TURKISH ATROCITIES

"The Red Sultan," The Illustrated Century, Nov. 17, 1885. Press coverage during the Armenian genocide: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_coverage_during_the_Armenian_Genocide

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, November 17, 1894.

TURKISH ATROCITIES.

SLAUGHTER OF HELPLESS WOMEN AND INNOCENT BABES.

Fiendish Outrages Perpetrated on Armenians Reported In a Letter to Lord Kimberly—Helpless Women Violated by the Soldiers, Then Put to Death. Turkish Official Report Lays the Blame All on the Armenians.

   LONDON, NOV. 17.—The chairman of the the Armenian Protective association, G. Hagopian, has sent the following letter, received from an Armenian, whose name is not given because it would jeopardize his life, to the Earl of Kimberly, the secretary of state for foreign affairs. The letter is accompanied by one from Hagopian in which he says:

   "I have no reason to doubt the authority of the details. They will be borne out by fuller official reports which have been or will soon be received from the British agents in Armenia. The events reported are the re-enactment of the Bulgarian atrocities with all their most sickening details of fiendish lust and atrocious cruelty on unarmed Christians and defenseless, innocent women and children, deliberately planned and ruthlessly executed, under orders received from headquarters at Constantinople."

   Hagopian concludes with appealing that the time has come to abolish in toto the existing administration of Armenia and to replace it by another regime approved by Great Britain and the other signatories of the Treaty of Berlin and worked under their immediate supervision.

   The letter of the Armenian previously referred to is dated Bitlis, Oct. 9, and commences by saying that the chief magnate appears to be a second Nero and continues: "The so-called rebellion of the Armenians in 1893 was a got up affair for the repression of which the chief magnate got a decoration.

   "This year the Kurds carried off Armenian oxen and the Armenians' appeal for their restoration was refused. A fight ensued, two Kurds were killed and three were wounded.

   "The Kurds immediately carried their dead before the governor, declaring that the Armenian soldiers had overrun the land killing and plundering the Kurds.

   "This furnished a pretext for massing the troops from far and near. The troops were commanded by a pasha and a marshal and were hurried to the district.

   "The pasha is said to have hung from his breast, after reading it to his soldiers, an order from Constantinople to cut the Armenians up, root and branch, and adjuring them to do so if they loved their king and government.

   "Nearly all these things were related here and there by soldiers who took part in the horrible carnage. Some of them weeping, claim that the Kurds did more and declare that they only obeyed the orders of others.

   "It is said that 100 fell to each of them to dispose of. No compassion was shown to age or sex, even by the regular soldiers, not even when the victims fell suppliant at their feet.

   "Six to ten thousand persons met such a fate as even the darkest ages of darkened Africa hardly witnessed, for there women and tender babes might at least have had a chance of a life of slavery, while here womanhood and innocency were but a mockery before the cruel lust that ended its debauch by stabbing women to death with the bayonet, while tender babes were impaled with the same weapon on their dead mother's breasts, or perhaps seized by the hair to have their heads lopped off with the sword.

   "In one place 300 or 400 women, after being forced to serve vile purposes by the merciless soldiery, were hacked to pieces by sword and bayonet in the valley below.

   "In another place some 200 weeping and wailing women begged for compassion, falling at the commander's feet, but the bloodthirsty wretch, after ordering their violation, directed his soldiers to dispatch them in a similar way.

   "In another place some 60 young brides and the more attractive girls were crowded into a church and after violation were slaughtered and human gore was seen flowing from the church door.

   "At another place still a larger company under the lead of their priest fell down before them, begging for compassion, pleading that they had nothing to do with the culprits. But all to no purpose. All were called to another place and the proposal was made to several of the more attractive women to change their faith in case their lives were to be spared. They said: 'Why should we deny Christ? We are no more than these,' pointing to the mangled forms of their husbands and brothers. 'Kill us, too.' And they did so.

   "A great effort was made to save one beauty, but three or four quarreled over her and she sank down like her sisters.

   "But why prolong the sickening tale? There must be a God in Heaven who will do right in all these matters or some of us would lose faith. One or more consuls have been ordered that way to investigate the matter. If the Christians instead of the Turks reported these things in the city of Bitlis and the region where I have been touring, the case would be different. But now we are compelled to believe most of it. The magnates are having papers circulated and arc trying to compel the Christians to sign them expressing satisfaction that justice has been dealt to the rebels and thanking the king and the chief magnate himself.

   "The Christians of Bitlis will not sign, though it is said that in some of the outlying districts some of the Christians have signed.

   "The circulars have not yet been offered to Protestants and as yet the Protestants have not been thrust into chains or blackmailed very much. Though lately things are beginning to look that way."

   Another letter says that some of the regular soldiers themselves admit that they killed 100 persons each in a fiendish manner and that rape was followed by the bayonet.

   Twenty or thirty Armenian villages it would seem have been wholly destroyed and some persons were burned to death in their own houses.

   A dispatch from Varna, Bulgaria, says that despite the Turkish government's silence the facts have oozed out, which leaves no doubt that a massacre of Christians has occurred on as important a scale as the butchery at Batak, Bulgaria, which sent a [chrill] of horror through the civilized world. The troubles began with the Armenians refusing to pay taxes, on the plea, probably well founded, that the frequent Kurdish raids had impoverished them. A few troops who were sent to collect the taxes were beaten. In the meantime the governor of Bitlis, Asiatic Turkey, reported to the porte that a serious revolt had broken out and obtained permission to send all obtainable troops to the scene.

   Marshal Zeki Pasha, commander of the Fourth army corps stationed at Ersingen, was ordered to proceed thither and direct operations. Before this imposing array of regulars the Armenians quietly submitted.

   Now comes the horrible part of the story. The governor of Bitlis resolved to make an example in order to prevent a repetition of the revolt. He ordered the troops to fire upon the defenseless people. The order was executed with alacrity. The soldiers only rested from their labors when 25 villages were destroyed and thousands of their inhabitants were killed.

   Mr. Hallward, the British consul at Van, proceeded to the scene, and later reported to the British ambassador at Constantinople, who protested to the porte.

   The sultan expressed horror at the crime and ordered an immediate report from Marshal Zeki, which appears to have seriously involved the governor of Bitlis.

   The latter, in self defense and as a means of obtaining revenge, has formulated the grave charge against Mr. Hallward of having incited the Armenians to revolt.

   This matter is now being investigated by British officials on the spot.

   A St. Petersburg dispatch says that advices received there from Tiflis are to the effect that Turkey is avenging its defeats around Sassun on the peasants of the Shatakh district.

   Marshal Zeki, it is added, has raided 11 villages and sent 150 of their inhabitants of both sexes, loaded with chains, to prison at Mush.

   Mr. Hallward, the British consul at Van, has arrived to investigate, but the police prevent the peasantry having access to him.

Official Report of the Affair.

   CONSTANTINOPLE, NOV. 17.—The following official account of the Armenian troubles has been issued:

   Some Armenian brigands, provided with arms of foreign origin, joined an insurgent Kurd tribe for the purpose of committing excesses. They burned and devastated several Mussulman villages.

   As an instance of the ferocity of the Armenians, it is reported that they burned alive a Mussulman notable.

   Regular troops were sent to the scene in order to protect peaceable inhabitants against these depredations.

   The Ottoman troops not only protected and respected the submissive portion of the population and the women and children, but they re-established order and tranquility.

   It is not true that the Kurds seized the furniture, effects and cattle of the fugitive Armenians. The latter took their effects to the mountains before revolting.

   The Armenian women at present with the Kurds belong to the families of the brigands and went of their accord with their husbands to the insurgent Kurds.

   Respecting the villages alleged to have been destroyed, it was the Armenians who carried off all their belongings before becoming brigands.

A FATAL KNOCK OUT.

Fitzsimmons Strikes Riordan a Terrible Blow.

   At H. R. Jacob's opera house in Syracuse last night in a sparring exhibition between Robert Fitzsimmons and Con Riordan in the first round the former struck the latter a blow which resulted in death.

   The blow was a right hander and caught Riordan square on the chin. He did not fall to the floor from the force of the blow, but sank slowly until he measured his length on the stage. The unconscious man was borne into the rings and Drs. Bond and Fay worked over him until 3:30 o'clock this morning. He never once stirred after be fell or gave signs of life except for his ability to swallow a stimulant at first and his labored breathing which grew fainter and fainter.

   At 2:15 o'clock Fitzsimmons was arrested. The case will go to the grand jury and doubtless Fitzsimmons will be indicted for manslaughter.

   It is claimed and is also denied that Riordan had been drinking last night and was under the influence of liquor when he went upon the stage.

   Dr. Fred S. Fay was the first physician on the scene and he said that in his opinion the death was caused by apoplexy and not by a blow. He had heard that the dead man had been drinking for some time and he certainly showed it. "All who saw the blow," said Dr. Fay, "say that it was really only a slap."

DWELLING HOUSE BURNED.

RESIDENCE OF ALBERT SMITH, 84 PORT WATSON ST.

Fire Believed to Have Started from a Stove—Loss About $5,000—Insurance $4,000—Some Narrow Escapes.

   The first bad fire that has occurred in Cortland for some time broke out shortly after midnight last night in the home of Mr. Albert Smith, 84 Port Watson-st. Mr. Smith and his son, Mr. D. D. Smith, slept upstairs. Mrs. Smith occupied a bedroom on the first floor. Both gentlemen were awakened by the smoke and the crackling sound. Mr. D. D. Smith rushed downstairs, where the smoke was very dense. He made his way at once to his mother's room and found her still in bed and partially overcome by smoke. He wrapped a quilt around her and carried her to the home of Mr. A. J. McSweeney next door.

   Mr. Albert Smith also started out, but thought of Mrs. Smith's $350 seal skin sack. In endeavoring to find it he was so far overcome with smoke that he fell down stairs. He managed, however, to reach the open air, which had a beneficial effect upon him.

   Miss Grace K. Duffey, older daughter of Mr. Hugh Dufley, whose house adjoins Mr. Smith's on the west, was in her room on the east side of the house facing Mr. Smith's. She was awakened by a crackling noise and looked out of her window, where she saw smoke arising from Mr. Smith's house. She was not then quite sure that the house was on fire and called her parents. When they reached Miss Duffey's room the interior of Mr. Smith's house appeared to be all in flames. Mr. Edwin Duffey rushed down stairs without dressing and together with his father cried "Fire." Miss Duffey quickly dressed and hurried to the street and endeavored to find a key to one of the fire alarm boxes.

   Over on the Normal school grounds Mr. Fay Millen was walking toward home when he heard the cry of fire. He ran toward the shouts on Port Watson-st. and found where the fire was located. He hurried down to the corner of Port Watson and Pendleton-sts., and pulled alarm box 414. He says when he passed the Smith house on his way down to the alarm box the fire seemed to be in the wing of the house only. When he got back after pulling the box the whole inside of the house was a sea of flames.

   In the meantime Mr. D. D. Smith had rushed to Fireman's hall and given the alarm. The ringing at Fireman's hall struck into the ringing of the box and not a very clear alarm was given.  The department, however, located the fire at once. Orris Hose company reached the burning house first and had first water. The whole department, however, responded quickly, and the brave firemen were soon fighting the flames with great energy. The fire had got a considerable start before an alarm was sounded and other circumstances made it very difficult work for them to gain and hold control of the flames.

   The finishing of the house was all in seasoned pine. This had been painted, grained and varnished nearly every year, so that it furnished good food for the hungry flames.

   When first discovered the fire appeared to be confined to the summer kitchen and diningroom. Its origin is a mystery. The supposition is that it either caught from the kitchen stove in which wood was burned or from the coal stove in the diningroom.

   At about the time that the firemen were gaining control of the flames fire was discovered in the barn. As the wind was in the east and not the south and the barn doors were closed this looked mysterious. The fire was in the cutter on the ground floor. The cutter was drawn out and the flames, which had not gained any headway, were quickly extinguished. What appeared to be a towel, two burlap bags and a piece of black cloth were on fire. Considerable of the property taken from the house was carried to the barn for safe keeping and it is supposed that these articles were partly on fire when carried out there and that this fact was not noticed. It nearly resulted in another fire.

   The firemen left the house at about 3 o'clock thinking that the fire was all out. At about 4 o'clock Mr. Edwin Duffey discovered that the fire had broken out again in the rear of the house. Frank A. Bickford, superintendent of the fire alarm system had been examining some of the boxes and as he rode past Mr. Duffey called his attention to the fresh outbreak. Instead of ringing in an alarm Mr. Bickford rode his wheel to the Hitchcock hose house and the company promptly responded, extinguished the flames and watched the building till daylight.

   The roof and garret floor were so close together that it made it very difficult to fight the flames. The firemen did gallant work throughout and are deserving of a great deal of commendation.

   Mr. McSweeney and Mr. Duffey's houses were both blistered from the heat, but luckily neither caught fire.

   The house was completely gutted and is not worth the time it would take to tear it down. Mr. Smith's fine furniture and carpets were totally destroyed. Mr. D. D. Smith estimated the loss at $5,000.

   The insurance, amounting to $4,000 is held by Mr. Theodore Stevenson and is divided as follows: Commercial Union Assurance Co. of London, Eng., $1,750 on the house and $250 on the furniture; Westchester Fire Insurance Co. of New York $1,750 on the house and $250 on the furniture.

   Among the most noteworthy acts of the firemen last evening was that of Mr. A. B. [Filsinger], who risked his life to save the $350 sealskin sack belonging to Mrs. Smith.

WHAT IS YOUR INCOME?

Some Feature of the Law Which Goes Into Effect January 1.

   On the 1st of January next the income tax law goes into effect. A person with a yearly income of $4,000 or below is exempted from taxation. An income of more than $4,000 is assessed two per cent upon the amount in excess of $4,000. A person having an income of $5,000 must therefore pay an annual tax of $20 which is two per cent of $1,000, on an income of $6,000, $40, and on an income of $7,000, $60. This tax will be collected in this district by Internal Revenue Officer William A. Beach of Syracuse. Every person of lawful age, having a taxable income of over $3,500 for the taxable year, is obliged to render a list or return of his income on or before January 1, as directed. The tax must be paid on or before July 1 of each year.

   Every corporation, company or association doing business for profit must make and render to the collector of its collection district, on or before the first Monday of March in every year, beginning with the year 1895, a full return, verified by oath or affirmation, in such form as the commissioner of internal revenue may prescribe, of all the following matters for the whole calendar year last preceding the date of such return:

   First—The gross profits of such corporation, company or association, from all kinds of business of every name and nature.

   Second—The expenses of such corporation, company or association, exclusive of interest, annuities and dividends.

   Third—The net profits of such corporation, company or association, without allowance for interest, annuities or dividends.

   Fourth—The amount paid on account of interest, annuities and dividends, stated separately.

   Fifth—The amount paid in salaries of $4,000 or less to each person employed.

   Sixth—The amount paid in salaries of more than $4,000 to each person employed, and the name and address of such persons, and the amount paid each.

   In case a person, having a taxable income, neglects or refuses to render such list or return, or renders a false or fraudulent list or returns, the internal revenue collector or his deputy is expected to make an estimate of the person's means, according to the best information he can obtain, or by the examination of the person, or by other evidence. And he is also authorized to add 50 per cent as a penalty to the amount of the tax due. In cases of willfully false and fraudulent returns, the collector can add 100 per cent as a penalty.

   In case the collector or deputy collector believes that the corporation, company or association has not made a true statement, upon making affidavit of the same, he can order the books of the corporation, company or association examined, and in case there is a refusal to permit the books to be examined the collector can estimate the income as nearly as possible from the facts in his possession and add fifty per cent thereto.

Failed to File a Statement.

   All of the candidates at the recent election except two filed their statements of election expenses prior to last night when the time expired. These two are Dr. D. K. Allen and John White. The failure to file the statement is a misdemeanor under Section 41 W of the Penal Code of the state of New York. The penalty is forfeiture of office, if the candidate is elected, and the usual misdemeanor penalty. This is a fine of not to exceed $50 or six months' imprisonment, or both, if the action is brought in a court of special sessions; or a fine not to exceed $500 or one year's imprisonment, or both, if the action is brought in a court of record.

  

BREVITIES.

   —A vagrant obtained lodging last night at the court house.

   —E. W. Bates, the grocer, was to-day connected with the telephone exchange.

   —Dr. H. A. Cordo will preach in Memorial Baptist chapel [Tompkins Street] Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock.

   —Mr. Jared Chaddock will lead the prayer-meeting at Good Templars' hall Sunday at 3 P. M. Everybody is invited.

   —The Woman's Relief Corps will serve samp and milk at G, A. R. hall Monday evening from 5 to 8 o'clock. The public are cordially invited.

   —Lincoln lodge, I. O. G. T., will hold a sociable at the home of Mr. A. G. Klotten, 120 Tompkins-st., Monday evening. All members and friends of temperance are invited.

   —The milk inspectors swooped down upon Ithaca this morning and tested the stock of many vendors. All the milk in one dealer's wagon was thrown into Six Mile creek.—Ithaca Journal, Friday.

   —The funeral of Barber J. Bentley, who died November 16, aged 40 years, will be held from the residence of his brother in Groton City at 10 A. M. to-morrow. The remains will be taken to McGrawville for burial.

   —Owing to a break of the gas main on Argyle Place yesterday the gas was turned off at about 9:30 o'clock last night, as the gas could not be made fast enough to supply the demand. The main has been repaired and no further difficulty is anticipated. The gas company wish to apologize to the consumers for the inconvenience caused.

   —William Sever has settled with the Cortland merchant, who had him arrested for getting goods under false pretenses and was discharged. He was rearrested on a warrant sworn out by Frank J. Burns charging him with defrauding him out of a twenty-dollar board bill. The examination was adjourned this afternoon till Wednesday, November 21 at 2 P. M.

   —A few days since two large, ripe pumpkins were left at the house of W. R. Curtis, 66 Maple-ave. by a person thus far unknown. Mr. Curtis believes this to have been the work of some modest free trader, and is willing to relax his protection principles so far as to receive any income of this character, whether it be free cabbage or pumpkins. It is certainly a form of free trade which is open to no objection, and which, if generally practiced, is calculated to mitigate the severity of Democratic hard times.