The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-09-21
$50 RESCUED BY
BAY STATE GIRL
Miss Christie of Springfield Led Orphans
Through Lines of Turks-HerOic
Americans.

ATHENS. Sept. 21.-Au accounts of
! the resuce work at Smyrna during its
terrible experiences from fire. plllage
and massacre, are pillng up evidences of
the notable part played by Americans
in those saving labOrs.
For instance. there Is the story told
by Miss Jean Christie of Springfield,
Mass, director of the American \. w.
c. A, in Smyrna. She Is now in Athens
as a refuge and speaks of her own part
in the tragedy with all modesty, vet by
Others it was declared that she had dis
played remarkable bravery and resource
fuIness.
With Miss Myrtle Nolan, also an
American, Miss Christie conducted a
school for children.
when the fire strated," she said
refugees began streaming into the city,
moaning, weeping and impl0iug for
help. | thought of the $50 Armenian
orphans in the houses and school nearby
and thought 1t best to bring them to
the \. W. {. \. When | got there, !
found the building atire and led them
through the streets to another Y. w. G..
A. The children screamed pitIfully,
fearing Turkish soldiers, who were
everywhere.
but l pleaded with them to let us pro
coed without harm, and they did so. The
scene that night was terrible. Flames.
accompanied by resounding explosions,
advanced steadily, consuming every
thing, including the \. W. c. a, and
we lost all. We were ordered to take
refuge on an American steamer. Twelve
American blueiackets escorted Us to the
waterfront. where we embarked on the
American steamer Winona. The streets
were filled with dead and dying and one
man was shot before my eyes.
Bodies were lying on the quay. The
next day ] saw the remains of a num-
Der of persons floating on the water. 1t
seems all like a nightmare For 10
days we did not take off our clothes. |
shall never forget the look of terror
those little Armenian children showed
as | led them through the streets OF
From official circles, it was learned
here that DR.. Alexander MacLachan of
Kingston, Ontario, president of the In
ternationl college at SMYRNA. and an
American sailor were stripped and
thrashnd by the so-called irregular
Turkish soldiers. The doctor was badly
injured. "a Boston dispatch Teuo~t inc
a cable from DIR. MacLachlan stated
yesterday that he and his family were
safe at Malta.)
Another American. who is entitled to
honorable mention was Cant. John NJ.
Walters of the steamer Winona, who
constituted on returning to the quay
to take off additional refugees, includ-
ing u Americans.
from the Turkish army, while its Off
GERS. as the vessel glided through the
water. pulled more refugees aboard. An
other American steamer is said to have
rescued 600 refugees and landed them
at SoloniSi. In all about 200 Americans
were brought here from the fire; of
these. $50 were of Greek origin.
Many of the refugees who arrived
here were Destitute Al the American
consulate hundreds of them- applied to
American Consul VIII l.. Lowrie for
help. Many of them asked to be, re-
natriated. Consul Louvre told them
that the American senate was consider
inc the matter.
There are some funds available here
and efforts are being made 70 nave rem
resantatives of the Near East Relief
and the American Red Cross come here
to handle the situation. Many Of the
refugees have lost fortunes and now
own only the clothes thew have on
The scenes on Greek streets today are
moprufuI. The Greeks are burying their
dead. At the railroad station long
train of Turki-h soldiers was seen, lR-
dicating that the Greeks had captured
many prisoners.