Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-12-16
VIVID PICTURES OF
TURK ATROCITIES
Eyewitness Tells of the Catas-
trOphe at Smyrna.
MASSACRE SCENE DESCRIBED

MASSACRE SCENE DESCRIBED
Archbishop Slain After His Beard Had
Been Extracted Hair by Hair
Church No Protection for Women
Who Fled There Hoping to Find
Haven Of Refuge-miIlion People
Forced into Streets BY Fre--Pil-
lage Day and Night.
An eyewitness Of the recent Smyrna
catastrophe has written the following
letter to his sister, who is member
OF the stan Of the international Ingti-
tute fr Foreign Born Women, an ac-
tive branch Of the Young WOmen's
Christian association The writer is
now destitute in PIraeus, to which
place he escaped with his children af-
ter outwitting and circumyentiug the
Turkish guard.
"From the very first day of the
Turkish offensive at Axiom Kara-hissar
/ had a remote idea hat the Greeks
would not be able to keep the lines
of the front unbr0ken. Nevertheless
/ never imagined that my terrible fore
holdings would be realized 50 soon.
Only five days passed and the Turks,
unrestraned and not finding the least
obstacle in their way, descended on
the city Of smyrna No one expected
II as the official announcements Of the
Greek army Of Asia Minor issued false
reports TO quiet the population. only
the wounded who daily were carried
from the front told Of our hopeless
condition there
what happened at the city OF
Smyrna no human mind can conceive.
From the very first days Of the often
siye the refugees started rushing TO
the city Of Smyrna. fleeing in terror
before the sword Of the barbarous and
fanatlcal executioner. Women half
naked, refugees. children and old men
running terrorstricken through the
streets.
Forerunner Of Calamity.
II, influenced by this panlc.stricken
exodus, decided to send my wife and
children 10 Greece on boat tmt was
going TO take the employees II the
Bank of Athens from smyrna
thought best 10 leave our most elu-
.t.t. tt,{r... la tg. I,.,,,g. e ,,,,, ,,,t D.
erin-law for safety | left nay home
carrying few necessary things Alas
my beautiful dear home Ii was de
creed that | should not see Il any
more. We 20 on to kria Nrlssl when
turning 10 Basmahane tThe Turkish
quarter). | see It all red with fezes
The sight was an uminous one and
knew IL was the forerunner Of CalHm
ty We walk 10 the HiOtikO Han 10
reach the quay. when | hear the loud
whistles Of the boats which were nj
the port whistling In honor of the en-
trance of the Turk into the city Of
smyrna. AT the Maltese quarter
see two Turks running with bare
swords. 'korkma' Cdon't be afrald)
they tell us. The occupation took
place at eleven In the morning and
found myself with my wife and babies
IN the very midst of It. We ran to the
Bunk OF Athens, which was under
French protection. where we stay Tn
der the windows Of the bank is the
great Beriyoo (note walled square
with the church In the centerl of the
Metropole Agla Photini. where were
sheltered nearly three thousand ref
ugees from the different parts Of the
Interior
III is about 30 p. m when from
the window Of the bank see three
Turks on horseback with naked swords
shouting 'korkmainis, its y0k' (dont
he afraid it is nothng) In the mean.
time one ut the newspapers issued a
proclamation " Renal By which he
threatened with penalty Of death any
one who would touch the Christians
II was the first snare spread out for
the poor Christians Armed with Il
ttIA h4 i4if presentation iASh sblilE
oui 90 see what has become of father
/ drd him well, and at 30 l turn TO
20 buek to the bank ON the way
notice suspicious movement Of
groups Of Turks armed 20 the teeth
Passing through Meeales Taverues
see that the Turkish soldiers have
blockaded the whole quarter. break.
ing ANA looting the SHOPS They notice
me and rush for me lake refuge in
santa Maria Utaliap 8tGrdraD
CITY Like Desert.
'rhe city is like DESERT Na6p
shops are closed In the mygu i
many families, harefootea N..a
bleeding. with hair blaWlug Ae
wind. rush III ana beg THE n1....t.a ,.
OF Santa Maria, The Work o5 E..a.,.
massacre and Outrage had ~.r#8.
OH terror agony desperation Isl.
one nun VAS left in Al Hol>l4H.H.
Mortakia and Agia ParasNe, a#,.
Greek uuartersl Groups q Iaes-
yelling. start from Basmahant tu &
A,,.s.,-. 5....