Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-11-07
HORROS OF SYMRNA'S SACK
TOLD BY AMERICAN WOMAN
(By United Press.)

New York, Nov. Collapse of the
Greek army in the Near East was due
to the propaganda of the Greek Off
GERS, is the belief of Mrs. c. Caldwell,
wife of an American professor OF
mathematics at International College
near Smyrna, the first woman to re-
turn to this country from the war
zone.
Mrs. Caldwell, who has lived i'll TIE
Near East nearly twenty years, wit
messed the sack of Smyrna before
seeking safety on steamer. Her hus'
band is still there. =.
"Soup was about all the Greek SOL
diers had to live on" she said. "They
were practically starved with thin ra-
tions. When the officers would come
ont and say, You have been lighting
since the Balkan war; why don't you
90 home?' thus discouraging them"
The American College, located at
Paradise, four miles from the city,
offered shelter to many of the re1u-
gees One cripple told Mrs. Caldwell
he had walken ten days to get away
from the Turks and had had nothing
but, grass to eat.
For security seventeen American
marines were stationed at the schooi
and a machine gun was placed on the
roof and another in the main corridor
Refugees had been coming through the
city for days and on September q, ar
rived packed in box cars. The Amer
lean colony organized a relief commit
tee to give aid as the Greeks began to
evacuate and terrified refugees crowd
ed the quay. The advance guard OF
the Kemalists, the "chetties" or brig
ands. came ahead of the Turks, follow
ed on September 8, by the regulars
Killed at College Door.
shooting increased in the streets,
said Mrs. Caldwell, and refugees
poured into the college badly fright
ened. From the roof we could see the
Turks firing and torturing people.
That day at least dozen were Killed
at the college door. The Turks had
no respect for the American flag over
the settlement house and looted the
building. They discussed whether or
not to kill DR.. Mclaughlin, head Oh
the college, but he went out and grab
bed a bayonet from one of them and
they left him alone.
Sunday night the big Greek army
evacuated and on Monday night we
saw from the roof the red glow from
villages in the country burning. Clyl-
liam Turks were looting houses IN the
CITY. Tuesday we appealed to the Turk
jsh army for protection and were sent
company of brigands, who went
about their looting uninterrupted Gy
their protective duties"
The next day, according to the story
the American consul ordered all wom-
en- moved to Athens and they were es-
corted first in automobiles to a the
alter. The automobiles passed near
and over piles Of dead bodies.
"The Turks think nothing OF carving
a piece of flesh from a person" Mrs.
Caldwell continued. "They slit the sin-
gers OF one man, gouged out his Eyes
and led him about the streets. There
is no horror they will not vermit.
81 tried to find some poison to carry
for myself and two children in case
worst came to worst. That would
have been better than torture
Americans Aided.
The American teachers at the Girls
College in Smyrna also aided many
refugees. Mrs. Caldwell said Turks
set fire to the buildings all around,
While the teachers remained inside,
nourinq water on the window shutters
in hopes of keeping out the flames.
When it looked hoveless they open
ad the doors. whereupon the Turks
commenced TO shoot Others entered
the building, where many reluctant
refugees remained, and brought in
sacks of bombs" Mrs. Caldwell con-
aTbe Turkish and Jewish quarters
in SMYRNA are practically untouched,
hut the Greek and Armenian sections,
comprising more than half of the
civ are in ruins. When we left 1t was
estimated there were between 20O,OUO
and 100000 refugees on the quay.
The Americans tried to take some or
them away. The Turks caught one OF
orr barees with 800 aboard, soaked 1t
with parafine and set fire to the peo-
pie. 4o,.o, sofe-
~ to the islands are not much oct
ter off as they had no food and many
mnst have died from hunger by now.