THE ZEITOUN MASSACRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10599, 20 February 1896, Page 3

THE ZEITOUN MASSACRE.

The Armenians in Zeitouu, as the cable recently informed us, revolted against the cruelty of the Turks. The Turkish troops then surrounded Zsitonn, bombarded and burned the barracks, den-royed a village, and captured the guns. Tho Zeitpun survivors then retired into the almost inaccessible mountains, whore they still maintained themselves. According to the Constantinople correupor.dent of The i Times, Muotapha Pasha, who is in command of i the troops there, informs the Porte that, were 'he authorised to act, he could settle the whole | business in one hour. The Embassies having learned that an order fer the extermination of tho insurgents had been issued, the six Great Powers made another representation to the Porte in favour of the insurgents in order to prevent "further disgraceful barbarities," but no reply was received from tbe Turkish Government. The bitter cold on tbe hills, which are covered with deep snow, was, says one of the reports, surely sparing much work to tbe Sulian's troops. Indeed, ib in said that toe soldiers themselves are dying at the rate of 50 or 60 a-day. HOW THE CORPSE OF A PROTESTANT DEACON WAS TREATED. Meanwhile, detailed s reports of past outrages and massacre continue to reach tbe British Press. Professor Thourraian, for instance, communicates an account of the incidents at Amassia on November 15, when the slaughter | attending an attack of tbe Turks on the Arme,nian b«zaar ia put at 500 lives. "Assadour | MaUan, the deacon of the Protestant Church, first received a sudden heavy blow on the heed as he was trying to shut his shop in order to fly. He left his sbop aud tried to efcape, but another Turk clef- his bead with an nxe. There he fell, and the soldiers then killed him with tbeir bayonets. Tftey then attached a rope to bis feet, dragged bis body through the streets, and finally brought itto&nd left it before the door of the Protestant Church to be'buried. George Avikian, a tailor, wan caught by the soldiers at the bridge whilst fleeing, and robbed of everything. Ha was then bayoneted and flung into a , dry well, his body beiug found there after several days. Another victim was horribly j : beaten and then cut in two like a sheep. Many j underwent terrible mutilation, aud many bodies are missing, of whom some friendly Turks say i that the attacking, party attached heavy stones to them and throw them into the river, or j burned them in the furnaces of the public i Turkish baths. George Gbasabian and Jacob i Ladikiau were killed on the road from Marsovau to Amassia by the soldiers and gendarmes under whose escort tbey wore journeying. All their goods were stolen No Armenians who were in the villages came home safely. They were despatched there or on the road. Little children on their way home were caught and .divided in two. Churches, chapels, schools are all closed." The letter from which the above account is taken adds : " We are now iv a state of abject destitution—no work, no money, no shops, and very few have provisions for even a few weeks, and tbe winter is on us I " "NOT A SOLITARY MAN IN THE TOWN." From the Kara-Hl.sar district Renter has received similar details of massacre aud pillage ; it is declared that, "so far as tbe Kara-Hiusar district is concerned, 3000 to 5000 Arm&niauo have been butchered and one 'Turk killed." On passing through Tamzsra, not far distant from- Kara - Hissar, the writer «ay« that he "saw not a solitary man in the town"; there were only women, girls, and boys crying bitterly »Dd begging for bread. THE "PROTECTION" OF A " YUZ-P.ASJII." The same writer also states that " during the pillage aud massacre everything, even bedding and clothing, wag stolen from the Armenians, I and the women and girls were stripped abso- ! lutely naked." "In villages where a few Armenians are stiU alive," adds the reporter of the Kara-Hissar outrages, " such as Broussaid aud Tamzara, protection has been sent to them in the shape of soldiers, who every day malre their rfquisitiuns-for women. They go to one Armenian's house aud say, "Bring me your wife or your daughter to-night, or else we will not protect you." .-A yuz-b*shi (captain) was sent by- the new mutessarif to B'oussaid about eight days ago to protect tbe remaining inhabitants and prevent further massacres. This yuz-bsshi's name is Said Agha. The first day :of bis .arrival at the village in question be demanded that a youug girl should bo brought to him, and the terrified inhabitants could only comply with his request. He remained there two days, and on leaving told his soldiers, 50 iv number, that they could do aB they liked with the women, but thoy must cut up no more Armenians: Latterly, a mutessarif has been appointed who ia described as " a good mau." AN INTERVAL FOR PHAYKRS. An American missionary bas supplied to the Daily Chronicle an account of tbe state of affairs in Bitlia aud Sassoun which fully confirms previous despatches. The correspondent relates how " the orgy of blood and pluuder " was interrupted for a period by the arrival of the prayer-time of the Faithful, 12 o'clock .-— "After prayers the bugle sounded again, not to put a stop to tbe reign of terror, but to turn the attention of the mob to robbing the shops, which tbey did most completely."

— In ancient tiroes the cake eaten at wedding festivities was invariably made by the bride, who was thus able to show her skill in cookery. " Bride,cakes " now are rarely made by brides, but are purchased from confectioners, whose study it is to please the appetite and eye in the manufacture of these nuptial necessities.

— Asbestos towels are among the curiosities of the day. When dirty, it i» only necessary to throw them into a red-hot fire, and after a few minutes draw them out foeah and clean.