ARMENIAN WOMEN PUT UP FOR AUCTION
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September 29, 1915
Refugee Tells of the Fate of Those in Turkish Hands
Speaking yesterday, his remarks being based on the authenticated data in his possession, Professor Dutton said he does not believe anything had happened in many centuries so terrible as is the studied and systematized effort on the part of a political coterie in Turkey - the Young Turks, led by Enver Pasha - to exterminate a whole race of people. The whole plan involves the wiping out of the Armenians.
Only a day or two ago, added Professor Dutton, a young girl who left Turkey on Aug 18 called here to see him. She told of the fate of the 100 girls who were attending a mission school in Anatolia. These girls, who were of course Armenians, were divided into groups and those that were the best looking in the opinion of the Turkish officers were taken over by those officers. Those considered not quite so good looking were given over to the soldiers, while those still less attractive were put up for sale to the highest bidders.
Several Americans who have been in Turkey for many years have arrived here within the last few days. They all testify to the truthfulness of the reports that have come out of Turkey concerning the treatment of the Armenians, but in every instance they beg that their names be not used for fear that what they have said will find its way back to Turkey and friends or relatives they left behind will be punished by the Turks in retaliation.
Copies of two letters, in which the writers tell of the fate that is being meted out to the Armenians, were given to The Times yesterday by a man in close touch with Armenian conditions.
In one of these letters the writer among other things says:
In Urtab, Tukh, and about twenty other Armenian villages on the lake the entire population was found to have been massacred by the Turks - not a single living soul was found in these villages, which were now given over to howling dogs, while large numbers of corpses have been washed ashore from the lake and the rivers.
These corpses, which were ascertained to be all of males, were terribly mutilated, but nothing was discovered as to the whereabouts of women and children. By sunset of July 20 the Armenians captured the heights of Kerkur. When they reached the summit the town of Bitlis presented to their disappointed gaze a sheet of flames, and they knew that the worst had happened. Some female refugees, who managed to escape the Turkish cordon, have since related the story of fiendish massacres in the town and the wholesale deportation of women and children.
To a well known minister of the Armenian Church there came out of Turkey, by some mysterious underground route, a letter which is described as of "undoubted trustworthiness" Excerpts from their letter follow:
Armenia without the Armenians - such is the plan of the Ottoman Government, which has already begun to install Moslem families in the homes and property of the Armenians. Needless to say, the deported are not allowed by the Government to take any of their belongings with them, and as there is moreover, no means of transport owing to the exigencies of the military, they are forced to cover on foot the two or three months' journey to that corner of the desert region which is destined to be their sepulchre.
2007-10-22
15:54:15
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Travel
➔ Europe (Continental)
➔ Turkey
Gunner you sound like a good skin head Turk.
2007-10-24
11:56:18 ·
update #1