I inclose my answer to the letter of the consul-general here, which called my
attention to Mr. Jewett’s letter, and directed him to forward a copy of my
letter to Mr. Jewett.
I will call the attention of the minister of the interior to the propriety of
removing the vali as a precautionary measure to avoid future trouble.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 61.]
Mr. Jewett to
Consul-General Hess.
Consulate of the United States,
Sivas, September 2,
1893.
Sir: Permit me to call your attention and the
attention of the honorable minister Terrell to the following
statements:
It seems to me that the welfare of American interests, the interest of
foreign Christians generally residing in this province, and also the
interests of the Turkish Government, demand the immediate replacing of
the present vali, Halil Bey, by a more judicious, more honest, and less
vindictive man.
Foreign Christians are under the protection of this governor, who is not
only exciting the Armenians by his cruel, unjust, and unreasonable
conduct towards them, but he is inciting the more or less fanatical
Moslem population to believe that the foreigners are the enemies of the
empire, the cause of all the present trouble and disorder.
He claimed just before leaving for Marsovan that there are still
revolutionary teachers in the American College there.
While in Marsovan, it is credibly reported, he has continually talked to
the people as though the missionaries were directly concerned in
carrying on the seditious movement. Subordinate officers, taking their
cue from him, talk in the same way.
Recently a “Kachak” was captured at Marsovan, or near there, with a
dynamite bomb in his pocket. We are told that when the vali heard of it
he declared that those bombs were introduced by the American
missionaries.
Such talk as this is of the same sort and tone as that which preceded the
burning; of the college building last January. The ignorant, the
fanatical, and the rascally portion of the community may easily be
influenced by such opinions, expressed by the chief magistrate of the
province, to acts of violence.
At Amasia he said to the people, “Why do you do business with foreigners?
Why do you talk with them? They are the greatest enemies of the Turkish
Government.” This is like the talk which Hosref Pasha was reported to
have made at Marsovan shortly before the destruction of the college
building: “All these troubles come from the college, and there will be
no peace until it is destroyed.” It is reported I) can not say that it
is true, hut it sounds as though it might be) that when the vali
reprimanded Hosref Pasha for the trouble he had made at Marsovan last
winter. Hosref Pasha replied, “I only did what you ordered me to do,”
and the vali was forced to be silent. So prevalent has the idea become
among the Protestants that it is dangerous for them to have anything to
do with the Marsovan missionaries, that they do not show to them the
usual hospitalities when the missionaries visit their villages, and in
some cases they have requested them not to visit the village, for fear
[Page 682]
such a visit would call
down upon them the wrath of the Government. This is a serious
interference with the missionary business.
The vali seems to feel very sore over the “Marsovan incident,” and seems
determined to get even for that affair. He has blocked the issuing of
the firman by various hindrances. He claims to know nothing of any
indemnity having been paid or of any permit for rebuilding having been
promised.
The fact that Mr. Rodigas (Belgian), United States vice and deputy
consul, and the missionaries did not receive the usual invitation to the
official reception on the Sultan’s accession day, points to this
disrespect or ill feeling towards foreign residents.
The governor’s remarkable incapacity for handling the Armenian question
finds many illustrations. He prohibited the Armenians from calling on
the consul, and when he was reprimanded by the minister of the interior
for his discourtesy, he put one of the most intelligent and popular
Armenians, Dr. Karekeen, in prison because he supposed the doctor was
responsible for his having been reported. The vali has another charge
against him which, it seems to me, is probably false, upon which the
arrest was made. From letters to me from the missionaries and the German
vice-consul, as well as other letters from the relatives of the doctor,
reporting the vali’s continual bitter talk regarding this grievance
which he thinks he has against the doctor, it seems to me plain enough
that revenge is his chief motive. He said because the doctor reported
the prohibition to me he should treat him as a traitor.
The propositions which the vali has made to Dr. Melcom, teacher and one
of the board of directors of Marsovan College, is a good illustration of
his bad methods of conduct. The vali told the doctor that unless he did
these things he would put him in prison, viz:
- (1)
- He must sign a paper stating that the college property now
held in his name was not bought for the missionaries, but only
for himself.
- (2)
- He must give up his position in the college and all connection
with the missionaries.
- (3)
- He must furnish the names of some men who could be
imprisoned.
These are the propositions as reported to me by the mission. I have not
heard of his arrest yet. His nephew, Dr. Rupen, of Amasia, was
imprisoned August 22 on the charge of having some knowledge of an
assassination which occurred at Amasia a few weeks ago. Dr Rupen is a
graduate of the American College at Aintab. He spent several years
studying medicine in America, and took out his first citizenship papers,
but not his final papers.
The methods employed to detect political criminals is not conducive to
pleasant relations, and does not seem to accomplish the desired ends.
They come upon a house at night with a band of soldiers, burst in,
frighten innocent people, seize the owners of the house and put them in
prison. There, it is reported to me, they are beaten and tortured to
compel them to give some information or confess to some knowledge of the
seditious movement.
Large numbers of Armenians in Marsovan and Amasia have thus been dealt
with, I am told, but I do not know how many. August 13th the German
vice-consul wrote me, “About 70 have been put in prison,” but he does
not say in how long a time.
I judge he means in a few days. Of late, contrary to the usual custom,
women have been put in prison, and the above authority says, “tortured
and beaten.”
This is a repetition of the methods which the vali employed in working up
a case against Profs. Thoumayian, Cayayan, Preacher Mardaros, and other
innocent persons.
It maybe that the vali, instead of having an incapacity for doing good
work, has a great capacity and well-defined plan for making trouble, and
the idea, that he is acting as the agent for some party bent upon
creating disturbance in Asia Minor, finds some foundation in his recent
conduct, as in his conduct before he came here while he was vali at Van.
There, I am credibly informed, he himself instituted various troubles
and resorted to underhanded and corrupt practices with the special
intent of creating disturbances.
In either case, it seems to me important that he should be removed.
I am, etc.,
M. A. Jewett,
U. S. Consul,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 61.]
Mr. Terrell to Mr.
Hess.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, September 16,
1893.
Sir: I have received your letter dated
yesterday, inclosing, copy of a letter from M. A. Jewett, U. S. consul
at Sivas, to you, dated September 2. Since the date of his letter
information has reached me from Marsovan that the title held by the
[Page 683]
Armenian doctor had been
conveyed and the permit to rebuild the college had been issued. An order
has also gone forward to the local governor placing under his special
protection the missionary teachers. I have been assured at the Porte by
the grand vizier, that his orders would reestablish pleasant relations
between the officials and the missionaries.
I have assurances that our missionary friends will in the future be
properly treated in Marsovan. Their Armenian friends who complain of
oppression must look primarily to the great European powers, unless they
are naturalized American citizens. English consuls are always
accessible, and I prefer that a knowledge of Turkish outrages shall
reach the British embassy here through British informants.
Our missionary friends who became conspicuous in their sympathy for
Armenians (who are not United States citizens) only provoke the
resentment of the Turk and invite suspicion.
They must elect between a peaceful exercise of their professions by
abstaining from all connection with revolutionists on the one hand and
the ruin of their missionary enterprises by espousing the cause of those
who are arrested for sedition on the other.
I have served notice on the Government that acts, such as torturing the
cook to compel him to lie on American citizens and implicate them in
sedition, would not be tolerated; and that sort of thing will, I think,
occur no more; but at the same time our people should never, by their
conduct, excite suspicions which lead to such barbarities. I know the
prudence of Mr. Tracy, and these remarks are only meant to promote
increased vigilance. Please send a copy of this to Mr. Jewett.
I have etc.
