The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1895-03-16 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE TROUBLES IN ARMENIA. IMPORTANT WITNESSES AT KARS.  An Odessa correspondent hears from Kars that. several very important witnesses of the Sassoun tragedies, who have taken refuge in Russian territory, are preparing to make their way to Moush to offer evidence to the International Commission. The heavy snow in the passes of the Devi Bojun mountains, and the difficult and dangeruns nature of the roads, as well as dread of the consequences to them that might follow on any revelation of acts of barbarity which they may have witnessed, have hitherto kept these Armenian villagers in Russian territory. A trustworthy traveller from Erziugham has given an occasional correspondent at Constantinople the following as the particulars of the incident which led to twenty-four Armenians being sentenced to death. A young Armenian named Arkanian having got into difficulties at Armoudan, and being suspected by the police, was advised by what he took to be a friendly letter from a Turk to take to the mountains, and to remain in hiding until the troublous time passed away. The Turkish version is that he wished to unite the Kizil-bash Kurds, who occupy a district south of Erzingham with the Armenians occupying the territory to the west of that town; and for that purpose was in communication with a revolutionist at Moush. The traveller; who knows the country well, states that this version is intrinsically improbable, since the Armenians in question were under the protection of a Kurdish chief, a certain Tahir, to whom they paid blackmail, end with whose protection and terms they were sufficiently well content. Whichever version is credited as a fact the young Armenian flew to the mountains. He did not rob, and the stories put forward by the Turks of his having led a band of brigands which attacked the peasants is stated to be pure invention. He was merely in hiding ; but he was joined by other Armenians who wanted to keep out of the way of the troubles which had already commenced. Their whereabouts, however, became known. Soldiers were sent after them. They were captured in a cave, loaded with chains, and sent to Ezingham. In December last they wore tried, together with other Armenians who had been gathered up, and who were alleged to have been noting with them in insurrection against the Government. Sixty were seized, but of these five died in the filthy torture houses of Turkish prisons. Fifty-five were found guilty, of whom 24 were sentenced to death, five to imprisonment for life, and the r,mainder to various terms of imprisonment. An attempt was made to connect these men with the murder of a Turkish official named Omer, but as this murder occurred 50 miles away the connection is not credited by independent observers on the spot. Reuter telegraphs from Tills :—An address to Mr. Gladstone has been drawn up, and is being extensively signed by Armenians throughout the Caucasus. After quoting the parable of the Good Samaritan, it proceeds: We retnemb(red this allegory of our Heavenly Teacher after having read your powerful speech delivered at Hawarden in defence of the Armenian people who had lived under Ttukish rule and have suffered for many, yea, many hundreds, of years in the name of Christianity from the barbarious tyranny of Turks and Kurds. To the Armenian people, as in the case of that helpless and abandoned wounded man, you, oh! true-hearted and Christian and great Englishman, have extended from a distant country the hand of clemency and humanity, The hearts of all Armenians in every part of .the world bless your name, and shall bless it as long as they beat. We presume to present to you, sir, as a humble expression of our unbounded gratitude, a very ancient Armenian copy of the Gospels, the eternal source of active love and truth which fill your heart. An address is also being signed for presentation to Mr. Stevenson, M.P.