fight off Armenian refugees who lwanted to- hide in the orphanages and 1 Turkish soldiers bent on footing the l buildings One of the girls, Miss Elsie M. Kimball, of Mt. Vernon, N. Y., put to | rout a group of about 20 Turks who were attempting to steal the blankets from | the childrens beds. She attacked them with whip, and being unarmed they fled Her two companions were Miss l Cora l.. Beach of Ogdensburg, N. r.. , and Miss Frances Anderson of New i Canaan, Conn All three are workers for the near east relief which conducts | the orphanages.
 Miss Kimhall tells in her letter of the l panicky situation which existed in kars , when the Armenian defense collapsed | and word was received that the Turks were coming in Just imagine,'' she <, writes, "a great mass of 1,OOo women and children huddled together in uncon- trcllable fear, momentarly expecting to { be massacred by conquering army and with absolutely no possibility of escape from what they had every reason to be- lieve would be certain death.
 Miss IimbaIl had just managed to 1 quiet them when the Turks arrived at the door of the orphanage-three VICIOUS 4 locking soldiers. s. | "I ran to them, and explained through the interpreter that I was an American woman and this was an American or I phanage Two of the fellows, who were evidently bent on mischief started to- ward the building there the children were gathered. I snatched the arm or the other fellow and begged him to pro tect the children. Immediately he ran 1 after the two soldiers and dealt them | ferocious blows with his heavy whip and his gun. ctirsing them all the way to the gate. They were loath to go. but he | whipped them clear out of sight and 1 thanked him, for his help. Then came l more soldiers and repeated my speeches until I was about worn out, wLen along came a fine looking Turk1sn 1 officer l explained the situation to nm l and asked that Turkish guards be placed at our gates and he put two Of ms men
 on guard to police the place.
 1 '.The guards drove back all would-be 1 invaders vigorously and mercilessly with l the butts of their guns. their fists and ] the toes of their shoes. Many. of the fel- 1 flows who came through out grounds 1 from the open field in the back were | the WlldeSt lOOklnS llutNiuuaAiS tiAS 'vii'' country. could possibly produce. and be- l lieve me. it produces some mighty ev'l specimens of humanity and in generous quantities. The most treacherous or all 1 are the Kurds. the boldest and most ! bloodthirsty and most ruthless troe m 1 the near east. The Turkish guards had 1 their hands full in pushing them back. | They regarded me with great curiosity. never having seen an American.' and my l goggles interested them exceedingly "The shooting went on all day, put probably not over 800 people were killed altogether in the city and the valley. 1 Once when was standing near the gate I a shot struck within few feet Of me. l IT was the closest shave l had that day though other shots were flying all | around. A
 pIn making my rounds of the four buildings, found Turk rifiing one of l the rooms of blankets. I yelled at him to get out of here quick Heidy, ana l to my surprise he jumped through the wir dow like shot leaving his loot be- hind. I had not expected such quick ac- tion for I was alone and he was DIE burly man
 little later another Turkish soldier held up Miss Kimball at the point of his rifle and compelled her to give him a blanket.
 Cora (Miss Beaeh> was the only 1 American in one of the other orphanage buildings last night with bands of Turks iknocking at the door at intervals and prowling about for loot. One rougn
 Kurd took hold of her and said gal
 (come) put she made him gel instead
 Miss Kimball was hastily summoned
 to the orphanage on one occasion ny the announcement that lot of Turks
 were trying to drag out through the wlii- dows the blankets from the beds of the
 orphans l grabbed my whip ana
 started out for more trouble, she writes.
 sure enough there was gang of about sl Turks, one at each window. reaching
 through for blankets. I was alone. l yelled myself hoarse with heidys ana !other things and made a dramatic dash at them with my whip flourishing Tn the air. Who would have though they
 would have paid the least bit of at ltention to me. All but one of them made n getaway. some speedily, some reluc- tantly. but the one kept pulling away at the blanket while one of the person rel clung to the other end of 1t. The Turk was getting the upper hand whel gave him the lash right where ns
 ought to be lashed, and he gave up the struggle and joined his fellows over tne
 fence. That incident was the. most amus- V ing of any that occurred just to see those looters run away from woman.
 Cora had the nerve to refuse to sive iup her diamond ring to a looter whn
 came to her orphanase the first nign,; i. She just walked around his gun as cool 1 -. s.a,, ,,1ao ca and still has her ring.