[Inclosure 1 in No.
725.]
Mr. Wingate to
Mr. Terrell.
Cæsarea, Turkey in Asia, December 5, 1895.
Dear Sir: There is not much to add to what
I have already written to Mr. Peet and to what Dr. Dodd has just
written.
I merely wish to emphasize the fact that Americans gave no cause
whatever for the massacre, and also to call attention to the fact
that the Government here failed to send a guard to my house until I
asked for it in person on Sunday afternoon. Repeatedly I called on
passing officers with troops for a guard. Usually the reply was that
they were forbidden to station guards at particular houses, but in
one case an officer told two of his men to remain at our door. They
remained less than ten minutes and then left. On coming to the door
they told me
[Page 1401]
that they
expected to be paid well for being deprived of their share of the
plunder. At another time I asked a soldier standing near our house
to accompany me to a neighboring house to get bread with which to
feed the crowd of hungry people who had taken refuge with me. He
refused, and I went alone. An attempt was made to beat down my house
door with an ax not five minutes after I had called on a passing
officer for a guard and been refused. Of course, after quiet was
restored ample guard was sent, and we now have six soldiers in our
house. We hear through Mr. Peet that you asked for guards to be
placed at all American residences on November 18.1 Either orders to this effect were never sent from
Constantinople or the authorities here chose to disobey them.
We are indeed grateful to you for all that you have done to secure
our safety. We know that you are doing and have done everything
possible, and I write this simply to acquaint you with the facts. As
for the massacre and destruction here, the worst descriptions of the
Sassoun affair have found their parallel here in Cæsarea, although
on a smaller scale.
I speak from personal knowledge. In regard to what the soldiers did I
had no outside evidence at the time of writing to Mr. Peet, but it
is becoming more and more evident that even they were responsible
for considerable of the killing.
* * * We still fear for Talas, but trust that the worst is over for
Cæsarea.
Hoping that this may reach you in due season,
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
725.]
Mr. Dodd to Mr.
Terrell.
Talas, Turkey, December 4, 1895.
My Dear Sir: Mr. Wingate, by this post,
wrote to Mr. Peet of the massacre in Caesarea, asking him to
communicate to you. We received your telegram of inquiry, dated on
Saturday, November 30, but not until Tuesday, December 3. We thank
you for inquiring after us, and are thankful that we can report
ourselves safe. It appears very clear that the rioters have
instructions to respect our property. We telegraphed to you
yesterday over Mr. Win gate’s signature, saying: “A large part of
the market has been plundered. The loss of life, of both men and
women, is said to be nearly 1,000. We are all safe.” Some objection
was made to receiving this telegram at the office, but they did
accept it and gave us a receipt for it.
Yesterday and the day before I went to the city with a guard to do
what I could for wounded ones, of whom I visited a number. Yesterday
the appearance of things was much better. Armenians were beginning
to venture about a little without asking for soldiers to accompany
them (to whom, of course, they had to pay heavy backsheeshes), but
the utmost fear and consternation still prevail. There are eight
regiments of troops in the city, of which it is said that five are
to leave to-morrow. On all sides it is feared that with the
departure of these troops there will be a renewal of trouble. There
is, however, no reason why three regiments should not be sufficient
to keep order if the Government really desires it.
* * * * * * *
[Page 1402]
To-day Mr. Fowle has gone to Cæsarea to learn more of the state of
affairs, and, if possible, to secure the removal of the bodies of
one family from under the ruins of their houses. No one has dared or
thought to undertake this work from Saturday till to-day
(Wednesday), ft is the family of a prominent man, Dr. Avedis
Yeretzian, the head of an independent congregation in Cæsarea, who
did not wish to be called Protestant, though working for the reform
of the old church. Himself, his wife, and eldest son were killed and
the house burned over them.
Here in Talas there is the greatest fear still. Both Monday and
Tuesday there were alarms that called all our families, and those
who have taken refuge with us, together into the schoolhouse, which
is our most defensible building. To-day the fear is deepening rather
than lessening. The Turks in market have removed all their goods
from their shops to their houses. The Greeks are hesitating what to
do. There are hardly any Armenian shops in Talas.
The Government, in the midst of all this, is pressing for money as
never before. There are poor people in arrears who can pay
absolutely nothing. There are rich people in arrears whose names are
recorded as belonging here, yet who have moved away and not been
here for years. The community has vainly tried to have the records
corrected several times. The rest of the people have paid up every
bit of their taxes and owe nothing; yet the Government refuses to
recognize any difference, and demands the lump sum from the
community. One ward may have paid up its full quota, yet still is
liable with all the rest for the whole. Five hundred liras was
demanded and paid last week. Of this a considerable amount was
borrowed on the personal signatures of leading men at rates of
interest varying from 100 to 300 per cent per year. Last night a
demand came that 300 liras more must be ready by noon to day.
Failure to comply means the taking of the leading men to prison—men
who have paid every para of their own taxes and have, to my personal
knowledge, helped many of their poorer neighbors.
* * * * * * *
Wednesday evening.—Mr. Fowle has returned from
Cæsarea. He reports that 288 bodies were buried yesterday. These
were the ones gathered up from the streets; the bodies from the
houses have not yet been collected. This would, however, indicate
that the total number will fall much below the thousand which was
mentioned in oar telegram of yesterday; yet that was the estimate
that most made, some even higher.
The feature of the fiendish work of Saturday was the carrying off of
young girls. A number of cases have come to our knowledge. In two
cases that I know of the girls have been brought back after being
abused. To-day we hear of 11 girls who have been carried to a
neighboring village, and we shall make an attempt to-morrow to
secure their release.
I hear that the post has not yet left, and I may be able to send this
Letter to-morrow.
I remain, etc.,
