SX 

Massacres 

and the Catholic 

Missionaries 

Adana 

S o c i e t y for the P r o p a g a t i o n 
of the F a i t h , 

627 L e x i n g t o n A v e . , 
N e w Y o r k C i t y 



• 



A & I 0 2 . H 

T H E ADANA MASSACRES 
AND THE CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES 





T H E 

A D A N A M A S S A C R E S 
J\-phi t_ ' 

A N D T H E 

Catholic Missionaries 

ACCOUNT OF E Y E - W I T N E S S E S 

Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring' 
the needy and the harbourless into thy 
house: when thou shalt see one nakedr 
cover him, and despise not thy own 
flesh. 

(Isa. lviii. 7.) 

P R E S S OF T H È 

S O C I E T Y F O R T H E P R O P A G A T I O N OF T H É F A I T H , 

6 2 7 L E X I N G T O N A V E . , N E W Y O R K C I T Y . 

/ f'o 





P R E F A C E 

Some may be surprised perhaps at our making a new appeal 
to their chanty on behalf of the victims of Adana. It is 
now almost a year since those heart-rending events took place. 
Since then, generous assistance has come from different parts of 
the world, and we now thank, in the name of the Armenian 
population of Cilicia, those who, by their alms, have kept these 
poor people from starving. 

However, the town of Adana is not wne of those powerful 
cities,—such as we have seen in recent years—that can rise again 
promptly and unaided after a cataclysm. The inhabitants of the 
town and of the surrounding district have been completely ruined. 
The care taken by the assailants to bum after having pillaged and 
massacred (statistics show that at Adana 1,075 houses or shops 
have been burned: in the whole district 4,823), the fact of their 
having killed nearly all the able-bodied men, has caused the direst 
misery amongst a numerous population composed of women,, 
children, and decrepit old men. How are these poor unfortunate 
people to build up their ruins, or find means of earning their 
subsistence? They have no money, there is no work for them, 
misery stares them in the face. 

Up to the present, they have been kept alive by chanty. 
During the fine weather their needs were few, they slept in tents, 
in wooden huts, or even under the shelter of trees. Then winter 
came with its heavy rains and its long nights, that are cold even 
in Cilicia. A few houses, it is true, had been repaired, but by far 
the greater part were just as the fire had left them. 



Here is a description of the winter at A dana ; it was written 
by one of the Jesuit missionaries: " The bad weather and 
the cold have set in. From Jhe whole countryside poor, ruined, 
decimated families are coming into Adana, which has only its 
blackened ruins in which to receive them. The sight of these 
poor people huddled together in squalid holes is touching. In 
a courtyard of not twenty square yards I counted sixty persons. 
There they were on the bare ground, they had not even one of 
those mats that used to be found even in the poorest houses. 
Their roof was a dilapidated terrace, through which the rain 
passed as through a sieve. Poor things, they would be better 
off in an open field, there at least they would not have any mouldy 
walls, and the air they breathed would be purer. In the districts 
ravaged by the fire you see crouching shadows under a low and 
blackened roof, so low that it escaped the fire: there throughout the 
cold days of winter they shiver, and wait for the fine weather to 
come back again." 

We must remember, too, that Adana is not the only town that 
has been devastated; in Tarsous, Hamidie, Osmanie, Hadjin, Sis, 
Baghtche, Durt Yol, famine is raging. The whole district of 
Djebeli Bereket is in sore straits too. 

It is in behalf of the works of charity established by the 
Catholic Missionaries, that we now appeal to the generosity of 
American Catholics. In the general summary which precedes the 
recital of the massacres, will be found a detailed account of the 
Catholic charitable works at A dana. 

J O S E P H F R E R I , 

D i r e c t o r G e n e r a l , 
S o c i e t y for the P r o p a g a t i o n of t h e F a i t h . 



Meaning of some of the Turkish words used in this 

narrative. 

V A L I ': G o v e r n o r . 
ICONAK : P a l a c e of t h e G o v e r n o r , a n d s e a t of t h e m u n i c i p a l i t y . 
IMAM: M u s s u l m a n p r i e s t . 
REDIF : S o l d i e r s of t h e R e s e r v e . 
BACHI-BOUZOUKS : ( l i t e r a l l y , bad heads) a b o d y of T u r k i s h i r r e g u l a r 

s o l d i e r y , r a i s e d in c a s e of n a t i o n a l p e r i l . 
FELLAH : a p e a s a n t . 
•GIAOUR : i n f i d e l ; an e x p r e s s i o n of g r e a t c o n t e m p t w h e n a p p l i e d 

to C h r i s t i a n s . 





GENERAL SUMMARY OF 
THE MASSACRES. 

THE LOSSES AND NEEDS. 

I T w a s in t h e t o w n of A d a n a t h a t t h e m a s s a c r e s w e r e 
c a r r i e d out w i t h t h e g r e a t e s t v i o l e n c e . T h e f o l l o w i n g i s 
t h e n u m b e r of C h r i s t i a n s killed b y the M u s s u l m a n s , accord-
i n g to the official statistics p u b l i s h e d in t h e Stamboul, 
A u g u s t 13th. I t is i m p o s s i b l e to h a v e t h e e x a c t n u m b e r . 
H o w e v e r , o u r list s h o w s f a i r l y a c c u r a t e l y t h e p r o p o r t i o n 
of the losses s u s t a i n e d b y t h e different e l e m e n t s of t h e 
p o p u l a t i o n . 

Women. Men. Total. 
A r m e n i a n s ( G r e g o r i a n s ) 226 1545 1 7 7 1 

3 ' V j o 1 7 3 „ ( C a t h o l i c s ) 
„ ( P r o t e s t a n t s ) 

G r e e k s 
C h a l d e a n s 
S y r i a n s ( C a t h o l i c s ) . 

I 32 33 
7 I 2 6 133 
4 5 8 6 2 

39 379 4 l 8 

1 1 138 149 

„ ( S c h i s m a t i c s ) 

T o t a l ( A r m e n i a n s ) . 240 1853 2093 
51 595 646 ,, ( O t h e r C h r i s t i a n s ) 

291 2448 2739 



— I O 

O U T S I D E OF A D A N A . — I n t h e p l a i n o f A d a n a , s e v e r a l 

-thousands w e r e k i l l e d in t h e f a r m s a n d v i l l a g e s ; t h e e x a c t 
n u m b e r is not k n o w n , b u t in s o m e v i l l a g e s on t h e r o a d f r o m 
A d a n a to M i s s i s , F a t h e r R i g a l , S . J . , c o u n t e d a b o u t 3,000 
"victims. 

A t M i s s i s , 1,600 ( R e p o r t of F a t h e r R i g a l , S . J . ) 
A t O s m a n i e , 570 ,, ,, 
A t H a m i d i e , 1 , 1 0 0 „ „ 
In the region o f D j e b e l i B e r e k e t , in a g r o u p of ten 

v i l l a g e s v i s i t e d b y t h i s F a t h e r , h e c o u n t e d 926 v i c t i m s , 
a l m o s t all f a t h e r s of f a m i l i e s (for d e t a i l s of this R e p o r t 
o f F a t h e r R i g a l , see last c h a p t e r ) . 

A t T a r s o u s and n e i g h b o u r h o o d , 700. ( R e p o r t of F a t h e r 
Jerome, C a p u c h i n , see Les Missions Catholiques, M a y 28,1909.) 

A t A n t i o c h , in t h e t o w n alone, n o t c o u n t i n g t h e 
s u r r o u n d i n g district, 300. ( R e p o r t of F a t h e r C e l e s t i n e , 
C a p u c h i n , Missions Catholiques, J u n e 1 1 , 1909.) 

A t K a s s a b , in t h e m o u n t a i n s to the s o u t h of A n t i o c h , 
130. ( R e p o r t of F a t h e r S a b a t i n o , O . M . , Missions 
Catholiques, A u g u s t 6, 1909.) 

T o all t h e s e m u s t b e a d d e d the n u m b e r of v i c t i m s , n o t 
y e t k n o w n , w h o w e r e killed a t S i s , at H a d j i n , in t h e 
p r o v i n c e of K o z a n , at D u r t Y o l (near P a j a s ) , and in a g r e a t 
n u m b e r of v i l l a g e s . 

F o r the w h o l e region t h e n u m b e r 20,000 k i l l e d is a 
m i n i m u m a c c o r d i n g to t h e J e s u i t m i s s i o n a r i e s of A d a n a . 
A s e c r e t a r y of the B i b l e H o u s e of C o n s t a n t i n o p l e w r o t e : 
• " T h e n u m b e r of killed in t h e P r o v i n c e s of A d a n a and 
A l e p p o c a n b e g i v e n o n l y a p p r o x i m a t e l y : 20,000 is t h e 
n u m b e r ordinarily a d m i t t e d . " A p e r s o n of note c o m i n g 
f r o m A d a n a w r o t e in t h e Journal de Salonique, " 20,000 l i v e s 
w e r e s a c r i f i c e d b y t h e f a u l t of t h e V a l i , D j e v a d B e y , of t h e 
C o m m a n d a n t , M o u s t a p h a R e m z i P a c h a , of t h e M u t e s s a r r i f 



WsJII —Si 

•of D j e b e l i B e r e k e t , a n d of t h r e e or f o u r o t h e r s . " (Stamboul, 
A u g u s t 5th). 

T h e A r m e n i a n m e m b e r , B a b i k i a n E f f e n d i , a m e m b e r of 
t h e C o m m i s s i o n of E n q u i r y sent t o A d a n a b y the T u r k i s h 
G o v e r n m e n t , e s t i m a t e s t h e losses of t h e C h r i s t i a n s a t 21,000 
killed. (In t h e C h a m b e r of D e p u t i e s , C o n s t a n t i n o p l e , 
J u l y 26th.) 

O f t h i s n u m b e r , t h e m a j o r i t y — a t l e a s t t h r e e - q u a r t e r s ^ 
w e r e m e n . T h e a s s a i l a n t s k n e w t h a t b y k i l l i n g t h e f a t h e r s 
-of f a m i l i e s , " the b r e a d - w i n n e r s , " t h e rest of t h e p o p u l a t i o n 
w o u l d b e r e d u c e d to f a m i n e a n d e x t e r m i n a t e d . 

S l a u g h t e r w a s e v e r y w h e r e a c c o m p a n i e d b y fire and 
p i l l a g e . In A d a n a 1,075 h o u s e s w e r e b u r n e d . T h o s e t h a t 
•escaped the fire w e r e p i l l a g e d , so t h a t n o t h i n g is l e f t of 
t h e m b u t the- f o u r b a r e w a l l s . A l l the p u b l i c b u i l d i n g s of 
t h e C h r i s t i a n s h a v e b e e n b u r n t . 

F o r t h e C a t h o l i c m i s s i o n a r i e s — t h e c h u r c h , r e s i d e n c e , 
c o l l e g e , d a y - s c h o o l of t h e Jesuits. T h e c h a p e l , b o a r d i n g -
s c h o o l , d a y - s c h o o l , d i s p e n s a r y of t h e S i s t e r s of S t . J o s e p h . 

F o r thè C a t h o l i c A r m e n i a n s — t h e C a t h e d r a l , B i s h o p ' s 
p a l a c e , p r e s b y t e r y , b o y s ' school, g i r l s ' s c h o o l . 

F o r t h e C a t h o l i c C h a l d e a n s , c h u r c h a n d p r e s b y t e r y . 
F o r t h e n o n - C a t h o l i c s — a c h u r c h a n d t w o c o l l e g e s 

b e l o n g i n g to t h e G r e g o r i a n A r m e n i a n s ; the c h u r c h of t h e 
S y r i a n S c h i s m a t i c s ; t h e P r o t e s t a n t c h u r c h . 

I n t h e plain of A d a n a it is said t h a t 300 f a r m s b e l o n g i n g 
to C h r i s t i a n s h a v e been d e s t r o y e d (some of t h e m w e r e 
s o c o n s i d e r a b l e t h a t t h e y h a d o v e r 100 w o r k m e n 
e m p l o y e d ) . 

I n the w h o l e r e g i o n it h a s b e e n c a l c u l a t e d t h a t 4,823 
h o u s e s h a v e been burned, as w e l l a s m a n y c h u r c h e s , 
s c h o o l s , a n d other p u b l i c edifices. 



— 12 -3a 

A f t e r the m a s s a c r e s f r o m 12,000 to 15,000 people w i t h 
n o t h i n g to eat and w i t h o u t h o u s e or h o m e w e r e c a m p e d in 
the i m m e d i a t e n e i g h b o u r h o o d of A d a n a . M o r e t h a n 20,000 
o t h e r s are s c a t t e r e d through^ t h e district in the d e e p e s t 
m i s e r y . 

I n the m o n t h of A u g u s t (see La Turquie, A u g u s t 1 6 t h ) , 
t h e r e w e r e still a r o u n d B a g h t c h e 800 f a m i l i e s w i t h o u t h o u s e s 
f o r c e d to l i v e in t h e open air. 

A r o u n d D u r t Y o l g o o f a m i l i e s w i t h o u t h o u s e s f o r c e d t o 
l i v e in the o p e n air. 

A r o u n d K a s s a b 1,000 f a m i l i e s w i t h o u t h o u s e s f o r c e d t o 
l i v e in the o p e n air. 

I n t h e K o z a n 400 f a m i l i e s w i t h o u t h o u s e s f o r c e d t o l i v e 
in t h e open air. 

I t is i m p o s s i b l e to e s t i m a t e e x a c t l y t h e v a l u e of the 
m a t e r i a l l o s s e s of t h e A r m e n i a n s . I n t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g 
an e y e - w i t n e s s o f w h a t h a p p e n e d at A d a n a , and o n l y d u r i n g 
the first part of the massacres e s t i m a t e d t h e l o s s e s a t m o r e t h a n 
$5,000,000. ( " U n a n c i e n D i p l o m a t e , " in La Nouvelle Revue, 
J u l y i f 1909.) A f t e r w a r d s , w h e n t h e f u l l e x t e n t of t h e 
disaster w a s k n o w n , it w a s said t h a t t h e losses a m o u n t e d t o 
$25,000,000, or $30,000,000. T h e s e e v a l u a t i o n s , or r a t h e r 
g u e s s e s , are, w e t h i n k , i n f e r i o r to t h e r e a l i t y . W e h a v e 
o n l y to c o n s i d e r t h a t in t h e s e P r o v i n c e s , o n c e so fertile, t h e 
c o m m e r c e , i n d u s t r y , and a g r i c u l t u r e of t h e A r m e n i a n s a r e 
d e s t r o y e d f o r y e a r s to c o m e . M o s t of t h e f a m i l i e s t h a t 
w e r e f o r m e r l y r i c h are n o w in m i s e r y , a n d m a n y of t h e m 
h a v e to b e g their bread. W h a t is the i n d e m n i t y of 
200,000 T u r k i s h p o u n d s ( a b o u t $900,000) v o t e d b y t h e 
P a r l i a m e n t , in c o m p a r i s o n to t h e s e losses ? A n d w e m u s t 
n o t f o r g e t t h a t u p to t h e p r e s e n t o n l y a s m a l l p a r t of t h a t 
a i d h a s b e e n d i s t r i b u t e d , a n d also-—as o f t e n h a p p e n s i n 
T u r k e y — t h a t a l a r g e part of these official b o u n t i e s w i l l 



— 13 — 

n e v e r c o m e into t h e h a n d s of t h o s e f o r w h o m t h e y w e r e 

m e a n t . 

I n t h e b e g i n n i n g of w i n t e r , a n o t h e r s a d a c c i d e n t h a s 
b r o u g h t n e w d i s t r e s s to t h e p o o r A r m e n i a n i n h a b i t a n t s of 
A d a n a . T h e N o v e m b e r r a i n s , w h i c h w e r e e x c e p t i o n a l l y 
h e a v y t h i s y e a r , c a u s e d t h e r i v e r to o v e r f l o w , a n d a c o n -
s i d e r a b l e p a r t o f t h e t o w n w a s flooded. A b o u t 500 h o u s e s 
h a v e been w r e c k e d . A l t h o u g h t h i s disaster a f f l i c t s M o s l e m s 
a s w e l l a s C h r i s t i a n s , still t h e l a t t e r , on a c c o u n t of their 
m i s e r a b l e s i t u a t i o n , s u f f e r m o r e . M a n y a p o o r f a m i l y i s 
d e p r i v e d of t h e s h e l t e r w h i c h it h a d p r o c u r e d o n l y w i t h t h e 
g r e a t e s t d i f f i c u l t y . 

* 

T h e m i s s i o n a r i e s , P r o t e s t a n t s a s w e l l a s C a t h o l i c s , h a v e 
s h o w n t h e g r e a t e s t c h a r i t y and s e l f - s a c r i f i c e in a i d i n g t h e s e 
poor p e o p l e . B y t h e m t h e r e f u g e e s w e r e t a k e n in a n d 
s a v e d f r o m t h e m a s s a c r e s . C l o t h e s , p r o v i s i o n s , a l m s , are 
d i s t r i b u t e d , d i s p e n s a r i e s a n d h o s p i t a l s h a v e b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d . 
S p e c i a l p r a i s e is d u e to t h e R e l i e f C o m m i t t e e f o u n d e d b y 
t h e B r i t i s h C o n s u l , M a j o r D o u g h t y W y l i e , a n d t h e 
A m e r i c a n P r o t e s t a n t m i s s i o n of A d a n a . N o r c a n I p a s s 
o v e r in silence t h e h e r o i c c h a r i t y of the C a t h o l i c mission-
a r i e s s c a t t e r e d h e r e and t h e r e in these districts, t h e 
T r a p p i s t s and L a z a r i s t s a t A k b e s , t h e C a p u c h i n s a t T a r s o u s , 
A n t i o c h , K o r d e b e k — a t t h e m o u t h of t h e O r o n t e s — t h e 
F r a n c i s c a n s a t A l e x a n d r e t t a a n d K a s s a b , the C a r m e l i t e 
F a t h e r s a t A l e x a n d r e t t a a n d B e i l a n , & c . 

W e w i l l b e p a r d o n e d , h o w e v e r , if in t h i s b o o k l e t w e c a l l 
a t t e n t i o n e s p e c i a l l y to t h e J e s u i t mission a t A d a n a . I t w a s 
i n t h i s t o w n a n d in t h e i m m e d i a t e n e i g h b o u r h o o d t h a t t h e 
r a v a g e s c a u s e d b y the m a s s a c r e s w e r e m o s t s e v e r e l y f e l t , 
a n d t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s t h e r e h a v e m o r e s u f f e r i n g to r e l i e v e 
t h a n e l s e w h e r e . A l t h o u g h t h e R e l i e f C o m m i t t e e h a s i t s 



h e a d - q u a r t e r s a t A d a n a a n d d i s t r i b u t e s its a i d t o a l l , w h e t h e r 
P r o t e s t a n t s o r n o t , w i t h r e a l i m p a r t i a l i t y , still, e v e n y e t r 
a n d e s p e c i a l l y i n w i n t e r , t h e s u f f e r i n g s of t h e i n h a b i t a n t s 
a r e g r e a t . T h e y w i l l l a s t f o r y e a r s ! 

T h e n a g a i n , e v e n t h o u g h t h e u n f o r t u n a t e o f w h a t e v e r 
c r e e d t h e y b e , r e c e i v e a s s i s t a n c e f r o m t h e C o m m i t t e e 
i n d i v i d u a l l y , s t i l l e s t a b l i s h m e n t s t h a t a r e p r o f e s s e d l y 
r e l i g i o u s c a n n o t r e c e i v e a n y t h i n g . T h e c h u r c h e s , p r e s b y -
t e r i e s , a n d s c h o o l s o f C a t h o l i c s c a n b e r e b u i l t o n l y b y t h e 
a l m s of C a t h o l i c s . 

F i n a l l y , e v e n i f w e c o n s i d e r t h e a i d g i v e n t o i n d i v i d u a l s , 
i s it n o t t h e d u t y o f t h e C a t h o l i c C h u r c h n o t t o l e a v e to-
o t h e r c r e e d s t h e m o n o p o l y of t h e e x e r c i s e o f c h a r i t y > 
S u c h is t h e p e r s u a s i o n o f t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s of A d a n a , a n d 
t h i s i s w h y t h e y w é r e a n x i o u s t o e s t a b l i s h t h e i r c h a r i t a b l e -
i n s t i t u t i o n s t o o . 

I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e m a s s a c r e s t h e y b e g a n t o d i s t r i b u t e 
p r o v i s i o n s ; t h e y o p e n e d a d i s p e n s a r y a n d a h o s p i t a l . T h e 
a i d t h e y d i s t r i b u t e d t o a l l a l i k e , t o s c h i s m a t i c s a s w e l l a s 
t o C a t h o l i c s , h a s , w i t h t h e g r a c e of G o d , p r o d u c e d a 
s a l u t a r y e f f e c t . I n g a i n i n g t h e i r h e a r t s t h e y e n l i g h t e n e d 
t h e i r m i n d s , a n d m a n y a r e t h e G r e g o r i a n A r m e n i a n s who,, 
a t t h e m o m e n t of t h e i r d e a t h , i n s t e a d o f t h e a b s o l u t i o n o f 
t h e i r derders, a s k e d t o h a v e t h a t o f t h e C a t h o l i c p r i e s t . 

T h e n t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s t u r n e d t h e i r t h o u g h t s t o t h e 
e s t a b l i s h m e n t of c h u r c h e s a n d s c h o o l s . T h e s e p o o r 
a f f l i c t e d p e o p l e , a l m o s t in d e s p a i r , n e e d e d a c h u r c h w h e r e 
t h e y c o u l d c o m e a n d p r a y in t h e p r e s e n c e of t h e D i v i n e 
M a s t e r ; t h e s e c r o w d s of u n o c c u p i e d c h i l d r e n , w h o s e t h o u g h t s 
w e r e c o n c e n t r a t e d o n t h e i r m i s f o r t u n e s , n e e d e d a s c h o o l as-
t h e o n l y m e a n s of d i s t r a c t i n g t h e m f r o m t h e i r s a d r e f l e c -
t i o n s a n d t e a c h i n g t h e m t h e l e s s o n s of t h e G o s p e l . 

A s s o o n a s t h e y c o u l d , t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s i m p r o v i s e d 



— 15 — 

w i t h i n t h e r u i n e d w a l l s of t h e l a t e flourishing colleges,, 
t e m p o r a r y c h a p e l s and s c h o o l s . T h e s e latter w e r e a b l e to 
b e opened f o r g i r l s in O c t o b e r , in N o v e m b e r f o r b o y s . 

A t t h e s a m e t i m e t h e y d e v o t e d their a t t e n t i o n to t h o s e 
w h o w e r e l e f t o r p h a n s . T h e y b e g a n w i t h a b o u t on& 
h u n d r e d . S o o n t h e y had m a n y m o r e , a n d a c c o r d i n g a s 
their m e a n s a l l o w it t h e y w i l l e n l a r g e t h e o r p h a n a g e . 

A c t u a l l y t h e m o s t p r e s s i n g needs', besides t h a t of extend-
i n g the o r p h a n a g e , a r e t h e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n of h o u s e s and t h e 
f o u n d i n g of b e d s at the hospital. 

T h e f o l l o w i n g d e t a i l s — t a k e n f r o m a letter of one of t h e 
m i s s i o n a r i e s — s h o w t h e s u m t h o u g h t n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e 
c o n t i n u a t i o n of t h e s e different g o o d w o r k s . T h e sum w i l l 
c e r t a i n l y a p p e a r v e r y s m a l l w h e n c o m p a r e d to t h e e x p e n s e s 
n e c e s s a r y f o r similar u n d e r t a k i n g s in A m e r i c a , b u t it is-
e n o r m o u s if c o m p a r e d to t h e a c t u a l r e s o u r c e s of t h e 
C a t h o l i c M i s s i o n in A d a n a . 

THE ORPHANAGE.—-The c o s t of the k e e p and c l o t h i n g o f 
an orphan child in A d a n a h a s b e e n c a r e f u l l y c a l c u l a t e d , 
and the m i s s i o n a r i e s consider 1 5 0 f r s . ($30) a s a d e q u a t e 
to c o v e r this e x p e n s e f o r a t w e l v e m o n t h . T h e p e r s o n 
w h o g i v e s t e n t i m e s this s u m a s s u r e s t h e k e e p a n d 
e d u c a t i o n of a child d u r i n g ten y e a r s , t h u s e n a b l i n g t h a t 
child to a r r i v e a t an a g e w h e n he w i l l be able to earn his-
bread. 

T H E E C O N O M I C C O T T A G E S . — T h i s w o r k t o b e e f f e c t i v e -

m u s t b e u n d e r t a k e n at o n c e , a s t h e w e t a n d cold w e a t h e r 
h a s c o m e . T h e cost of one of these c o t t a g e s h a s been 
c a r e f u l l y considered, a n d is e s t i m a t e d at 700 f r s . ($140) f o r 
a n a v e r a g e f a m i l y , i.e., one c o m p o s e d of five persons. T O 
f u r n i s h t h e c o t t a g e ; five m a t t r e s s e s a n d . five b l a n k e t s are= 



— 16 — 

n e c e s s a r y ; that is e n o u g h f o r t h e five persons, a n d t h e y w a n t 
n o other a r t i c l e of f u r n i t u r e . A m a t t r e s s and a b l a n k e t c o s t 
a b o u t 25 f r s . ($5). T h e r e f o r e t h e f u r n i s h e d h o u s e w o u l d 
c o m e to 825 frs. ($165). 

" I t w o u l d b e a g o o d t h i n g to add s o m e k i t c h e n u t e n s i l s 
a n d t o o l s ; a c a r p e n t e r or a b o o t - m a k e r c a n n o t do m u c h 
w i t h o u t tools, neither c a n a d r e s s - m a k e r if she h a s n o 
s c i s s o r s nor s e w i n g - m a c h i n e . S u c h presents a s these are 
w h a t is b e s t and m o s t n e e d e d : t h e y e n a b l e t h e w o r k m a n to 
e a r n his s u b s i s t e n c e . " 

T h e m i s s i o n a r y a d d s : " T o the b e n e f a c t o r w h o f o u n d s 
a n e c o n o m i c c o t t a g e and w h o e x p r e s s e s the w i s h , w e s h a l l 
b e h a p p y to send a p h o t o g r a p h of t h e h o u s e built b y his 
l i b e r a l i t y , a n d also one of the f a m i l y w h o l i v e s in i t . " 

THE H o s P i T A L B - F o u n d e d a t t h e t i m e of t h e m a s s a c r e s , 
t h e h o s p i t a l r e s p o n d s to a perpetual n e e d of t h e C h r i s t i a n 
p o p u l a t i o n of A d a n a . U p to the p r e s e n t it h a s b e e n 
k e p t g o i n g f r o m d a y to d a y , t h a n k s to the g i f t s m a d e to t h e 
m i s s i o n a r i e s . T h e u n i v e r s a l desire of t h e i n h a b i t a n t s of 
A d a n a is t h a t it should b e f o u n d e d p e r m a n e n t l y . T h e 
k e e p i n g of a h o s p i t a l d e m a n d s c o n s i d e r a b l e r e s o u r c e s . 
I t h a s b e e n c a l c u l a t e d h o w e v e r , t h a t f o r t h e p e r m a n e n t 
f o u n d a t i o n of a b e d a b o u t 10,000 frs. ($2,000) w o u l d b e 
s u f f i c i e n t . 

" W e are p r a y i n g t h a t G o d m a y inspire to s o m e g e n e r o u s 
a n d c o m p a s s i o n a t e s o u l s t h e f o u n d a t i o n or the s e m i - f o u n d a -
tion of one of t h e s e b e d s f o r $2,000 or $1,000. T h e n a m e 
a n d t h e intention of the f o u n d e r w i l l be w r i t t e n at t h e h e a d 
o f e a c h of t h e s e b e d s . " 

W h o is there t h a t in r e a d i n g the d e m a n d s of t h e 
missionaries does n o t f e e l h i m s e l f i m p e l l e d to aid in t h e 
e d u c a t i o n of a n o r p h a n , in t h e s u p p o r t of a f a m i l y , in 
a s s u r i n g in a p e r m a n e n t w a y , d e v o t e d c a r e to a sick' p e r s o n , 



— 17 — 

•especially since all t h e s e g o o d w o r k s c a n be a c c o m p l i s h e d 
a t a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l c o s t in A d a n a ? 

W e k n o w t h a t there are n o t v e r y m a n y C a t h o l i c s 
p o s s e s s i n g sufficient m e a n s of a c c o m p l i s h i n g t h i s a s p i r a t i o n 
o f their h e a r t s a s g e n e r o u s l y a s t h e y m i g h t desire. T h o s e 
a m o n g s t t h e m w h o are a b l e to do so, h a v e o t h e r needs to 
s u p p l y , and are e v e r r e s p o n d i n g n o b l y and g e n e r o u s l y to 
t h e m a n y a n d d a i l y a p p e a l s m a d e to t h e m . 

W e h o p e , h o w e v e r , t h a t o u r a p p e a l in f a v o u r of this 
a b a n d o n e d a n d u n f o r t u n a t e p e o p l e w i l l not b e m a d e in 
v a i n . 

A l m s f o r this most w o r t h y c h a r i t y m a y b e addressed 
t o t h e 

R I G H T R E V . M G R . J O S E P H F R E R ^ 

S o c i e t y f o r the P r o p a g a t i o n o f t h e F a i t h , 
627, L e x i n g t o n A v e n u e , 

N e w Y o r k C i t y . 
T h e y w i l l b e g r a t e f u l l y r e c e i v e d , a n d a c k n o w l e d g e d , a n d 
p r o m p t l y f o r w a r d e d . 

JB 



H ü — 



THE ADANA MASSACRES 
and the Catholic Missionaries 

A C C O U N T O F E Y E - W I T N E S S E S . 

" POOR, u n f o r t u n a t e A r m e n i a ! " w e r e t h e w o r d s of th& 
l a t e A m b a s s a d o r of F r a n c e on h i s r e t u r n f r o m C o n s t a n t i -
n o p l e ; " poor, u n f o r t u n a t e A r m e n i a ! E v e r y w h e r e , at a d a t e 
a p p a r e n t l y fixed in a d v a n c e , and a t s o m e m y s t e r i o u s w o r d 
of c o m m a n d , f a n a t i c i s m flares out, a n d C h r i s t i a n b l o o d is-
spilt. . . . " 

T h i s t i m e the blood of C h r i s t i a n s h a s o n l y r e d d e n e d t h e 
soil in t h e c o u n t r y districts a r o u n d t h e G u l f of A l e x a n d r e t t a 
and on the slopes of t h e m o u n t a i n s of A n t i o c h . B u t 
a l t h o u g h t h e m a s s a c r e s in A p r i l of this y e a r w e r e n o t so-
g e n e r a l a s t h o s e of 1895, t h e y w e r e m o r e h o r r i b l e a n d m o r e 
b a r b a r o u s . 

M . R o q u e - F e r r i e r , t h e F r e n c h C o n s u l in A l e p p o , w h o 
v i s i t e d all t h e p l a c e s a f f e c t e d b e t w e e n A l e p p o and A d a n a , . 
s a y s : 

" I n 1895, a t E r z e r o u m , w h e r e I w a s V i c e - C o n s u l a t t h e 
time, I t h o u g h t I h a d seen e v e r y t h i n g t h a t w a s to be s e e n 
in the w a y of a t r o c i t i e s ; w h a t I h a v e seen this t i m e is even-
w o r s e . " 



•— 20 

E x c e p t f o r s o m e c o a s t t o w n s , all t h e r e g i o n . b e t w e e n 
T a r s o u s a n d A n t i o c h h a s b e e n d e v a s t a t e d . B u t the d i s t r i c t 
m o s t a f f e c t e d h a s u n d o u b t e d l y been A d a n a and its 
s u r r o u n d i n g s . 

A D A N A . — T H E RESIDENCE OP THE JESUITS DESTROYED BY FIRE 

A P R I L 26TH. 

In the distance the town of A d a n a w i t h the Sisters' Boarding-School on the r i g h t . 

A d a n a , t h e c a p i t a l of C i l i c i a , h a d 70,000 i n h a b i t a n t s , of 
"whom 30,000 w e r e A r m e n i a n s ; it w a s situated in t h e 
•centre of a plain of u n u s u a l f e r t i l i t y , in the midst of w h e a t 
a n d c o t t o n - f i e l d s ; " t h e one p r o s p e r o u s spot in the T u r k i s h 
E m p i r e , " a s a n E n g l i s h G o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l . of h i g h 
s t a n d i n g in C o n s t a n t i n o p l e said n o t l o n g a g o . 



A d a n a w a s p r o s p e r o u s ; it w a s industrial, a s w e l l as-
a g r i c u l t u r a l ; it w a s s h o r t l y to be linked to t h e C o n s t a n t i -
n o p l e - B a g d a d r a i l w a y line, and its f u t u r e s e e m e d a s s u r e d . 

T o - d a y , A d a n a , p r a c t i c a l l y a n d c o m m e r c i a l l y speaking,, 
no l o n g e r e x i s t s . I t w i l l t a k e m a n y y e a r s to return to its-
f o r m e r p r o s p e r i t y . 

T h e C a t h o l i c m i s s i o n a r i e s h a d e s t a b l i s h e d in A d a n a t w o 
g r e a t e d u c a t i o n a l c e n t r e s . T h e one, the R e s i d e n c e a n d 
C o l l e g e of S t . P a u l , r e c e i v e d 500 p u p i l s , a n d w a s in t h e 
h a n d s of t h e J e s u i t F a t h e r s , s e c o n d e d b y f o u r M a r i s ! 
B r o t h e r s . 

T h e other e s t a b l i s h m e n t , c a l l e d " N o t r e D a m e de 
B e t h a n i e , " w a s under t h e m a n a g e m e n t of t w e n t y - f i v e 
S i s t e r s of S t . J o s e p h , of L y o n s ; 600 c h i l d r e n w e r e e d u c a t e d 
m t h e school, a n d besides, t h e r e w a s also a s m a l l orphanage,, 
a d i s p e n s a r y , a n d t h e b e g i n n i n g s of a h o s p i t a l . 

E v e r y t h i n g h a s n o w been b u r n t to t h e g r o u n d , a n d 
e n t i r e l y d e s t r o y e d . 



I. THE FIRST MASSACRES 

14 - 17 A p r i l 

T h e O t t o m a n C o n s t i t u t i o n w a s g r a n t e d in J u l y , 1908, b u t 
a f t e r the r e j o i c i n g s a n d p r o t e s t a t i o n s of b r o t h e r h o o d a n d 
g o o d f e l l o w s h i p , the a n c i e n t a n i m o s i t i e s b e t w e e n T u r k s a n d 
A r m e n i a n s h a d soon r e a p p e a r e d . D u r i n g all t h e w i n t e r in 
A d a n a , relations r e m a i n e d Very strained, h a t r e d g a t h e r e d 
u p o n h a t r e d , a n d the m i s s i o n e r s b e g a n to f e a r t h e w o r s t . 

I t is said t h a t on G o o d F r i d a y , in a q u a r r e l , t w o or three 
M o s l e m s h a v i n g b r u t a l l y illtreated a y o u n g A r m e n i a n of 
f i f t e e n , t h e l a t t e r , in desperation, fired his r e v o l v e r a t his 
a g g r e s s o r s ; one of t h e s e died a l m o s t a t once, a n o t h e r s o m e 
d a y s later. T h e e x c i t e m e n t a n d r e s e n t m e n t a m o n g s t the 
M o s l e m s w a s g r e a t , a n d t h e G o v e r n o r v a i n l y s o u g h t to l a y 
h a n d s on the y o u n g A r m e n i a n , w h o h a d fled. 

A t t h e f u n e r a l of t h e M o s l e m s , t h e i m a m s m a d e v i o l e n t 
s p e e c h e s a g a i n s t t h e A r m e n i a n s , a n d t h e r e s u l t s e e m s t o 
h a v e been t h a t in t w e n t y - f o u r h o u r s t w o A r m e n i a n s h a d 
been killed. 

" O n E a s t e r T u e s d a y , " w r i t e s F a t h e r B e n o i t , S . J . , " o u r 
f o u r M a r i s t B r o t h e r s , t a k i n g their u s u a l w a l k t o g e t h e r , 
n o t i c e d an u n u s u a l a n i m a t i o n in t h e T u r k i s h q u a r t e r of 
t h e t o w n . T h e streets s e e m e d to be i n v a d e d b y a c r o w d of 
M u s u l m e n w h o h a d c o m e in f r o m the s u r r o u n d i n g c o u n t r y ; 

(') W e do not g i v e t h e causes of the massacre, they are apparent to all. 



H 2 3 WKs 
a l l w o r e a w h i t e t u r b a n , w h e r e a s , a s a rule, the M o s l e m s , 
a s w e l l a s C h r i s t i a n s , w e a r t h e ' f e z , ' or t h e ' t a r b o u c h ' of 
t h e A r a b s . " 

T h e s e c o u n t r y m e n all c a r r i e d rifles, s c i m i t a r s , or 
w e a p o n s of s o m e k i n d . 

D u r i n g t h a t n i g h t , n u m e r o u s p a t r o l s p a s s e d t h r o u g h 
t h e streets of A d a n a ; no one t h o u g h t of g o i n g to bed. 

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y , f r o m e a r l y m o r n , the T u r k s 
a s s e m b l e d in their m o s q u e s . I t w a s reported to t h e 
m i s s i o n a r i e s t h a t a third A r m e n i a n h a d been killed, a n d 
t h a t in t h e c o u n t r y s i d e m u r d e r a n d a r s o n w e r e r a m p a n t . 
T h e C h r i s t i a n s in A d a n a w e r e n o w t h o r o u g h l y f r i g h t e n e d , 
a n d did n o t dare to g o out or to o p e n their s h o p s . 

S e e i n g , or h e a r i n g this, t h e V a l i ( G o v e r n o r ) , called t o 
his k o n a k s o m e of t h e A r m e n i a n n o t a b l e s , i n c l u d i n g the 
C a t h o l i c B i s h o p , M g r . T e r z i a n ; t h e V a l i r e a s s u r e d t h e m ; 
b e g g e d t h e m to c a l m their e x c i t e d c o u n t r y m e n . S o a s to 
rstill f u r t h e r t r a n q u i l l i z e t h e c r o w d , t h e V a l i h i m s e l f w e n t 
•down into t h e streets, a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e officer in 
c o m m a n d of t h e troops. I t t o o k a l o n g t i m e to g e t t h e 
s h o p s opened t h a t m o r n i n g ; s o m e of -t-heArmenians s e e m e d 
s u s p i c i o u s and a n x i o u s u p to t h e teit-Pinoment, a n d t h e y 
•opened the s h u t t e r s v e r y , v e r y s l o w l y . 

I t w a s a hot, s t i f l i n g m o r n i n g . 

T h e c l o c k t o w e r in A d a n a s h o w s T u r k i s h t i m e . I t h a d 
j u s t s t r u c k f o u r (about e l e v e n o ' c l o c k in t h e m o r n i n g , 
E u r o p e a n time). 

S u d d e n l y the s o u n d of firing w a s h e a r d c o m i n g f r o m 
t h e m a r k e t - p l a c e . A n i n s t a n t ' s p a u s e , then firing w a s 
a g a i n h e a r d , this t i m e in e v e r y direction. T h e r e w a s n o w 



— 24 — 

a terrible and l o n g - s u s t a i n e d s h o u t : " D e a t h to the giaours.r 
D e a t h to t h e giaours ! ' ' 

O f t h e first m o m e n t s of the p a n i c s e v e r a l f a c t s are-
r e c o r d e d . A T u r k s u d d e n l y a t t a c k e d a r i c h A r m e n i a n , 
M r . D a v i d O u r f a l i a n , w h o h a d j u s t l e f t t h e V a l i ' s p a l a c e • 
s t a b b i n g h i m to the h e a r t , t h e T u r k s h o u t e d : " I n t h e n a m e 
of the G r e a t G o d , w e will b e g i n w i t h t h e e . " 

A m a n o n h o r s e b a c k w a s s h o t d o w n and his b o d y . 
t h r o w n into the r i v e r . S e v e r a l A r m e n i a n s w e r e k i l l e d i n 
t h e c o u r t y a r d of the G o v e r n o r ' s p a l a c e . 

A t t h e residence of t h e J e s u i t F a t h e r s , the R e v . F a t h e r 
. S u p e r i o r , , P è r e J o u v e , w a s a b s e n t ; h e h a d g o n e d o w n t o 

M e r s i n a t h e p r e v i o u s e v e n i n g to b r i n g b a c k ten or t w e l v e 
boarders, w h o w e r e r e t u r n i n g a f t e r the h o l i d a y s . 

H u r r i e d l y , w h i l s t the t w o J e s u i t F a t h e r s , P è r e s R i g a l 
a n d T a b e t , w i t h the M a r i s t B r o t h e r s , s t a r t e d to o r g a n i z e 
s o m e k i n d of a n a t t e m p t to d e f e n d t h e C o l l e g e of S t . P a u l 
a g a i n s t t h e e x c e s s e s of a m o b , t h e t w o o t h e r m i s s i o n a r i e s , 
F a t h e r s B e n o i t .¿ind S a b a t i e r , w e n t o v e r to t h e S i s t e r s o f 
S t . J o s e p h to re^sspre t h e m a n d to s t a n d b y t h e m in c a s e 
of d a n g e r . U p o n a r r i v a l a t t h e S i s t e r s ' school, the priests-
f o u n d a m u l t i t u d e of terror-stricken A r m e n i a n s w h o h a d 
a l r e a d y c r o w d e d into the b u i l d i n g s . 

" A s soon as the m a s s a c r e s c o m m e n c e d , " w r i t e s S i s t e r 
M a r i e - S o p h i e , " s e v e r a l o f o u r n u n s f e l l on their k n e e s r i 
their a r m s crossed u p o n their b r e a s t s , i n v o k i n g t h e M o s t 
H i g h , and o f f e r i n g t h e m s e l v e s to H i s m o s t h o l y W i l l . T h e 
M o t h e r . S u p e r i o r said to us : « G o ! open the d o o r s to all 
w h o w i s h to c o m e in.' F i v e m i n u t e s later, a n d our h o u s e 
w a s f i l l e d ; o u r n e i g h b o u r s c a m e in f r o m all sides. A 
w o m a n f a i n t e d in t h e a r m s of S i s t e r M a r i e A n t o i n e t t e ; t h e 
firing in t h e streets a r o u n d us i n c r e a s e d ; w e s a w m e n 
f a l l i n g r i g h t a n d l e f t . " 



— 25 — 

F r o m t h e w i n d o w s of t h e c o n v e n t dormitories f u g i t i v e s 
c o u l d be seen r u s h i n g a l o n g the s t r e e t s ; c h i l d r e n w e r e 
o b s e r v e d to run s t r a i g h t a g a i n s t w a l l s and to f a l l , t h e i r 
f a c e s b a t h e d in b l o o d . B a c h i - B o u z o u k s w e r e seen, in p a r t i e s 

A D A N A . — S C H O O L A N D CHAPEL OF THE 

SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF LYONS, 

BURNT ON THE 2ND OF M A Y . 

T o the right, chapel where the fire started. 
O n the top floor, dormitories from which the 
course of the massacres w a s observed. 

of t h i r t y a n d f o r t y , and it w a s noticed t h a t t h e y fired l o w 
a t t h e f u g i t i v e s to hit t h e m in t h e l e g s and b r i n g them, 
to a s t o p ; p e r h a p s w i t h the intention of t o r t u r i n g t h e m 
later. 

B u l l e t s w e r e n o w h u m m i n g a r o u n d t h e s c h o o l - b u i l d i n g s ; 
t h e w i n d o w s h u t t e r s w e r e closed, a n d t h e f u g i t i v e s w e r e in 



— 26 — 

s . s t a t e of i n d e s c r i b a b l e p a n i c . T h e y w e r e c r o w d e d and 
huddled t o g e t h e r in g r o u p s all o v e r the b u i l d i n g s . 

T h e firing c o n t i n u e d t h e w h o l e of this a f t e r n o o n , w i t h 
a. lull of s o m e m i n u t e s n o w a n d a g a i n . T h e noise of d o o r s 
b e i n g b r o k e n open c o u l d be d i s t i n c t l y h e a r d ; also a terrific 
h a n g i n g , w h i c h w a s m o s t l i k e l y the efforts b e i n g m a d e t o 
h u r s t o p e n s a f e s ; o n e c o u l d h e a r the c l a t t e r of f u r n i t u r e 
b e i n g t h r o w n o u t into the streets, and a b o v e a l l t h e din, t h e 
w i n d b r o u g h t to the ears of t h e listeners a t t h e c o n v e n t the 
l o n g - s u s t a i n e d s a v a g e s h o u t s a n d cries of t h e m o b at their 
w o r k . 

T h e p i l l a g i n g w a s carried out m e t h o d i c a l l y . T h e r a b b l e 
s e e m t o h a v e used their h a t c h e t s to b u r s t open t h e doors ; 
•everyone inside w a s killed ; cries of d e s p a i r w e r e d i s t i n c t l y 
h e a r d . 

T h e n e x t t h i n g t h a t w a s done w a s to t a k e e v e r y t h i n g of 
a n y v a l u e , f u r n i t u r e , linen, a n d d i v e r s o b j e c t s , a n d to t h r o w 
t h e m into a c a r t w a i t i n g in the street, the h o u s e w a s t h e n 
•drenched w i t h p e t r o l e u m , b y m e a n s of a h a n d - p u m p , 
a n d set on fire, t h e r a b b l e then p a s s i n g on to t h e n e x t 
h o u s e . 

M o s l e m w o m e n w e r e seen to r u n a l o n g w i t h t h e r a b b l e ; 
t h e y c a r r i e d a r m f u l s of loot, and their strident cries, " h i ! 
hi ! " w e r e p a r t i c u l a r l y noticed. 

A l l the B a z a a r w a s t h u s g i v e n u p to p i l l a g e , f r o m t h e 
•" B o n M a r c h é " u p to t h e n e i g h b o u r h o o d of t h e c l o c k -
t o w e r . 

A t the C o l l e g e of S t . P a u l the c r o w d of r e f u g e e s w a s 
•equally g r e a t . 

" A t the first sound of firing," w r i t e s F a t h e r R i g a l , 
8 t h e r e w a s a r u s h f o r t h e s h e l t e r of o u r b u i l d i n g s ; a 
s t r u g g l i n g m a s s of terrified h u m a n i t y c a m e in upon us 
f r o m all sides, f r o m the h i g h t e r r a c e s of the s u r r o u n d i n g 



— 27 — 

h o u s e s , a s also f r o m t h e streets, a s all doors w e r e o p e n 
w i d e to r e c e i v e a n y one w h o c a m e . " 

B u t in this p a r t of t h e t o w n , t h e A r m e n i a n q u a r t e r , a s 
s o o n a s t h e first m o m e n t s of p a n i c w e r e p a s s e d , t h e d e f e n c e 
o f t h e district w a s q u i c k l y o r g a n i z e d . S m a l l t r o o p s of 
y o u n g A r m e n i a n s , w e l l a r m e d and f u l l y r e s o l v e d to die 
fighting, w e n t d o w n t o t h e o u t s k i r t s of t h e A r m e n i a n 
q u a r t e r to r e p u l s e t h e a t t a c k of t h e M u s u l m e n . A n d , a s 
a m a t t e r of f a c t , t h e y w e r e a b l e to k e e p t h e m at b a y u n t i l 
t h e e v e n i n g . 

I n t h e o b s c u r i t y of t h e e v e n i n g t h e firing s l a c k e n e d , b u t 
i t w a s t h e n that t h e h o u s e s w e r e set on fire. I t w a s t h e 
h o u s e s n e a r t h e v i n e y a r d s t h a t w e r e b u r n i n g , and the p a r t 
o f the c i t y c a l l e d Y e n i M a h a l l d . T h e n i g h t w a s s p e n t a t 
t h e c o l l e g e w a t c h i n g in f e a r of a n a t t a c k or of fire. S l e e p i n g 
w a s out of t h e q u e s t i o n in a n y c a s e a m i d s t the c l a m o u r 
a n d l a m e n t a t i o n s of s o m e 5,000 or 6,000 r e f u g e e s , w h o 
c o m p l e t e l y b l o c k e d e v e r y a v a i l a b l e s p a c e , i n c l u d i n g t h e 
p r i e s t s ' r e f e c t o r y , b e d r o o m s , a n d studies. 

" T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y , A p r i l 1 5 t h , " w r i t e s F a t h e r R i g a l , 
" the b a t t l e r e c o m m e n c e d w i t h t h e s a m e fierceness, a n d 
t h e p i l l a g e a l s o c o n t i n u e d . M a n y w o u n d e d w e r e n o w b e i n g 
b r o u g h t in to u s . . . . T h e r e w e r e ten A r m e n i a n d o c t o r s 
a m o n g s t o u r r e f u g e e s , a n d t h e y did t h e b e s t t h e y c o u l d in 
t h e w a y of s u r g i c a l o p e r a t i o n s w i t h the aid of p o c k e t -
k n i v e s and old scissors. W e h a d n o t h i n g in the s h a p e of 
d r e s s i n g s f o r w o u n d s at hand, a n d all t h e c h e m i s t s ' s h o p s 
i n o u r district w e r e n a t u r a l l y ^closed." 



— 28 — 

R e f u g e e s c o n t i n u e d to s t r a g g l e in all t h r o u g h this d a y . 
F a t h e r R i g a l h i m s e l f w e n t o u t into t h e streets to b r i n g 
s e v e r a l of t h e m i n t o s a f e t y , a n d b u l l e t s f r e q u e n t l y s t r u c k 
t h e p a v e m e n t j u s t in f r o n t of h i m . I n t h e w o r d s of F a t h e r 
R i g a l : 

" T h e r e w a s n o w n o t a s q u a r e f o o t f r e e to m o v e a b o u t 
in, in o u r h o u s e ; e x t r a o r d i n a r y g y m n a s t i c f e a t s ' h a d to b e 
resorted to, to g e t f r o m one point o f t h e h o u s e to a n o t h e r 
a m i d s t this solid m a s s of s u f f e r i n g h u m a n i t y , e s t i m a t e d a t 
8,000 souls. 

" S e v e r a l p e o p l e a s s u r e d m e t h e y h a d not been a b l e to-
sit d o w n f o r the last t w e n t y - f o u r h o u r s . T h e c h u r c h w a s 
f u l l to o v e r f l o w i n g , t h e r e w a s e v e n a c r o w d on t o p of t h e 
h i g h a l t a r . I t w a s a t t h i s m o m e n t , in t h e choir-stalls, t h a t 
a f a i n t c r y w a s h e a r d , a n d a t i n y b a b y c a m e into t h e w o r l d 
t h i s d a y w h e n so m a n y t h o u s a n d s w e r e so t r a g i c a l l y on t h e 
r o a d to E t e r n i t y . W h a t an e n t r y into l i f e f o r this b a b y 
c h i l d ! 

| A n d a y o u n g g i r l had j u s t died of f r i g h t , and w e , b e i n g 
u n a b l e to b u r y her in t h e e a r t h , h a d t o c a r r y her to t h e 
s a c r i s t y , to deposit her b o d y on t h e s a c r i s t y table, a n d t h e n 
to return to o t h e r more p r e s s i n g d u t i e s . " 

B e i n g n e a r e r to t h e T u r k i s h q u a r t e r , t h e S i s t e r s w e r e , 
the m o r e e x p o s e d to the a t t a c k o f t h e M o h a m e d a n m o b . 
A t a b o u t f o u r o ' c l o c k in t h e m o r n i n g , F a t h e r S a b a t i e r , 
w i s h i n g to see h o w n e a r the d a n g e r h a d c o m e , a s c e n d e d t h e 
s t a i r w a y l e a d i n g to the t e r r a c e a t t h e t o p of the s c h o o l 
b u i l d i n g s . S c a r c e l y h a d he o p e n e d t h e d o o r w a y w h e n h e 
w a s fired u p o n b y s o m e o n e in t h e w a t c h - t o w e r of a n 
a d j a c e n t T u r k i s h h o u s e . O n e b u l l e t j u s t g r a z e d his h e a d , 
t h e o t h e r w o u n d e d h i m in t h e side. U p o n e x a m i n a t i o n o f 
t h e w o u n d , an A r m e n i a n P r o t e s t a n t d o c t o r w h o w a s 
a m o n g s t t h e r e f u g e e s , d e c l a r e d t h a t F a t h e r - S a b a t i e r h a d 



— 29 — 

h a d a v e r y n a r r o w e s c a p e ; " I t w a s a m i r a c l e , " h e s a i d . 
T w o other d o c t o r s s e e m to h a v e been e q u a l l y i m p r e s s e d b y 
t h e f a c t t h a t F a t h e r S a b a t i e r h a d h a d s u c h a h a i r - b r e a d t h 
•escape. 

S e e i n g F a t h e r S a b a t i e r ' s blood-stained hand, the M o t h e r 
S u p e r i o r and P è r e B e n o i t b o t h e x c l a i m e d : " H o w f o r t u n a t e 
y o u are to h a v e a l r e a d y shed y o u r blood ! " 

I n t h e a f t e r n o o n , H i s B r i t a n n i c M a j e s t y ' s C o n s u l , 
M a j o r D o u g h t y W y l i e , paid" a short v i s i t to t h e c o n v e n t . 

I N A S I A M I N O R . A T U R K I S H D E R V I S H (ON T H E R I G H T ) 

A N D C O U N T R Y M E N . 



— 3° 

H e h a d c o m e u p f r o m M e r s i n a u p o n the first r u m o u r s o f 
t r o u b l e ; he h a d a c t e d w i t h splendid g a l l a n t r y , riding-
t h r o u g h t h e s t r e e t s in t h e t h i c k of t h e fight a n d t r y i n g t o 
a s s e r t h i s a u t h o r i t y . A s h e h a d b e e n a c c o m p a n i e d b y 
a f e w T u r k i s h soldiers f r o m the K o n a k , the B a c h i - B o u z o u k s -
w e r e c o w e d in h i s p r e s e n c e . T h e C o n s u l h a d r e c e i v e d a 
b u l l e t w o u n d in h i s r i g h t a r m , b u t s h o r t l y a f t e r w a r d s h e 
w a s a g a i n seen r i d i n g a l o n g w i t h his a r m in a sling. 

" N o t h i n g w i l l b e done to y o u , " said the C o n s u l , " as-
l o n g a s there is no firing f r o m y o u r h o u s e . " 

T h i s p r e c a u t i o n h a d a l r e a d y been t a k e n b y t h e F a t h e r s , 
w h o h a d insisted on all f u g i t i v e s g i v i n g u p their a r m s ; a n d 
t h e s e b a d been piled a w a y u n d e r l o c k a n d k e y , so t h a t t h e 
F a t h e r s c o u l d a s s e r t w i t h a b s o l u t e c o n v i c t i o n t h a t n o s h o t 
h a d b e e n fired f r o m either of t h e C a t h o l i c e s t a b l i s h m e n t s 
d u r i n g t h e w h o l e c o u r s e of the m a s s a c r e s . 

T o w a r d s t h e e v e n i n g , t h e a r r i v a l of the R e d i f s (the 
reservists) f r o m T a r s o u s w a s reported, w h i c h n e w s o n l y 
i n c r e a s e d t h e p a n i c a m o n g s t t h e r e f u g e e s . O f t h e l a t t e r 
t h e r e w e r e n o w n e a r l y 3,000 a t " B e t h a n i e , " the c o n v e n t , 
a n d a m o n g s t t h e m w e r e s o m e of t h e w o u n d e d , w h o s e o p e n 
w o u n d s a d d e d to t h e terror. 

T h e S i s t e r s k e p t t h e p e o p l e p r a y i n g all t h e t i m e . I t 
w a s e d i f y i n g , b u t a l m o s t p a i n f u l , to see all these p e o p l e 
p a s s i o n a t e l y i n v o k i n g t h e intercession of the S a c r e d H e a r t 
a n d of t h e E v e r - B l e s s e d V i r g i n . 

T h e s e c o n d n i g h t at t h e c o n v e n t w a s still m o r e d r e a d f u l 
t h a n the first; a n i m m e n s e s e m i - c i r c l e of f l a m e , m o r e t h a n 
h a l f a m i l e in l e n g t h , w a s s l o w l y r o l l i n g u p t o w a r d s t h e 
s c h o o l b u i l d i n g s , a s if m e n a c i n g utter d e s t r u c t i o n a n d 
a n n i h i l a t i o n . 

* * * 



— 3i — 

F r i d a y , A p r i l 16th. " A d a y of a g o n y and f e a r , " writes-
F a t h e r R i g a l . " N o n e w s f r o m o u r C o n s u l ; n o c h a n c e o f 
r e a c h i n g the V a l i . T h e r e f u g e e s are d i s c o u r a g e d a n d 
d o w n - h e a r t e d ; h u n g e r is b e g i n n i n g to be f e l t . " 

W h a t F a t h e r R i g a l d o e s n o t w r i t e is t h a t h e h i m s e l f 
a g a i n and a g a i n risked his o w n l i f e d u r i n g this d a y , g o i n g 
d o w n i n t o the s t r e e t s u n d e r fire on one or a n o t h e r e r r a n d 
of m e r c y . 

S o f a r the A r m e n i a n s w h o w e r e d e f e n d i n g t h e A r m e n i a n 
q u a r t e r h a d n o t f a l l e n b a c k an i n c h ; t h e y had b a r r i c a d e d 
t h e s t r e e t s , a n d s t a n d i n g a t their posts t h e y h a d b r a v e l y 
held o u t a g a i n s t the fire of t h e T u r k s . B u t their a m m u n i t i o n 
w a s b e g i n n i n g to g i v e out, a n d their p h y s i c a l p o w e r s o f 
r e s i s t a n c e w e r e l i k e w i s e on t h e w a n e . T h e y had been two-
w h o l e d a y s a n d n i g h t s d e f e n d i n g their positions. T h e 
firing b e c a m e m o r e i n t e n s e ; it w a s f e l t that a s u p r e m e 
effort w a s b e i n g m a d e on b o t h sides. I f t h e C h r i s t i a n s had 
g i v e n w a y , it w a s a c a s e of e x t e r m i n a t i o n . T h e r e w e r e 
m o r e t h a n 20,000 m e n , w o m e n , a n d c h i l d r e n c r o w d e d 
t o g e t h e r in t h e A r m e n i a n a n d C a t h o l i c c h u r c h e s , in t h e 
P r o t e s t a n t s e t t l e m e n t , and in t h e t w o C a t h o l i c s c h o o l 
b u i l d i n g s . A l l t h e s e t h o u s a n d s w o u l d h a v e been an e a s y 
p r e y to t h e m a s s a c r i n g , p l u n d e r i n g , M a h o m e t a n r a b b l e 
if o n c e l e t loose upon t h e m ! T h e r e w o u l d h a v e b e e n n o 
s a f e t y in flight, the C h r i s t i a n s b e i n g in the c e n t r e o f 
the t o w n a n d the T u r k s h o l d i n g a n d c l o s i n g all t h e 
o u t l e t s ! 

I t w a s in the c o u r s e of the p r e v i o u s n i g h t t h a t t h e 
missionaries h a d sent an u r g e n t letter of e n t r e a t y to t h e 
V a l i ; a f r i e n d l y M o s l e m had* v o l u n t e e r e d to take the l e t t e r 
h i m s e l f , b u t so f a r there w a s no reply ( J ) ; the o n l y n e w s t h a t 

(') G r e a t t h a n k s are due to this gallant M o s l e m ; his house was-
burnt to t h e ground some d a y s later, p e r h a p s a c c i d e n t a l l y ! It must 
be recorded that several M o s l e m s protected C h r i s t i a n refugees, a n d 



— 3
2
 —< . 

h a d c o m e in w a s t h a t s o m e 10,000 f e l l a h s ( c o u n t r y m e n ) h a d 
•made a raid on t h e a m m u n i t i o n - s t o r e s ' at t h e K o n a k (the 
•Governor's P a l a c e ) , a n d - h a d s e i z e d and carried off all t h e 

rifles. T h e F r e n c h flag w a s n o w hoisted o v e r b o t h t h e 
C a t h o l i c s e t t l e m e n t s . 

o n e of the number, O s m a n B e y , placed his house at t h e disposal of 
some Armenians w h o were without shelter. 

C o n s i d e r i n g t h e undoubted r a c i a l animosities between T u r k s and 
A r m e n i a n s , the c o n d u c t of these M o s l e m s cannot be" too h i g h l y 
e x t o l l e d . 

A PORTION OF THE SISTERS' ESTABLISHMENT AT A D A N A . 

A t the right, the B o a r d i n g School destroyed b y fire on the night of M a y 2nd. I n the 
centre, the galleries in which the terrified A r m e n i a n s s o u g h t refuge on A p r i l 14th 
and 25th. A t the l e f t , the O r p h a n a g e and the D i s p e n s a r y spared b y the flames. 



33 — . 

T h e flames h a d n o w c o m e to w i t h i n a f e w y a r d s of t h e 
S i s t e r s ' s c h o o l b u i l d i n g s : to l e a v e w o u l d h a v e m e a n t 
b e i n g s h o t d o w n b y the B a c h i - B o u z o u k s , to s t a y m e a n t 
p e r i s h i n g in the flames. A n d n o w t h e r e f u g e e s in t h e 
S i s t e r s ' c o u r t y a r d w e r e u n d e r fire; in the c h a p e l a b u l l e t 
-came t h r o u g h the w i n d o w , g r a z e d a b e n c h , and r e b o u n d e d 
into the w o o d - w o r k of the c o n f e s s i o n a l . 

T h e M o t h e r S u p e r i o r , p e r f e c t l y c a l m a m i d s t t h e i n t e n s e 
•excitement, n o w p a s s e d w o r d to the n u n s t h a t t h e y w e r e to 
•change their linen a n d to p u t on their b e s t R e l i g i o u s 
h a b i t s , t h o s e of g r e a t f e a s t d a y s : " N o one k n e w w h a t 
m i g h t h a p p e n , " w e r e her w o r d s . 

D e a t h w a s n o w s t a r i n g hard in the f a c e o f the c r o w d 
:at the c o n v e n t . 

S u d d e n l y F a t h e r B e n o i t , p a l e b u t c a l m , m a d e a s i g n to 
•one of the S i s t e r s . 

" S i s t e r , " he said, " the t i m e h a s c o m e ; I a m n o w a b o u t 
t o c o n s u m e the S a c r e d E l e m e n t s . G o and see t h a t the 
r e f u g e e s are g r o u p e d a r o u n d u s ; e x h o r t t h e m in T u r k i s h to 
repent of all t h e sins of their p a s t l i v e s , and tell t h e m t h a t 
I will g i v e a G e n e r a l A b s o l u t i o n . " 

I t w a s j u s t a b o u t this t i m e that t h e A m e r i c a n P r o t e s t a n t 
•College, s o m e t h i r t y y a r d s a w a y , seems to h a v e b e e n 
•especially singled o u t f o r destruction. 

T h e w i n d h a d risen, a n d the flames w e r e a l r e a d y c l o s e 
to t h e A m e r i c a n b u i l d i n g . F a t h e r S a b a t i e r , . f r o m his point 
o f o b s e r v a t i o n in the u p p e r s t o r e y of the c o n v e n t , n o t i c e d 
t h a t t w o A m e r i c a n s h a d c o m e out on to t h e s m a l l t e r r a c e 
i m m e d i a t e l y in f r o n t of their school, and t h a t t h e y w e r e 
v i g o r o u s l y e n g a g e d t h r o w i n g p a i l - f u l l s of w a t e r on to 
t h e w a l l s of the building, d r e n c h i n g t h e m so a s to render 
t h e m better a b l e to resist t h e h e a t of the flames 
•close b y . 

c 



— 34 — 

S u d d e n l y F a t h e r S a b a t i e r noticed t h a t the A m e r i c a n s 
w e r e u n d e r fire. I n s t a n t l y he shouted out to t h e m i n 
F r e n c h , " L o o k out, m y f r i e n d s ! Y o u are b e i n g fired a t ! ' r 

H e shouted in F r e n c h and a g a i n in T u r k i s h ; b u t t h e 
A m e r i c a n s did n o t s e e m to h e a r , and w e n t on w i t h the-
u t m o s t v i g o u r w i t h the w o r k t h e y h a d in h a n d . 

F a t h e r S a b a t i e r w a s t h e n c a l l e d b e l o w , a n d h e h a d 
s c a r c e l y been five m i n u t e s in the c o u r t y a r d w h e n a q u i c k 
s u c c e s s i o n of s h o t s w a s heard, as if a v o l l e y had b e e n 
fired s o m e w h e r e close to t h e A m e r i c a n s c h o o l s . ' . -. . A f e w 
s e c o n d s l a t e r a n d one of t h e doors of t h e s e s c h o o l s w a s 
q u i c k l y opened, and s e v e r a l f u g i t i v e s c a m e r u s h i n g into t h e 
c o n v e n t to g i v e the n e w s t h a t t w o A m e r i c a n s had been 
s h o t ! 

B u t n o w t h i n g s w e r e g o i n g f r o m b a d to w o r s e a t the-
c o n v e n t ; b u l l e t s w e r e s t r i k i n g t h e inner w a l l s of t h e court-
y a r d , ' w h e r e t h e t h o u s a n d s of r e f u g e e s w e r e c r o w d e d 
t o g e t h e r . E v e r y t i m e t h e w a l l s w e r e s t r u c k a c l o u d of 
d u s t w a s raised, and the s m o k e f r o m the f l a m e s c l o s e b y 
w a s s e t t l i n g d o w n o v e r the c o u r t y a r d and b l i n d i n g e v e r y -
one. 

T h e m o b h a d b r o k e n into t h e h o u s e s opposite, a n d 
c o u l d be seen, h a t c h e t s in hand, b u r s t i n g o p e n t h e doors o f 
t h e d w e l l i n g rooms. 

I t w a s a t a b o u t t h i s t i m e t h a t t h e n u n s , all on their 
k n e e s , w i t h b o w e d • h e a d s a n d a r m s crossed upon t h e i r 
b r e a s t s , led b y their M o t h e r S u p e r i o r , recited nine times-
the Salve Regina in the s a m e s i m p l e , c a l m m a n n e r a s if it 
h a d been an o r d i n a r y d a y in t h e s c h o o l t e r m . 

I t w a s n o w noticed that g r o u p s of B a c h i - B o u z o u k s were-
s l o w l y c o m i n g u p t h e street t o w a r d s t h e h o u s e , v e r y 
c a u t i o u s l y and s t e a l t h i l y t a k i n g c o v e r a g a i n s t a n y possible^ 
surprise. S o m e of t h e m s e e m e d to b e m a k i n g -their way" 



m 35 — 

t o w a r d s t h e A m e r i c a n schools, others s e e m e d bent on setting: 
fire to the c o n v e n t . 

F a t h e r S a b a t i e r , and also one of the S i s t e r s , h e a r d a 
s h o r t d i a l o g u e in T u r k i s h in the street j u s t u n d e r t h e 
w i n d o w s a t w h i c h t h e y w e r e w a t c h i n g : 

" L e i us b u r n this h o u s e a l s o . " 
" N o ! not t h i s h o u s e ; this is t h e h o u s e w h e r e t h e y g i v e 

r e m e d i e s w h e n w e are i l l . " 
" I t d o e s n o t m a t t e r ; let u s burn i t — l e t us b u r n i t . " 
A c e r t a i n n u m b e r of t h e B a c h i - B o u z o u k s m a d e a. 

c i r c u i t of t h e c o n v e n t a n d t o o k u p s t a t i o n s a t t h e r e a r o f 
the h o u s e . I t can o n l y b e s u r m i s e d t h a t this w a s d o n e s o 
a s to c u t off t h e r e t r e a t of t h e r e f u g e e s w h e n d r i v e n o u t o f 
the h o u s e b y the flames, a n d to e x t e r m i n a t e t h e m w i t h 
m o r e c e r t a i n t y . 

P è r e S a b a t i e r had m a d e t h e bold s u g g e s t i o n to t h e 
M o t h e r S u p e r i o r that he w o u l d e s c o r t t h e S i s t e r s a n d t h e 
o r p h a n s b y s o m e b a c k s t r e e t s to t h e C o l l e g e of S t . Paul,. 
P è r e B e n o i t r e m a i n i n g at t h e c o n v e n t w i t h the r e f u g e e s . 

T h e plan, t h o u g h r i s k y , s e e m e d f e a s i b l e at first, b u t as-
the b u i l d i n g w a s b e i n g s u r r o u n d e d b y the B a c h i - B o u z o u k s -
the idea w a s g i v e n up. 

A l l h u m a n hope s e e m e d p a s t ; it w a s n o w a m a t t e r of 
m i n u t e s and all w o u l d b e o v e r . F a t h e r B e n o i t a s e c o n d 
t i m e g a v e a G e n e r a l A b s o l u t i o n in a l o u d , c l e a r v o i c e . 
S o m e of t h e r e f u g e e s are h y s t e r i c a l , c r y i n g out loud ; others-
h a v e f a i n t e d . 

T h e S i s t e r s are p e r f e c t l y quiet, c a l m and c o l l e c t e d . 
" T h e S a c r e d H e a r t w i l l s a v e u s , " s a y s t h e M o t h e r 
S u p e r i o r ; " t h e S a c r e d H e a r t w i l l s a v e u s , " r e p e a t t h e 
n u n s . 

A l l e y e s w e r e fixed on t h e l a r g e e n t r a n c e p o r c h b y 
w h i c h the m o b w e r e e x p e c t e d to b r e a k in. T h e M o t h e r 
S u p e r i o r , q u i c k a s t h o u g h t , called t h e n u n s a r o u n d her. 



— 36-

" S i s t e r s , t h o s e of y o u w h o w i s h t o c o m e to the post o f 
h o n o u r , f o l l o w m e ! " a n d in a b o d y , t h e s e t w e n t y - f i v e 
-women p a s s e d d o w n t h r o u g h the a w e - s t r u c k c r o w d of 
r e f u g e e s , a n d t o o k u p their s t a n d close to t h e d o o r w a y . 

A n d the c r o w d w a i t e d ; a m i n u t e , p e r h a p s t w o m i n u t e s , 
p e r h a p s l o n g e r ; a stillness s e e m e d to h a v e c o m e o v e r t h e 
•district. S u d d e n l y t h e r e w a s a b u g l e - c a l l , t h e n a n o t h e r , 
•somewhat nearer, c o m i n g f r o m t h e street. 

T h e n a k n o c k at t h e p o r c h . T h e M o t h e r S u p e r i o r , 
t u r n i n g to F a t h e r B e n o i t , s a i d : " F a t h e r , w i l l y o u p l e a s e 
•open the d o o r . " F a t h e r B e n o i t opened it a n d s t e p p e d 
-outside; t h e M o t h e r S u p e r i o r w a s f o r f o l l o w i n g : 

1 1 w i l l s h o w m y s e l f ; t h e y w i l l r e s p e c t the g a r b of a 
p o o r n u n . " 

T h e door w a s n o w opened, b u t there w a s no m o b to be 
s e e n ; t h e B a c h i - B o u z o u k s h a d f a l l e n b a c k , and w e r e at 
t h e f u r t h e r e n d of t h e street. A s m a l l t r o o p of r e g u l a r 
-soldiers w e r e c o m i n g u p r a p i d l y . T h e officer in c o m m a n d 
•dismounted a t the d o o r w a y ; he had c a u g h t s i g h t of the 
M o t h e r S u p e r i o r and the thin line of w h i t e f a c e s . H e 

s h o o k h a n d s w i t h the F a t h e r s , t h e M o t h e r S u p e r i o r , t h e n 
w i t h s e v e r a l of t h e S i s t e r s . 

I n point of c o u r t e o u s d e m e a n o u r , the T u r k i s h officer 
h a s no superior. 

B u t a s e r g e a n t , c l o s e behind h i m , had seized F a t h e r 
B e n o i t s o m e w h a t r o u g h l y , and b e g a n s e a r c h i n g h i m for 
a r m s . T h e soldiery c r o w d e d r o u n d — t h e pale, thin f a c e of 
the m a n of G o d w a s seen a s h e t o w e r e d head and s h o u l d e r s 
a b o v e t h e m . 

" F r i e n d s ! " he said, " t h e s e are m y o n l y a r m s , " a n d h e 
offered t h e m his c r u c i f i x . 

" T h e s e a r e the o n l y a r m s of a p r i e s t . " I n s t i n c -
t i v e l y t h e s e r g e a n t and soldiers f e l l b a c k ; there w a s 
s o m e t h i n g in this m a n t h a t c o m p e l l e d r e s p e c t . 



— 37 — 

T h e officer l e f t f o u r o f his m e n on d u t y a t t h e d o o r w a y , 
g i v i n g t h e m short, stern orders, s a l u t e d , a n d passed d o w n 
t h e street. 

F a t h e r S a b a t i e r , w i t h the h e l p of s e v e r a l v o l u n t e e r s , a t 
o n c e s e t himself to the t a s k of g e t t i n g the flames u n d e r in t h e 

a d j a c e n t h o u s e s , a s 

s t a r t e d off w i t h s e v e r a l 
soldiers, and F a t h e r 
S a b a t i e r r e j o i n e d t h e m 
a f e w m i n u t e s later. 

T o g e t h e r t h e y passed: 
t w o m o s q u e s ; T u r k s f u l l y a r m e d , w e r e s t a n d i n g in crowds-
on t h e steps, a n d s t a r e d at t h e priests in a s t o n i s h m e n t . 

" C o m e ! a l l ' i s o v e r ! let there b e p e a c e ! " called the. 
missionaries. 

S o m e of t h e l e a d e r s of the T u r k s c a m e f o r w a r d a n d 
s h o o k h a n d s w i t h t h e missionaries, 
t o w n , t h e y c a m e to t h e C o l l e g e of S t . P a u l 

A D A N A AFTER THE MASSACRES. 

A street in ruins. T h e district in w h i c h the Sisters 
were established. 

A f t e r t r a v e r s i n g t h è 



- 3« -

F a t h e r R i g a l w a s a b s e n t ; He w a s in the streets, t r y i n g 
t o a l l a y t h e a n g e r of the i n c e n s e d T u r k i s h e l e m e n t 
of t h e p o p u l a t i o n . I t w a s a n a c t o f g r e a t d a r i n g on 
F a t h e r R i g a l ' s part ; h e had s t a r t e d o u t alone, in spite 
of the entreaties of the M a r i s t B r o t h e r s , t h a t a t l e a s t 
one of t h e m m i g h t b e a l l o w e d to a c c o m p a n y h i m ; h e 
s a i d t h a t b y g o i n g q u i t e a l o n e h e w o u l d be s h o w i n g the 
T u r k s t h a t t h e C h r i s t i a n s s i n c e r e l y w i s h e d f o r p e a c e ; 
F a t h e r R i g a l ' s o b j e c t s e e m s to h a v e a l s o been to r e a c h the 
K o n a k , to b e g t h e V a l i f o r a s s i s t a n c e . I t is k n o w n t h a t 
o n his r o u n d he f r e q u e n t l y e x t e n d e d his h a n d a s a m a r k o f 
f r i e n d s h i p t o w a r d s fierce-looking M o s l e m s , f u l l y a r m e d , 
a n d w h o , i n s t e a d of r e t u r n i n g his a d v a n c e s , c l u t c h e d e a g e r l y 
a t their rifles ; he s m i l e d k i n d l y a t m e n w h o s e e y e s g l a r e d 
-with h a t r e d and m u r d e r ; h e o f t e n h e a r d w o r d s t h a t w e r e 
m e n a c e s of d e a t h ; n e a r t h e bridge, at one m o m e n t , s e v e r a l 
rifles w e r e l e v e l l e d a t h i m , b u t then v o i c e s of p r o t e s t w e r e 
r a i s e d b y other M o s l e m s , a n d it is either here, or r a t h e r 
later, t h a t a g a l l a n t y o u n g T u r k i s h officer c a m e f o r w a r d 
•and s h o o k h a n d s w i t h him, a c t i n g a s his e s c o r t till the 
K o n a k w a s r e a c h e d . 

U p o n F a t h e r B e n o i t a n d F a t h e r S a b a t i e r a r r i v i n g a t t h e 
•College of S t . P a u l , t h e 7,000 or 8,000. r e f u g e e s there w e r e 
w o r k e d u p into a s t a t e of f r e n z y a t the s i g h t of t h e T u r k i s h 
soldiers, and the t w o p r i e s t s h a d an a n x i o u s m o m e n t at 
first, f e a r i n g f o r t h e s a f e t y of their escort. F a t h e r 
S a b a t i e r r e m a i n e d in the c o l l e g e to c a l m the e x c i t e m e n t , 
b u t P è r e B e n o i t p u s h e d on in his w a l k alone, t w o soldiers 
.being w i t h h i m , and a y o u n g m a n c a r r y i n g a T u r k i s h flag 
p r e c e d i n g him ; a s a rule, h e m e t w i t h a f r i e n d l y r e c e p t i o n , 
b u t in one p l a c e , in t h e T u r k i s h q u a r t e r , he w a s turned b a c k , 
t h e M o s l e m s b a r r i n g t h e w a y t h r e a t e n i n g l y a n d s a y i n g : 

N o ! n o ! no Giaour s h a l l p a s s h e r e , " so h e turned b a c k . 



— 39 — 

I n the C h r i s t i a n part of the t o w n all w a s dead s i l e n c e ; t h e 
s h o p s h a d been p i l l a g e d to t h e u t t e r m o s t ; the h o u s e s w e r e 
w i d e open ; of doors a n d w i n d o w s o n l y f r a g m e n t s r e m a i n e d ; 
in t h e side-streets t h e fires c o n t i n u e d ; c o r p s e s w e r e l y i n g 
a b o u t in p o o l s of b l o o d ; t h e n u m b e r of c o r p s e s w a s v e r y 
.great. T h e soldiers w h o a c c o m p a n i e d P è r e B e n o i t , w i t h o u t 
c o n s u l t i n g h i m , led h i m to the G o v e r n o r ' s P a l a c e ; in t h e 
f o r e c o u r t s o m e 1,200 T u r k s w e r e a s s e m b l e d ; a g a i n , a s t h i s 
t a l l , h a g g a r d m a n in b l a c k p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e c r o w d , e v e r y -
o n e n e a r m a d e w a y f o r h i m ; s o m e c a l l e d out : " the m o n k ! 
t h e m o n k ! " others, s e e i n g the T u r k i s h flag p r e c e d i n g h i m , 
a n d soldiers at his side, b r o k e out into cheers. 

P è r e B e n o i t , w e n t s t r a i g h t u p to w h e r e t h e V a l i w a s 
s t a n d i n g , t h e g e n e r a l in c o m m a n d of the t r o o p s at his side ; 
h e t h a n k e d h i m f o r s e n d i n g t h e soldiers to the relief of 
t h e M i s s i o n s . T h e V a l i r e m a i n e d u n m o v e d , a n d did n o t 
s a y a w o r d ; t h e G e n e r a l b o w e d and said : 

" W e h a v e o n l y d o n e our d u t y . " 
I n c o m i n g a w a y f r o m the i n t e r v i e w w i t h the V a l i , t h e 

s o l d i e r s and c r o w d of T u r k s a g a i n a c c l a i m e d P è r e B e n o i t , 
A n d s e v e r a l of the y o u n g e r officers c a m e u p to h i m a n d 
s h o o k h a n d s j c o m p l i m e n t i n g h i m . . .0._-

A n h o u r or so later t h e t w o F a t h e r s m e t a t t h e c o n v e n t , 
a n d then, at last, t h e F a t h e r S u p e r i o r , P è r e J o u v e , a p p e a r e d ; 
t h e three men w e r e so affected t h a t t h e y could h a r d l y s p e a k . 
P è r e j o u v e seemed to h a v e h a d the w o r s t t i m e of the t h r e e ; 
h e w a s d e a d l y p a l e — h e h a d c o m p l e t e l y lost his voice. H e 
h a d r e c e i v e d t h e first n e w s of t h e t r o u b l e s a s h e w a s on his 
w a y to the station in M e r s i n a w i t h t h e p u p i l s ; the officials 
a t t h e r a i l w a y station in M e r s i n a h a d w a r n e d h i m n o t to g o 
u p to A d a n a . L e a v i n g h i s p u p i l s in s a f e c u s t o d y , he h a d 
t a k e n the first train, b u t on a r r i v a l at the s t a t i o n in A d a n a 
¡he w a s f o r c i b l y detained, a s t h e T u r k s h a d barred a l l 



— 40 B 

c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h the c e n t r e of the t o w n , a n d all his-
efforts to g e t t h r o u g h to one of t h e C a t h o l i c h o u s e s h a d 
been of no a v a i l . H e had t h u s p a s s e d three d a y s a t t h e 
r a i l w a y station in the m o s t a c u t e m e n t a l a g o n y , n o t k n o w -
ing w h a t h a d h a p p e n e d or w h a t h a d been t h e f a t e of t h e 
missionaries. 

I n t h e e v e n i n g there w e r e still s o m e h o u s e s on f i r e ; t h e 
n i g h t w a s c a l m , b u t there w a s still o c c a s i o n a l firing f r o m 
t h e m i n a r e t s . 

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y , S a t u r d a y , there w a s r e a l l y a c e s s a -
tion of hostilities. F r o m the earliest h o u r s of the morning,, 
l o n g , open c a r t s w e r e seen p a s s i n g d o w n the streets,"and' 
t h e c o r p s e s w e r e t h r o w n in, p r o b a b l y i n c l u d i n g s o m e o f 
t h o s e m o r t a l l y w o u n d e d , but w h o s e l i f e w a s n o t y e t extinct';, 
the c a r t s w e r e e m p t i e d into the w a t e r s of the r i v e r S e i h o u n 
t h a t flows t h r o u g h the t o w n . 

B u t , a l t h o u g h there w a s no f u r t h e r s l a u g h t e r in the t o w n 
of A d a n a itself, it is not e a s y to determine w h e n it c e a s e d in 
the s u r r o u n d i n g districts. ' A l l t h e f a r m s of the Christians-
w e r e p i l l a g e d , and there w e r e 360 of t h e s e f a r m s . O n t h e 
estate of M g r . T e r z i a n , the C a t h o l i c B i s h o p , 160 p e o p l e 
w e r e m a s s a c r e d and the bodies w e r e t h r o w n into the w e l l s -r 
it w a s t h e s a m e n o t o n l y on t h e other f a r m s , b u t also in t h e 
n u m e r o u s c o u n t r y h o u s e s and v i n e y a r d s b e l o n g i n g to the 
better-to-do A r m e n i a n s in t h e n e i g h b o u r h o o d of A d a n a . 

I t w a s j u s t the t i m e of the h a r v e s t a n d of t h e w e e d i n g 
of t h e c o t t o n fields, and f o r this w o r k s o m e 15,000 or 20,000-
C h r i s t i a n l a b o u r e r s w e r e a c c u s t o m e d to c o m e d o w n into 
t h e d i s t r i c t f r o m different points of A n a t o l i a , s o m e f r o m 
p a r t s n e e d i n g ten, t w e n t y , or even t h i r t y d a y s f o r the-' 
j o u r n e y . A l t h o u g h reliable s t a t i s t i c s w i l l p r o b a b l y n e v e r 
be a v a i l a b l e , it is c e r t a i n t h a t a v e r y g r e a t n u m b e r of t h e s e 



¡ S g s M - 1 — 

u n f o r t u n a t e people, m a n y of t h e m f a t h e r s of f a m i l i e s , 
h a v e perished. C a u g h t u n a w a r e s in the o p e n c o u n t r y o r 
in the f a r m houses, these people w e r e q u i t e u n p r e p a r e d f o r 
an a t t a c k , a;nd h a d n o t the s l i g h t e s t c h a n c e of r e s i s t a n c e . 

A N A R M E N I A N F A M I L Y O F COUNTRY-FOLK F R O M 

T H E ' N E I G H B O U R H O O D OF A D A N A . 

I t is o w i n g to this c u s t o m of the m i g r a t i o n of so m a n y 
field-labourers to A d a n a f o r the h a r v e s t , and to the n u m b e r 
of v i c t i m s a m o n g s t t h e s e m e n , t h a t t h e e f f e c t s of t h e 
m a s s a c r e s w e r e so s e v e r e l y f e l t all o v e r A n a t o l i a . T h u s , 
all the C h r i s t i a n v i l l a g e s b e t w e e n S i v a s and C e s a r e a suffered 
g r e a t losses. A t the v i l l a g e of T c h e p n i s o m e h u n d r e d m e n 
— a l m o s t all m a r r i e d and f a t h e r s of l a r g e f a m i l i e s — h a v e 
d i s a p p e a r e d . I n t h e n e i g h b o u r i n g v i l l a g e o f B o u r h a n f o r t y 



— 42 — 

o u t of e i g h t y h a v e s u c c u m b e d . F r o m t h e t o w n s h i p of 
G u é m é r e k 250 h a v e not r e t u r n e d , and so on in the surround-
i n g p l a c e s . G r e a t distress is t h e result. 

A p a t h e t i c i n c i d e n t is r e c o r d e d at one o f t h e s e p l a c e s . 
J u s t a b o u t s u n s e t a riderless m u l e c a m e c l i m b i n g s l o w l y 
u p the d u s t y hillside a n d s t o p p e d a t t h e g a t e of a s m a l l 
c o t t a g e . A w o m a n and t w o children c a m e o u t and s t a r e d 
at the m u l e . T h e y stared f o r s o m e t i m e — t h e n t h e y under-
s t o o d , and t h e y w e n t indoors. A n d it is a m o n g s t these 
•country f o l k that t h e m a s s a c r e s w e r e p a r t i c u l a r l y a t r o c i o u s ; 
the m a r a u d i n g r a b b l e , b e i n g q u i t e f r e e f r o m all s u p e r v i s i o n 
and s a f e f r o m a n y possible c o u n t e r a t t a c k , i n d u l g e d in 
« v e r y k i n d of a b o m i n a t i o n , t h e v e r y details of w h i c h m a k e 
o n e s h u d d e r w i t h h o r r o r . 



II. THE D A Y S BETWEEN THE TWO MASSACRES 

1 7 - 2 5 A p r i l 

S e e i n g t h a t there w e r e to b e t w o distinct a n d s e p a r a t e 
m a s s a c r e s , it m a y b e said to h a v e been p r o v i d e n t i a l t h a t 
there w a s a c l e a r i n t e r v a l of a b o u t a w e e k b e t w e e n t h e t w o 
•events. I n c o n s e q u e n c e of t h i s — w e m a y c a l l it b r e a t h i n g 
s p a c e — i t w a s possible to t h o r o u g h l y e x a m i n e into t h e 
e f f e c t s a n d t h e results of t h e first m a s s a c r e a n d to f o r m 
g e n e r a l c o n c l u s i o n s . 

W e are w e l l a w a r e t h a t t h e r e are g o o d p e o p l e w h o 
b e l i e v e it to be a m i s t a k e to g i v e details of horrors and of 
a t r o c i t i e s . O n our part, w e t h i n k it is f a r w o r s e to i g n o r e 
s u c h f a c t s a n d to l e a d p e o p l e to t h i n k that m a n s l a u g h t e r 
a n d a r s o n w e r e t h e o n l y m i s d e e d s c o m m i t t e d ; t h e t r u t h is 
t h a t n u m b e r s of A r m e n i a n s w e r e d o n e to d e a t h in t h e 
m o s t fiendish m a n n e r . 

A h i g h E n g l i s h official a t C o n s t a n t i n o p l e , r e f e r r i n g to 
t h e w e l l - k n o w n d e v i l i s h b r u t a l i t y of the K u r d s , m a d e the 
r e m a r k : " I t m a d e one inclined to t a k e o n e ' s s p o r t i n g g u n 
a n d to h u n t t h e b r u t e s d o w n . " 

T o u s it w o u l d a p p e a r t h a t if t h e w h o l e of C h r i s t e n d o m 
f u l l y r e a l i z e d the f a c t s of t h e a t r o c i t i e s c o m m i t t e d , a n d 
w e r e s h o c k e d out of its a p a t h y b y t h e e n u m e r a t i o n of t h e s e 
a t r o c i t i e s , it w o u l d b e f a r b e t t e r f o r h u m a n i t y a t l a r g e , a n d 
t h e r e w o u l d t h e n be s o m e l i k e l i h o o d of d e f i n i t e s t e p s b e i n g 



— 44 — 

t a k e n to p r e v e n t s u c h g h a s t l y o c c u r r e n c e s e v e r a g a i n b e i n g 
repeated. 

T h e n u m b e r of w o u n d e d a t the R e s i d e n c e w a s v e r y 
l a r g e ; t h e w o u n d e d l a y a b o u t on t h e g r o u n d on t h e 
r o u g h e s t of c a n v a s c l o t h and on old j u t e s a c k s . T w o o r 
three d o c t o r s g a v e t h e first aid a s f a r a s p o s s i b l e ; t h e 
M a r i s t B r o t h e r s . w a s h e d the w o u n d s and did t h e b a n d a g i n g . 
B r o t h e r M a r c r e f e r s to s e e i n g an old m a n w h o s e h e a d 
s h o w e d n u m b e r l e s s k n i f e - w o u n d s , and w h o had been b e a t e n 
so f e a r f u l l y t h a t his l e g s w e r e a m e r e s h a p e l e s s m a s s , b o t h 
k n e e s b e i n g b r o k e n . B r o t h e r M a r c also s a w a girl of t w e l v e 
w h o h a d b e e n s t a b b e d r i g h t t h r o u g h her c h e s t , and w h o 
died a f e w h o u r s l a t e r . H e s a w a b a b y of t w o or t h r e e 
t h a t h a d h a d a b l o w f r o m a h a t c h e t c l e a v i n g its s k u l l open,, 
a n d a n o t h e r b a b y t h a t h a d s e v e r a l b a y o n e t w o u n d s in t h e 
a b d o m e n ! 

A t the o t h e r end of t h e c o u r t y a r d , B r o t h e r L o u i s X a v i e r 
w a s seen b i n d i n g u p t h e w o u n d s of a b a b y of three in its-
m o t h e r ' s a r m s . I t w a s horrible to n o t i c e h o w its t i n y l e f t 
a r m w a s Govered w i t h c u t l a s s w o u n d s ; t h e b o n e s w e r e 
b r o k e n at t h r e e different points, t h e hand pierced, a n d t h e 
tips of the fingers c u t off. I t w a s f o u n d to b e n e c e s s a r y 
to a m p u t a t e this a r m , and a s soon a s this w a s done t h e 
b a b y child b e g a n to c a r e s s its m o t h e r w i t h its r e m a i n i n g 
h a n d . T h o s e w h o s a w t h i s b u r s t into t e a r s . 

B r o t h e r M a r c tells of a n o t h e r c a s e h e w i t n e s s e d : a 
w o m a n w i t h so m a n y w o u n d s t h a t the d o c t o r did n o t s e e m 
to k n o w w h e r e to b e g i n . A b u l l e t h a d entered b y t h e 
s h o u l d e r and penetrated t h e l u n g s , b o t h a r m s w e r e mutilated,, 
h e a d and l e g s s h o w e d t r a c e s of b l o w s f r o m a y a t a g a n ^ 
n u m e r o u s b u l l e t w o u n d s h a d torn the flesh off the b a c k . 
W h e n e v e r the doctor w a s a b o u t to p a s s to the n e x t patient s h e 
k e p t on s a y i n g : " Y o u h a v e still to do t h i s — s t i l l to do that."' 



1 " 45 — 

S o m e A r m e n i a n s w e r e u n d o u b t e d l y c r u c i f i e d on t a b l e s , 
d o o r - p o s t s , a n d w i n d o w - f r a m e s . Y o u n g g i r l s and m e r e 
c h i l d r e n w e r e n o t respected. T h o u g h f a c t s of t h i s n a t u r e 
a r e w e l l - k n o w n , t h e y c a n n o t b e p u t into print. B u t w e 
r e p e a t there is no d o u b t w h a t e v e r t h a t t h e y o c c u r r e d . 

A n d t h a t M o s l e m w o m e n e n c o u r a g e d their sons to t h e 
s l a u g h t e r of C h r i s t i a n s is a l s o 

il p e n s a r y , horrible w o u n d s w e r e 
j l i l l ^ ^ ^ H a l s o in e v i d e n c e . T h e p l a c e 

* ^ S j ^ ^ ^ H w a s c r o w d e d , a n d S i s t e r 
M a r i e - S o p h i e , in a letter on f ^ f f y ** H a t c h e t a n d k n i f e - w o u n d s 
s e e m to h a v e been t h e w o r s t ; 
fingers, a r m s , and l e g s h a d 

I to b e a m p u t a t e d in m a n y 

b e b a n d a g e d in five or s i x 
p l a c e s . 

O n the M o n d a y f o l l o w i n g , 
the S i s t e r s w e r e a s i n d e f a t i g -
a b l e as e v e r . T h e y b e g a n to 

o r g a n i z e a s m a l l a m b u l a n c e , p l a c i n g it under t h e p r o t e c t i o n 
o f O u r L a d y of F o u r v i e r e . T h e h o u s e of t h e A r m e n i a n 
f a m i l y C h a d r i z i a n w a s p l a c e d at their disposal f o r t h i s 
p u r p o s e , t h e f a m i l y h a v i n g decided to e m i g r a t e , as t h e 
f a t h e r h a d been m u r d e r e d in the G o v e r n o r ' s P a l a c e at t h e 
b e g i n n i n g of t h e m a s s a c r e s . 

T o p r o v i d e the n e c e s s a r y s u s t e n a n c e f o r their e s t a b l i s h -
m e n t , f u l l of s i c k a n d w o u n d e d , t h e S i s t e r s t h e n w e n t 
t h r o u g h t h e streets b e g g i n g f r o m h o u s e to house, a c c o m -

A D A N A AFTER THE MASSACRES. 

A street leading to the former C o l l e g e of 
the Jesuit F a t h e r s . 



— 46-

p a n i e d b y t w o m e m b e r s of t h e C o n f e r e n c e of S t . V i n c e n t 
de P a u l , a n d f o l l o w e d b y t w o c a r r i e r s c a r r y i n g s a c k s . 
A m a n a c t i n g as a k i n d of crier w e n t w i t h t h e m , and c a l l e d 
o u t in T u r k i s h , under t h e w i n d o w s , in t h e c o u r t y a r d s , a n d 
e v e n in t h e s t r e e t s a s t h e y p a s s e d a l o n g : 

" M y b r o t h e r s , m y f r i e n d s , h e l p u s a s m u c h a s y o u c a n ; 
g i v e u s s o m e old c l o t h i n g or s o m e l i n e n ; g i v e u s a little 
rice, or s o m e bourgoul (shelled c o r n ) , or s o m e h a r i c o t b e a n s "r • 
s o m e old k i t c h e n u t e n s i l s ; g i v e u s s o m e o n i o n s ; w e 
a c c e p t e v e r y t h i n g ; it is f o r t h e first needs of t h e a m b u -
l a n c e w h i c h o u r S i s t e r s h a v e j u s t o p e n e d . " 

S o m e t i m e s a c o p p e r coin, f o u r or e i g h t m e t a l l i c s ( a 
h a l f p e n n y or a p e n n y ) w o u l d b e t h r o w n out of a w i n d o w 
a n d e a g e r l y p i c k e d up. . 

B u t c h e r s a n d b a k e r s g e n e r a l l y g a v e s o m e t h i n g of t h e i r 
store, f r u i t e r e r s g a v e s a l a d and o r a n g e s . T h e S i s t e r s w e n t 
into t h e ' c o f f e e h o u s e s a l s o , m u c h to t h e a s t o n i s h m e n t o f 
t h e i n m a t e s . 

T h e y e v e n risked g o i n g into t h e M o s l e m q u a r t e r , and 
t h e V a l i , w i t h a n o t u n f r i e n d l y g e s t u r e , g a v e t h e m two-
medjidis ( a b o u t s e v e n shillings). S e v e r a l of t h e T u r k i s h 
n o t a b l e s also g a v e s m a l l s u m s . . . f o r w h o h a s e v e r b e e n 
a b l e to resist t h e p l e a d i n g s of S i s t e r s of M e r c y a n d of 
t h e P o o r ! 

* * * 

I n the c o u r s e of this w e e k , s e v e r a l officers of t h e E n g l i s h , 
a n d F r e n c h m e n - o f - w a r l y i n g off M e r s i n a visited A d a n a . 

O n e of t h e m , an officer of t h e Victor Hugo, in a l o n g 
letter h o m e , g i v e s s o m e of his i m p r e s s i o n s . W e g i v e b r i e f 
e x t r a c t s : 



~~ 47 — 

" M e r s i n a , A p r i l 23rd. T h e C o n s u l tells . u s t h a t the-
interior of the c o u n t r y is b e i n g p u t to fire a n d s w o r d . . . . 
I n g o i n g u p b y train , . . w e n o t i c e the c o u n t r y h a s been 

w e l l c u l t i v a t e d , but a s w e g o a l o n g w e see a f a r m t h a t has-
b e e n b u r n t d o w n and p i l l a g e d , then another, and others in-
q u i c k s u c c e s s i o n . 

" T h e desolation a p p e a r s g r e a t e r a s w e g e t nearer to-

COURT OF ONE OF THE SISTERS' SCHOOLS IN A R M E N I A . 

T h e good Sisters teach Catechism, sewing, embroidery, and m a n y things 
besides. 



m a 

A d a n a . . . . I n e v e r y one of t h e s e f a r m s , A r m e n i a n s h a v e 
"been p u t to d e a t h . . . . 

1 A c r o w d of M o s l e m s c o m e s a r o u n d u s , r a t h e r out of 
c u r i o s i t y t h a n a n y t h i n g else, a s w e enter t h e m a i n street of 
A d a n a . . . . A t e v e r y step w e p a s s a s h o p t h a t h a s b e e n 
p i l l a g e d — f r e q u e n t l y only t h e s a f e is still to b e seen, b u r s t 
open, and l y i n g amid t h e debris. W e w e n t to t h e M i s s i o n , a 
l a r g e and fine-looking e s t a b l i s h m e n t in the heart of the t o w n . 

" T h e F a t h e r s r e c e i v e us a l m o s t a s their s a v i o u r s , f o r 
until n o w t h e y h a v e not c e a s e d to b e a n x i o u s , in spite of 
t h e a p p a r e n t p a c i f i c a t i o n w h i c h h a s f o l l o w e d upon the three 
4 a y s of the m a s s a c r e s . T h e i r h o u s e h a s b e e n under fire. 
T h e y had 7,000 or 8,000 r e f u g e e s at the t i m e . . . . A F a t h e r 
"was w o u n d e d . . . it s e e m s to h a v e b e e n a m i r a c l e t h a t h e 
-escaped death. ; . . 

" T h e m i s s i o n a r i e s c o n d u c t e d us to t h e c o m m u n i t y o r 
the S i s t e r s of S t . Joseph. W h a t a s p e c t a c l e ! T h e c o u r t s , 
p a r l o u r s , and c l a s s - r o o m s f u l l of A r m e n i a n s , u n k e m p t , lean, 
.and d e j e c t e d . . . T h e d a y b e f o r e y e s t e r d a y there w e r e still 
s o m e 3,000 of t h e m . Y e s t e r d a y a n d t o - d a y m a n y h a v e 
been r e a s s u r e d and h a v e g o n e h o m e ; t h o s e too f r i g h t e n e d 
t o l e a v e , a n d t h o s e w i t h o u t h o m e s , h a v e r e m a i n e d . . . . 
T h e w o m e n are l a m e n t i n g their lot in a s t a t e of desolation ; 
t h e m e n are silent, and a p p e a r s e r e n e ; children are p l a y i n g 
a b o u t a s if n o t h i n g had h a p p e n e d . 

" A g i l e , d a i n t i l y c l e a n , and s m i l i n g , t h e S i s t e r s p a s s in 
.and out a m i d s t this c r o w d ; t h e y s e e m a s t o n i s h i n g l y c a l m , 
a n d w h e n t h e y s a y t h a t t h e y w e r e riot f r i g h t e n e d , e v e n a t 
t h e w o r s t m o m e n t , I quite b e l i e v e t h e m . . . . I c a n , h o w -
e v e r , see b u l l e t t r a c e s on all s i d e s ; one of t h e d o r m i t o r i e s 
w a s riddled t h r o u g h and t h r o u g h . . . . T h e r o o m s t h e y 
t a k e us in are c l e a n a n d s w e e t , . . . h o w do t h e y m a n a g e 
to look a f t e r e v e r y t h i n g — t o g i v e s u s t e n a n c e to so m a n y 
. r e f u g e e s , and to k e e p t h e m in s u c h a s t a t e of c l e a n l i n e s s ? 



S 49 — 

" W e are c o n d u c t e d to t h e i n f i r m a r y ; an A r m e n i a n 
r e f u g e e , s o m e t h i n g of a doctor, is d r e s s i n g the w o u n d s of 
a n old A r m e n i a n w o m a n , s i t t i n g in an a r m c h a i r . S h e h a s 
•eight h e a d w o u n d s , s o m e a s l a r g e a s o n e ' s finger. S h e 
h a s a f o o t c u t off . . . and an a r m h a c k e d to pieces. 

H e r d a u g h t e r h a d , it s e e m s , been o u t r a g e d and m a s s a c r e d 
u n d e r her e y e s . . . . T h e poor m o t h e r h a d lost her 

r e a s o n . 

" W e g o t h r o u g h a c o u r t y a r d ; w o m e n , m o s t l y old 
w o m e n , f a l l d o w n on their k n e e s b e f o r e us, a n d t o u c h o u r 
u n i f o r m s a s if t h e y w o u l d a c t a s a t a l i s m a n a g a i n s t t h e 
T u r k s . T h e y are all c r y i n g , and e n t r e a t i n g u s to s a v e 
t h e m . S e v e r a l s e i z e hold of us a s w e pass, e m b r a c e o u r 

D 

T H E B A Y O F M E R S I N A A T T H E M O U T H OF- T H E 

S E I H O U N R I V E R . T U R K I S H B O A T M E N . 



~ 5° — 

f e e t , and k i s s t h e v e r y spot o u r f e e t h a v e trodden. . . . T 
h a v e n e v e r f e l t so u n n e r v e d in m y life. . . . 

" F r i d a y , A p r i l 2 4 t h . — T h e r i v e r in w h i c h s o m e 3,000-
c o r p s e s m a y h a v e b e e n t h r o w n is b e g i n n i n g to c a r r y t h e m 
d o w n into t h e B a y of M e r s i n a . T h e c o r p s e s float a b o u t 
. . . in a s t a t e of d e c o m p o s i t i o n . . . hideous. O n e of a 
little g i r l of f i v e w a s n o t i c e d , a n o t h e r of a m a n , c o m p l e t e l y 
s e v e r e d in t w o f r o m the a b d o m e n to t h e c h i n . . . arms-
a n d l e g s c u t o f f . " 

T h i s ends the e x t r a c t s w e g i v e of t h e l o n g report of the-
F r e n c h officer of t h e Victor Hugo. I t is v a l u a b l e c o r r o b o r a -
t i v e t e s t i m o n y to t h e a c c o u n t s of the m i s s i o n a r i e s and 
S i s t e r s t h e m s e l v e s , a n d w o u l d s e e m to u s to g i v e the lie-
d i r e c t to a n y one w h o s u g g e s t s t h a t a t r o c i t i e s w e r e n o t 
c o m m i t t e d . 



III. THE RENEWAL OF THE MASSACRES 

25 - 28 A p r i l 

I t is a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e to c o n c e i v e h o w the s e c o n d 
m a s s a c r e o r i g i n a t e d , a n d w h y it o c c u r r e d . 

A s the B r i t i s h , F r e n c h , a n d other m e n - o f - w a r w e r e l y i n g 
a t M e r s i n a , a n d a b l e to l a n d 500 or m o r e m e n a t a n y 
m o m e n t , q u i t e e n o u g h , in f a c t , to c o p e w i t h a n y possible 
e m e r g e n c y , it s e e m s to us t h a t t h e r e m u s t h a v e been f o u l 
p l a y s o m e w h e r e , or t h a t the s i t u a t i o n m u s t h a v e b e e n 
e n t i r e l y m i s r e a d and misunderstood b y those in a u t h o r i t y . 
S o m e d a y all w i l l be k n o w n . 

W e n o w m e r e l y deal w i t h the f a c t s of t h e s e c o n d 
m a s s a c r e s a s w e k n o w t h e m . 

T h e m a s s a c r e s s t a r t e d a f r e s h , and if possible e v e n more: 
v i o l e n t , m o r e s a v a g e t h a n b e f o r e , a n d this t i m e t h e y led t o 
t h e c o m p l e t e destruction of all t h e C a t h o l i c Mission 
b u i l d i n g s . W e h a v e a g a i n t h e t e s t i m o n y of e y e - w i t n e s s e s . 
F a t h e r B e n o i t w r i t e s , t h a t in spite of p r o m i s e s of p e a c e 
m a d e b y the M o s l e m s , m a n y A r m e n i a n s b e g g e d us a t both 
h o u s e s to k e e p t h e m a little l o n g e r . " W e c a n n o t trust t h e 
T u r k s , " t h e y said, " t h e y h a v e so o f t e n d e c e i v e d u s . " 

I t is k n o w n t h a t a t a b o u t this t i m e m a n y A r m e n i a n s 
w h o w e r e a n x i o u s to l e a v e A d a n a w e r e d e t a i n e d , their 
h o u s e s w e r e b e i n g s e a r c h e d , and a n y a r m s . f o u n d w e r e 
c o n f i s c a t e d . I n t h e m o s q u e s , the I m a m s w e r e e x c i t i n g t h e 
p o p u l a c e to f u r t h e r a c t s of v i o l e n c e . 



— 52 — 

O n W e d n e s d a y , A p r i l 2 1 s t , t h e d a y of the a r r i v a l a t 
M e r s i n a of the t h r e e m e n - o f - w a r , one E n g l i s h , o n e F r e n c h , 

o n e G e r m a n , t h e T u r k i s h n e w s p a p e r , t h e Ittidal, had a g a i n 
i n d u l g e d in m e n a c i n g l a n g u a g e r e s p e c t i n g the A r m e n i a n s . 
T h i s s t a t e m e n t c a n be v e r i f i e d b y r e f e r e n c e to t h e n e w s -
p a p e r of t h a t date. 

O n t h e s a m e d a y a M u s s u l m a n C o m m i s s i o n c a l l e d on 
t h e B r i t i s h C o n s u l , b e g g i n g h i m to p r e v e n t t h e l a n d i n g of' 

-officers a n d m e n f r o m the w a r v e s s e l s , a s it w o u l d h a v e a 
bad e f f e c t on t h e p o p u l a c e . 

T h e f a c t of this M u s s u l m a n C o m m i s s i o n c a l l i n g on t h e 
B r i t i s h C o n s u l , is one t h a t m u s t n o t b e lost s i g h t o f . T h e 

-one C o n s u l w h o h a d at o n c e , in a m o s t g a l l a n t m a n n e r , 
p e r s o n a l l y i n t e r v e n e d on the first m a s s a c r e s , w a s t h e one 
m a n to be h o o d w i n k e d if a s e c o n d m a s s a c r e w a s intended. 
W e do not affirm t h a t this w a s the intention, b u t one c a n n o t 
h e l p f e e l i n g t h a t it m a y h a v e been, a n d the f u r t h e r c o u r s e 

•of e v e n t s h a s to be c a r e f u l l y c o n s i d e r e d in this con-
n e c t i o n . 

*. * * 

I t w a s t h e d a y a f t e r t h e F r e n c h officers h a d l e f t A d a n a , 
t h a t t h e M o s l e m s a g a i n t o o k u p their a r m s . S i s t e r M a r i e -
S o p h i e w r i t e s , t h a t f r o m t h e C o n v e n t on S u n d a y e v e n i n g , 
A p r i l 25th, firing w a s s u d d e n l y h e a r d in the direction of t h e 
A r m e n i a n s c h o o l . F a t h e r B e n o i t , at t h e C o l l e g e , w a s t h a t 
S u n d a y a f t e r n o o n a b o u t five o ' c l o c k c o n d u c t i n g t h e s e r v i c e 
•of the S t a t i o n s of t h e C r o s s . I t w a s t h e e i g h t h S t a t i o n , 
C h r i s t p r o p h e s y i n g t h e d e s t r u c t i o n of J e r u s a l e m . S u d d e n l y 
here, a l s o , firing w a s h e a r d , and m e n c a m e r u s h i n g in w i t h 
•the w o r d s : " The soldiers are firing on us." 

A t both h o u s e s t h e r e w a s n o w a g a i n a p a n i c - s t r i c k e n 
c r o w d of A r m e n i a n s r u s h i n g in a t e v e r y o p e n i n g , c l i m b i n g 



' F A M I L Y A N D TENT O F N O M A D I C M O S L E M S . 

B r o t h e r s , a n d t h e S i s t e r s , all t r y i n g to c a l m t h e f r i g h t e n e d 
c r o w d s , beside t h e m s e l v e s w i t h terror. W e m a y here: 
r e m a r k that f o r a f o r e i g n s u b j e c t in T u r k e y to s h o w 
p e r s o n a l c o u r a g e in t i m e of t r o u b l e is o n l y n a t u r a l , b u t f o r 
u n p r o t e c t e d A r m e n i a n C h r i s t i a n s in A s i a M i n o r d u r i n g t h e 
r e i g n of A b d u l H a m i d to h a v e been c o u r a g e o u s , w o u l d 
h a v e been n o t h i n g s h o r t of m i r a c u l o u s . T h e S i s t e r s w e r e 

— 53 — 

o v e r w a l l s a n d b a l u s t r a d e s , c r u s h i n g a n d f a l l i n g o v e r one-
a n o t h e r . 

A n d so in a f e w m o m e n t s the w h o l e t r a g e d y w a s b e i n g 
e n a c t e d o v e r a g a i n , — the Jesuit F a t h e r s , t h e M a r i s t 



— 54 — 

o f t e n a s k e d b y t h e A r m e n i a n s : " A r e y o u n o t a f r a i d ? " 
T h e i r a c t s w e r e their a n s w e r . 

T h a t n i g h t i n c e n d i a r i s m w a s b e g u n again. T h e h o u s e s 
•of all t h e l e a d i n g A r m e n i a n s w e r e the first to b e set a f l a m e . 
N e a r the S i s t e r s t h e v a s t b u i l d i n g s of t h e A r m e n i a n s c h o o l s 
w e r e a b l a z e . T h e fire s e e m s to h a v e been e x t r e m e l y rapid 
in its p r o g r e s s in t h e A r m e n i a n q u a r t e r of t h e t o w n c a l l e d 
t h e N e w B a z a a r . T h i s q u a r t e r w a s t h e o n e t h a t h a d been' 
so w e l l d e f e n d e d d u r i n g the first m a s s a c r e s , n o w it s e e m s 
t o h a v e been s i n g l e d o u t f o r d e s t r u c t i o n : a t l e a s t t w o 
h u n d r e d h o u s e s w e r e b u r n i n g , a n d h a l f A d a n a w a s 
e n v e l o p e d in s m o k e a n d flames. W h a t w i t h t h e flames, 
t h e i n c e s s a n t firing, and the a n g r y shouts, interspersed w i t h 
s h r i e k s , it s e e m e d a s if a v i s i o n f r o m H e l l h a d c o m e to 
s t r i k e terror into the h e a r t s of the b r a v e s t . 

T h a t e v e n i n g s i x of t h e S i s t e r s h a d not r e t u r n e d to t h e 
•convent. T h e y h a d been d o w n in t h e t e m p o r a r y h o s p i t a l , 
-which c o u l d j u s t be d i s t i n g u i s h e d s h r o u d e d in h e a v y c l o u d s 
o f s m o k e . T h e s e six w o m e n w e r e on their w a y to the 
•convent w h e n a p a n i c - s t r i c k e n c r o w d of A r m e n i a n s c a m e 
r u s h i n g p a s t t h e m ; s o m e h u n d r e d y a r d s behind c a m e a 
t r o o p of B a c h i - B o u z o u k s , v i l l a i n o u s r u f f i a n s indeed, f o r six 
poor n u n s to m e e t w i t h . " L e t us p a s s , " said one of t h e 
S i s t e r s , in T u r k i s h , " w e are F r e n c h . " " F r e n c h or 
A r m e n i a n , it does n o t m a t t e r , y o u c a n n o t p a s s , " w a s the 
x e p l y of t h e l e a d i n g M o s l e m . S o t h e s e s i x w o m e n w e n t 
b a c k to p a s s t h e n i g h t in t h e hospital, o v e r c r o w d e d a s it 
a l r e a d y w a s b y the l a t e s t i n f l u x of r e f u g e e s . I t w a s , 
h o w e v e r , f o r t u n a t e for the s i c k and w o u n d e d t h a t t h e 
S i s t e r s h a d returned, f o r , a f t e r a s h o r t t i m e , it w a s t h e 
S i s t e r s w h o h a d to c a r r y all their p a t i e n t s d o w n into 
t h e c o u r t y a r d , a s t h e h o u s e w a s in d a n g e r of c a t c h i n g fire 
•every minute. T h u s , the g r e a t e r p a r t of t h e n i g h t w a s 



p a s s e d in t h e c o u r t y a r d . I t w a s o n l y in t h e m o r n i n g t h a t 
a l l t h e i n m a t e s of t h e h o s p i t a l could b e c o n v e y e d to t h e 
C o l l e g e c l o s e b y . F a t h e r R i g a l k e p t g u a r d in t h e s t r e e t , 
w h i l s t the M a r i s t B r o t h e r s t o o k the s i c k and w o u n d e d , one 

b y one, and c a r r i e d 
t h e m to t h e C o l l e g e . 

& J i p i U S t f ? T C V , 1 T h o s e w h o h a d t a k e n 
i p W | l § I p r e f u g e in the h o s p i t a l 

p ' ^ B ^ g f c ' C < 'k^éj"- c a m e also. T h e S i s t e r s 
• w e r e the l a s t to l e a v e 

K a i l I I " ' t h e h o s p i t a l , and on 
;',**' ~ \ j, ' -5-J ' their a r r i v a l a t t h e 

w r ^ 1 1 1 C o l l e g e , their o n l y 

' 1 C ^ B request w a s t h a t t h e y 

^ ' ^ ^ ! b e a l l o w e d t 0 

r J w h o s p i t a l b u i l d i n g s col-

I t a j S l t f - S ^ flames! T h e C o l l e g e 
| | fc " ^ j j ^ H y ^ i M also-... ; w a s g r a d u a l l y 

- 0 ' b^ésmiïîg e n c i r c l e d b y 

to remain, so P è r e 
A R M E N I A N ORPHANS . R i g a l called one of 

t h e r u f f i a n l y - l o o k i n g 
T u r k i s h carriers n e a r a t h a n d , and p o i n t i n g to the S i s t e r s , 
•said, " T h e r e , t a k e these S i s t e r s to the c o n v e n t ; I e n t r u s t 
t h e m to y o u r c a r e . " T h e m a n stared a t t h e S i s t e r s f o r a 
m o m e n t , t h e n a c c e p t e d and f a i t h f u l l y d i s c h a r g e d h i s 
m i s s i o n . I t w a s m o r e dead t h a n a l i v e , h o w e v e r , t h a t t h e 
S i s t e r s r e a c h e d , their destination, f o r t h e y had b e e n q u i t e 



— 56-

c l o s e to the flames all t h e t i m e ; s e v e r a l t i m e s rifles were-
l e v e l l e d t o w a r d s t h e m a s poor A r m e n i a n s w e r e seen hanging-
on to their skirts. A g a i n a n d a g a i n " F i r e on t h e m , " cried a 
M o s l e m to his c o m p a n i o n . " H o w c a n I fire on the 
Giaours," said the other, " w i t h o u t h i t t i n g t h e F r e n c h 
w o m e n ? " 

| I n t h e m e a n w h i l e a t t h e C o l l e g e a s t u b b o r n fight was-
b e i n g w a g e d to k e e p the flames f r o m the buildings, b u t the-
fire w a s g e t t i n g t h e u p p e r h a n d . T h e Marist, B r o t h e r s a n d 
s o m e A r m e n i a n s h a d g o n e out on the t e r r a c e s to t h r o w 
w a t e r on t h e flames, b u t the position w a s u n t e n a b l e , as-
M o s l e m s f r o m the m i n a r e t s close b y w e r e firing at t h e m . 
S e v e r a l of the A r m e n i a n s w e r e w o u n d e d . N o w a g a i n it 
w a s F a t h e r B e n o i t w h o a p p r o a c h e d the a l t a r and c o n s u m e d 
t h e S a c r e d E l e m e n t s a n d g a v e a last G e n e r a l A b s o l u t i o n to-
the C h r i s t i a n s w h o t h r o n g e d t h e c h u r c h . T h e r e s e e m e d to 
b e n o hope left. I t is r e c o r d e d t h a t a P r o t e s t a n t d o c t o r 
said to F a t h e r B e n o i t , " H o w is it, F a t h e r , t h a t y o u s e e m 
so h a p p y n o w a t t h e h o u r of death ? " 

W h e n e v e r y t h o u g h t of d e l i v e r a n c e h a d been g i v e n u p 
a t the C o l l e g e , his B r i t a n n i c M a j e s t y ' s C o n s u l , M a j o r 
D o u g h t y W y l i e , a p p e a r e d on the s c e n e a c c o m p a n i e d "by 
s o m e t w e n t y soldiers. F a t h e r B e n o i t w r i t e s : 

" T h i s a d m i r a b l e m a n c o m e s r i d i n g d o w n t h e street 
t o w a r d s u s ; his r i g h t a r m is in a s l i n g ; h e holds t h e reins-
in his l e f t h a n d . I a m to be t h e p r i v i l e g e d s p o k e s m a n ; I 
t h a n k h i m on b e h a l f of a l l f o r c o m i n g to o u r rescue.; h e 
h a s s a v e d t h o u s a n d s of C h r i s t i a n l i v e s . " 

A n d t w o m o n t h s later, F a t h e r B e n o i t , w h e n in C o n s t a n -
tinople, still r e f e r r e d to the B r i t i s h C o n s u l w i t h something-
a p p r o a c h i n g v e n e r a t i o n . " L o n g w i l l the m e m o r y of this-
b r a v e m a n l i v e in t h e h e a r t s of the poor s u f f e r i n g Christians-
o f A d a n a , a n d of all those w h o w e r e w i t n e s s e s of his-



B 57 — 

heroism. H i s n a m e will b e e v e r m e n t i o n e d w i t h sentiments-
o f g r a t i t u d e , a d m i r a t i o n , a n d love, f o r it r e c a l l s t h e m e m o r y 
o f his c h a r i t y and b r a v e r y . T h e v e r y a s s a s s i n s of the: 
C h r i s t i a n s t h e m s e l v e s c a n n o t d e n y their t r i b u t e of r e s p e c t 
a n d e s t e e m to t h e m a n w h o s h o w e d h i m s e l f a s b r a v e a 
soldier a s h e is a p e r f e c t g e n t l e m a n . " 

T h e C o n s u l ' s w o r d s w e r e s h o r t m i l i t a r y c o m m a n d s v 
" C o n d u c t all t h e r e f u g e e s to t h e G o v e r n o r ' s P a l a c e ; the 
soldiers w i l l a c c o m p a n y y o u . " 

T h e C o n s u l then rode rapidly a w a y to the c o n v e n t . 
T h e r e f u g e e s , h o w e v e r , b e g a n to hesitate, until F a t h e r 

B e n o i t , a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e three M a r i s t B r o t h e r s a n d 
B r o t h e r B a l i a n , p l a c e d himself at t h e h e a d of the procession,, 
a n d the c r o w d t h e n f o l l o w e d , in a c o m p a c t b o d y , e v e r y one 
w i s h i n g to b e a s near to the priest and B r o t h e r s a s possible. 

O n a r r i v a l a t t h e K o n a k all t h e m e n w e r e s e a r c h e d f o r 
a r m s a n d t h e n l e t g o to t a k e shelter f o r the n i g h t a t t w o 
E u r o p e a n spinning-mills, a s best t h e y m i g h t . T h e t r i u m p h a l 
a r c h that, h a d b e e n erected in t h e p u b l i c g a r d e n s a y e a r a g o 
in h o n o u r of t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n w a s b r o u g h t to t h e g r o u n d 
a n d c o m p l e t e l y d e s t r o y e d in the c o u r s e of this a f t e r n o o n . 

F a t h e r B e n o i t m a k e s a s p e c i a l note t h a t no sooner h a d 
t h e A r m e n i a n s a r r i v e d than t h e y w e r e s e a r c h e d ( r o u g h l y i n 
s o m e cases) a n d e v e n their p o c k e t - k n i v e s w e r e t a k e n f r o m 
t h e m . T h e o n l y t h i n g said w a s : " R e m a i n here ! " and this-
order w a s e n f o r c e d a g a i n s t the F r e n c h missionaries as-
w e l l , w h o , d u r i n g the d a y , w e r e in reality prisoners of t h e 
T u r k s . 

" W h y k e e p all these poor people here ? " a s k e d F a t h e r 
B e n o i t . 

" S o t h a t the T u r k i s h soldiers h a v e a f r e e e n t r a n c e to-
their h o u s e s , " replied a n officer ; " w e shall inspect t h e 
h o u s e s , c o n f i s c a t e a n y a r m s w e m a y find ; w e s h a l l seize a n d 
kill a n y A r m e n i a n r e b e l s w h o m w e m a y still find h i d i n g . " 



— 58-

F a t h e r B e n o i t also r e f e r s to t h e f a c t t h a t b r e a d and a 
little w a t e r w a s g i v e n t h e m , a n d t h a t it t a s t e d d e l i c i o u s 
a f t e r the l o n g , c o m p u l s o r y f a s t . 

* ' * 

T h e Jesuit F a t h e r s a n d the M a r i s t B r o t h e r s w h o 
r e m a i n e d in t h e C o l l e g e w e r e still intent on m a k i n g a final 
e f f o r t to s a v e the b u i l d i n g f r o m the flames, but all w a s in 
v a i n , a s the soldiers r e f u s e d to help, a n d e v e n stood in the 
w a y , o b s t r u c t i n g t h e w o r k . I t is at a b o u t this t i m e t h a t 
the M a r i s t B r o t h e r , B r o t h e r A n t o i n e , a c c o m p l i s h e d a f e a t 
w h i c h s h o w s h o w m u c h one m a n c a n do in an e m e r g e n c y . 

N o t i c i n g t h a t the A r m e n i a n C h u r c h of S t . S t e p h e n , in 
w h i c h t h e r e m u s t h a v e been 2,000 r e f u g e e s , w a s b e c o m i n g 
e n v e l o p e d in t h e flames, h e w e n t u p to a y o u n g T u r k i s h 
officer, a y o u n g m a n of t w e n t y - t w o a n d a f o r m e r p u p i l 
a t the s c h o o l of the B r o t h e r s at K a d i k e u y , a n d said to 
h i m : 

" I n the n a m e of h u m a n i t y do not a l l o w all t h e s e 
i n n o c e n t people t o p e r i s h . " 

T h e officer c o n s e n t e d , and c a l l i n g on three soldiers to 
a c c o m p a n y them, he w e n t to the c h u r c h , w a l k i n g hand-in-
h a n d w i t h t h e M a r i s t B r o t h e r , and s u c c e e d e d in g e t t i n g 
•everyone o u t of the b u i l d i n g ; not a soul w a s lost. A v e r y 
s h o r t t i m e a f t e r w a r d s t h e c h u r c h w a s b u r n t to the g r o u n d . 

T h e s e r e f u g e e s w e r e also sent in b a t c h e s to t h e K o n a k , 
a c c o m p a n i e d b y soldiers, and it a p p e a r s n o t h i n g w a s done 
to m o l e s t t h e m on t h e w a y . 

B u t t h e w h o l e A r m e n i a n q u a r t e r w a s n o w at t h e - m e r c y 
-of a n y one disposed to p i l l a g e ; s o m e of t h e soldiers a t t h e 
J e s u i t s ' R e s i d e n c e c e r t a i n l y had i d e a s of loot, a n d t h e y 
s e e m e d a n x i o u s to see t h e F a t h e r s l e a v e t h e p r e m i s e s . 

T h e F a t h e r s , s e e i n g all h o p e of s a v i n g t h e b u i l d i n g s 



— 59 — 

c o m p l e t e l y lost, h u r r i e d l y c o l l e c t e d t h e s a c r e d v e s s e l s a n d 
v e s t m e n t s a n d a n y a r t i c l e s of p a r t i c u l a r v a l u e , a n d c a r r i e d 
t h e m a s best t h e y c o u l d to the c o n v e n t a s t h e s a f e s t p l a c e 
w i t h i n r e a c h . 

S c a r c e l y h a d t h e y a r r i v e d there w h e n t h e y n o t i c e d a 
t h i c k , b l a c k c o l u m n of s m o k e rising f r o m t h e v e r y spot t h e y 
had j u s t l e f t . . . and t h u s in a f e w h o u r s t h e c h a p e l , 
c o l l e g e , R e s i d e n c e , l i b r a r y . . . a n d e v e r y t h i n g . . . t h e 
f r u i t of t w e n t y - n i n e y e a r s of l a b o u r s a n d p r i v a t i o n s , w a s 
l o s t and c o m p l e t e l y d e s t r o y e d . 

A t t h e c o n v e n t t h e d a n g e r of fire w a s also g r o w i n g , s o 
t h a t a s t h e e v e n i n g c a m e on, t h e F a t h e r S u p e r i o r h i m s e l f 
c o n d u c t e d t h e S i s t e r s and the o r p h a n s first to t h e K o n a k , 
w h e r e s o m e b r e a d w a s g i v e n t h e m , a n d t h e n to the B r i t i s h 
C o n s u l a t e , to t h e h o u s e of M r . T r e p a n i , w h e r e t h e n i g h t 
w a s passed. B u t a s t h e M o t h e r S u p e r i o r c o u l d n o t resign 
herself to a b a n d o n h e r b e l o v e d c o n v e n t , " B e t h a n y , " s h e 
i n s i s t e d o n r e t u r n i n g there, a n d so F a t h e r R i g a l w e n t b a c k 
to the h o u s e w i t h h e r . 

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y all t h e R e l i g i o u s w e r e r e - c o n d u c t e d 
t o t h e c o n v e n t b y the s e c o n d officer in c o m m a n d of t h e 
F r e n c h v e s s e l , the Victor Hugo ; t h i s g a l l a n t officer h i m s e l f 
c a m e to k e e p g u a r d o v e r t h e h o u s e , h a v i n g o b t a i n e d a n 
e s c o r t o f t w e n t y - f o u r soldiers f r o m the V a l i , and all n i g h t 
l o n g h e w a s on t h e w a t c h , s e e i n g e v e r y t h i n g w a s done 
p r o p e r l y . 

B u t t h e i n c e n d i a r i s m had n o t c e a s e d , a n d it w a s e v e n 
d u r i n g t h e s t a y of t h i s F r e n c h officer at the c o n v e n t 
t h a t t h e h o u s e of t h e d r a g o m a n of the F r e n c h C o n s u l a t e 
w a s b u r n t to t h e g r o u n d . T h i s d r a g o m a n h a d been m o s t 
d e v o t e d in his s e r v i c e s d u r i n g the m a s s a c r e s . 

T h e f o l l o w i n g d a y , A p r i l 29th, t h e c o m m a n d e r of t h e 
Victor Hugo sent w o r d t h a t t h e F a t h e r s a n d S i s t e r s w e r e t o 



— 6o S 

l e a v e A d a n a f o r M e r s i n a , a s " h e c o u l d n o t a n s w e r f o r t h e i r 
s a f e t y . " 

L u c k i l y , t h e s e c o n d officer did n o t t a k e t h e order t o o 
l i t e r a l l y , f o r t o a b a n d o n t h e p l a c e e n t i r e l y at this m o m e n t 
w o u l d h a v e h a d a m o s t d e p l o r a b l e e f f e c t on t h e n a t i v e 
C h r i s t i a n s ; so t h e t h r e e F a t h e r s , F a t h e r J o u v e , t h e 
S u p e r i o r , F a t h e r B e n o i t , a n d F a t h e r S a b a t i e r r e m a i n e d 
w i t h B r o t h e r B a l i a n j S . J . , w h e r e a s the M a r i s t B r o t h e r s 
a n d t h e Sisters,- e s c o r t e d b y P è r e R i g a l , w e n t d o w n t o 
M e r s i n a . • 

T h e S i s t e r s , h o w e v e r , w e r e not l o n g a b s e n t . T h e v e r y 
n e x t d a y , the 30th of A p r i l , t w o or three of t h e m w e r e b a c k 
in t h e j r c o n v e n t a t A d a n a a g a i n , w i t h s o m e orphans. M o s t 
of t h e o t h e r S i s t e r s c a m e b a c k s o o n a f t e r , a s w e s h a l l s e e 
l a t e r o n . 

* * # 

T h e m a s s a c r e s h a d in f a c t c e a s e d ; the s e c o n d o f f i c e r 
h a d n o w to l e a v e to r e j o i n h i s ship ; t h è c o n v e n t w a s t h u s 
l e f t s t a n d i n g , g u a r d e d b y the t w e n t y - f o u r s o l d i e r s ; it r e a l l y 
l o o k e d a s if t h i s b u i l d i n g , w h i c h h a d p r o t e c t e d so m a n y 
t h o u s a n d s o f u n f o r t u n a t e people, m i g h t y e t be s p a r e d . 

B u t it w a s n o t to b e so. O n M a y 2nd, t o w a r d s mid-
n i g h t , F a t h e r B e n o i t w o k e u p and n o t i c e d a dense c o l u m n 
of s m o k e in one c o r n e r of t h e c h a p e l ; q u i c k l y e v e r y o n e 
w a s a w a k e n e d ; b u t t h e fire s e e m e d to e n v e l o p t h e c h a p e l 
in a v e r y f e w m i n u t e s , and it w a s i m p o s s i b l e to r e a c h t h e 
altar to c o n s u m e t h e S a c r e d E l e m e n t s . O n c e m o r e in t h e 
d a r k n e s s t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s , t a k i n g on t h e i r s h o u l d e r s t h e f e w 
t h i n g s l e f t t o t h e m , t u r n e d w e a r i l y to t h e street to s e e k a 
s h e l t e r ; a G r e e k k h a n w a s o p e n e d to t h e m ; t h e r e t h e y 
d e p o s i t e d all t h e y p o s s e s s e d . 

B u t t h e y w e r e b a c k a g a i n s h o r t l y , fighting t h e flames 



— 61 -—• 

t o t h e l a s t ; a y o u n g n a v a l officer f r o m t h e E n g l i s h m a n - o f -
w a r w h o had r e a c h e d A d a n a t h e n i g h t b e f o r e , took c h a r g e 
o f t h e o p e r a t i o n s , and t h o u g h h e a n d t h o s e under his orders 
d i d t h e i r v e r y u t m o s t , there w a s no s t o p p i n g the flames, 
a n d a t five o ' c l o c k a . m . all w a s o v e r . 

T h e l a r g e s c h o o l b u i l d i n g of B e t h a n y w a s a m e r e 
b l a c k e n e d s k e l e t o n ; t h e b a k e r y and a s m a l l part of t h e 
o r p h a n a g e b u i l d i n g w e r e all t h a t r e m a i n e d s t a n d i n g , and 
a l s o t h e s t a t u e of t h e B l e s s e d V i r g i n in the c o u r t y a r d , 
w h i c h a s a S i s t e r said, " s e e m e d still to s m i l e b e n i g n l y in 
t h e midst of all t h e d e s o l a t i o n . " 

T H E B O A R D I N G - S C H O O L O F T H E S I S T E R S O F S T . J O S E P H 

A F T E R T H E F I R E . 



IV. THE RUINS 

I t w a s n o w o n l y f r o m t h e r u i n s of the c o n v e n t b u i l d i n g s , 
t h a t t h e F a t h e r s , h a v i n g n o p e r s o n a l c a r e s to a t t e n d t o , 
w e r e able to r e a l i z e t h e e x t e n t of t h e ruins of the w h o l e 
c i t y . T h e a s p e c t of the o n c e r i c h and p o p u l o u s c i t y o f 
A d a n a w a s a l m o s t t e r r i f y i n g ; it s e e m e d to b e the r u i n s o f 
P o m p e i i o v e r a g a i n , b u t still s m o u l d e r i n g and s l o w l y burn-
i n g itself out in t h e b a s e m e n t s of the h o u s e s . 

F a t h e r J o u v e e s t i m a t e d the p a r t of A d a n a t h a t h a d been 
b u r n t a t a s q u a r e k i l o m e t r e ; t h u s n e a r l y t h r e e - q u a r t e r s o f 
a s q u a r e m i l e of b u i l d i n g s h a d b e c o m e a p r e y to t h e 
flames. 

B u t the m i s s i o n a r i e s w e r e n o w t o t a l l y destitute. F a t h e r 
R i g a l w r i t e s : 

" W e h a v e o n l y t h e c l o t h e s w e h a d on on t h e d a y o f 
t h e fire, a n d t h e b r e v i a r i e s w h i c h w e e a c h of us c a r r i e d 
in o u r p o c k e t s . " 

" I h a v e lost e v e r y t h i n g , " are F a t h e r B e n o i t ' s w o r d s ; 
" m y s e r m o n s , m y c o n f e r e n c e s , m y retreats, m y m a n u s c r i p t 
w o r k on t h e G r e e k s c h i s m , t h e l a b o u r of m a n y y e a r s . I 
h a v e o n l y m y c r u c i f i x , l e f t , f o r I a l w a y s c a r r i e d it w i t h m e 
in t h e d a y s of a g o n y w e h a v e g o n e t h r o u g h . . . . M y firm 
c o n v i c t i o n is t h a t this total loss of all t h i n g s will b e no dis-
a d v a n t a g e to m e in m y f u t u r e w o r k . I h a v e o n l y a n old 
c a s s o c k l e f t , a girdle, a n d no biretta at all. 

" H o w all this consoles me, f o r it is, a s it w e r e , a s o r t 



— 6 3 -

of c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r the m a r t y r ' s c r o w n w h i c h w a s so n e a r 
m y g r a s p ! " 

A n d y e t t h e l o s s of t w e n t y or m o r e y e a r s of m a n u s c r i p t 
w o r k is a g r i e v o u s loss to a n y m a n . I n C o n s t a n t i n o p l e , s o m e 
m o n t h s later, F a t h e r B e n o i t w a s asked as to h o w this l o s s 
had r e a l l y a f f e c t e d h i m . H i s a n s w e r w a s clear, a n d it w a s 
i m m e d i a t e l y g i v e n : 

" N e x t to life, w h a t c a n b e m o r e p r e c i o u s to a R e l i g i o u s 
t h a n his l i f e ' s w o r k ? M a n y a t i m e d u r i n g t h e m a s s a c r e s 
I had offered the sacrifice of m y l i f e to the D i v i n e W i l l . 
W h e n I k n e w t h a t m y m a n u s c r i p t s w e r e b u r n t , I offered 
these as m y poor s a c r i f i c e to G o d , a n d n o w I a m p e r f e c t l y 
r e s i g n e d . " 

T h e b l o w w a s n o n e t h e l e s s a s t a g g e r i n g one. F a t h e r 
B e n o i t m u s t h a v e been a t the K o n a k p r o t e c t i n g b y h i s 
p r e s e n c e the c r o w d of r e f u g e e s a t t h e time- that his w o r k 
w a s b e i n g b u r n t ; a n d he m u s t h a v e been c o n s c i o u s a t t h e 
t i m e of w h a t w a s g o i n g o n . 

T h e resignation of t h i s priest s t r a n g e l y a f f e c t e d h i s 
i n t e r v i e w e r in C o n s t a n t i n o p l e ; so m u c h so t h a t this gentle-
m a n decided to g i v e u p a l i f e of, business f o r a v o c a t i o n 
more definitely religious. 

A n d the nuns' t h o u g h t s w e r e not less g e n e r o u s . 
S i s t e r M a r i e - S o p h i e w r i t e s : " T e n d a y s a g o I w a s 

b e g g i n g in the streets for- o u r w o u n d e d , t o - d a y w e r e s e m b l e 
t h e m ; w e h a v e n o l o n g e r a h o m e , and s c a r c e l y a n y cloth-
ing. W e o u r s e l v e s a r e n o w b e g g a r s on t h e h i g h w a y ; all 
m y notes, all m y m u s i c , so m a n y m a n u s c r i p t c o p i e s written 
d u r i n g the h o l i d a y s in the c o u r s e of t h e l a s t s i x t e e n y e a r s , 
all are g o n e . . . . W h a t a retreat t h e s e p a s t w e e k s h a v e 
been f o r m e ; I s h a l l n e v e r a g a i n m a k e s u c h a p r o f i t a b l e 
r e t r e a t ; of t h a t I a m quite c e r t a i n , t h a n k s b e to G o d ! " 

* * *• 



— 6 4 -

A n d s c a r c e l y w a s all p a s t w h e n t h e t h o u g h t s of the-
H e l i g i o u s turned to t h e f u t u r e , a n d the r e s o l v e to b e g i n 
.all o v e r a g a i n s e e m e d quite n a t u r a l . 

O n e n u n w r o t e h o m e : 
" O u r S u p e r i o r s h a v e decided n o t to a b a n d o n t h e p l a c e , 

• 

A D A N A AFTER THE FIRE. 

A t the left centre, ruins of S t . P a u l ' s C o l l e g e . 

b u t to s t r u g g l e on at all c o s t s to t h e end ; and if t h e end is 
-to b e d e a t h all t h e b e t t e r ; t h e m a r t y r ' s c r o w n , j u s t missed 
a first t i m e , w i l l b e t h e m o r e g l o r i o u s on t h e s e c o n d 
•occasion. . . . " 

T h e M o t h e r S u p e r i o r , w h e n officially i n v i t e d to l e a v e 
A d a n a f o r f e a r of n e w d i s t u r b a n c e s , h a d a n s w e r e d 
b r i e f l y : 

" I shall r e m a i n here, e v e n if it c o s t s m e m y l i f e . " 



— 65-

A n o t h e r n u n w r i t e s : 
" W e h a v e n o t h i n g l e f t , b u t t h a t does n o t m a t t e r . W e 

t s h a l l b e g i n a g a i n at A d a n a , on a s m a l l e r s c a l e this t i m e 
t h a n nineteen y e a r s a g o , w h e n o u r M o t h e r H o u s e w a s a b l e 
t o h e l p u s so b o u n t i f u l l y . . . . W e h a v e f o u n d a h o u s e 
n e a r the s t a t i o n ; five of our S i s t e r s g o d o w n there 
t o - m o r r o w to start a d i s p e n s a r y . . . . " 

A f e w d a y s a f t e r w a r d s t h e r e w e r e fifteen of t h e S i s t e r s 
a t A d a n a . 

A n d t h u s it is seen the C a t h o l i c missionaries d e t e r m i n e d 
t o k e e p the flag flying. 

A s soon a s the n e w s of the fire;-.reached B e y r o u t , the 
R e v . P . C a t t i n , R e c t o r of t h e U n i v e r s i t y of S t . Joseph, at 
o n c e d e s p a t c h e d F a t h e r D u p l a y and B r o t h e r C o t e l w i t h the 
first n e c e s s a r i e s of l i f e . T h e F r e n c h C o n s u l - G e n e r a l a t 
B e y r o u t also g e n e r o u s l y sent help, and so did the officers 

„and m e n of the F r e n c h w a r v e s s e l s , e v e n t h e poorest of t h e 
s a i l o r s c o n t r i b u t i n g t h e i r m i t e . 

A list of those w h o k i n d l y helped in the first d a y s of 
- c a l a m i t y m u s t n e c e s s a r i l y b e i n c o m p l e t e . T h e B r i t i s h 
•Consul h a s to be p u t in t h e first place, b u t his g o o d w i f e 
m u s t also b e g r a t e f u l l y r e m e m b e r e d . M r . T r d p a n i w a s of 
t h e g r e a t e s t h e l p w h e n m o s t n e e d e d ; M r . G o d a r d , 
M r . T r i d o g l o u , M r . B a r b e , M r . S a b a t i e r , of H a m i d i e , 
M r . L u i g h i , a n d so m a n y others. 

A n d m a y w e n o t d e d i c a t e a f e w w o r d s in s p e c i a l 
r e m e m b r a n c e to t h e c o u r a g e o u s F r e n c h C o n s u l - G e n e r a l of 
A l e p p o , t h e m u c h - l a m e n t e d M . R o q u e - F e r r i e r , w h o h a s 
s i n c e p a s s e d a w a y a m i d s t s u c h s i g n s of g e n e r a l m o u r n i n g , 
b o t h of M o s l e m s a n d C h r i s t i a n s , a s A l e p p o h a d n e v e r b e f o r e 
w i t n e s s e d . F r o m so f a r a w a y , a five d a y s ' j o u r n e y on 
h o r s e b a c k , he c a m e to A d a n a , p a s s i n g t h r o u g h the w h o l e 

•of t h e d e v a s t a t e d countrysides-helping a n d c o n s o l i n g e v e r y -

E 



— 66 — 

o n e a s he w e n t along. H a v i n g p r o c u r e d the relief of t h e 
T r a p p i s t s a n d t h e L a z a r i s t s of A k b e s , s u r r o u n d e d a s t h e y 
w e r e b y a r m e d b a n d s of M o s l e m ruffians, h e p u s h e d on t o 
A d a n a , w h e r e h i s b e a r i n g e x c i t e d g e n e r a l admiration. 

S h o r t l y a f t e r his r e t u r n to. A l e p p o , h e f e l l ill of f e v e r r 
p r o b a b l y c a u g h t t h r o u g h e x p o s u r e in t h e c o u r s e of this-
j o u r n e y . . . and t h u s h e p a s s e d to h i s r e w a r d . — R . I . P . 

I t w a s t h u s , o w i n g to g e n e r o u s h e l p and at g r e a t 
p e r s o n a l s a c r i f i c e , t h a t t w o h o u s e s w e r e r e n t e d near t o t h e 
s t a t i o n , and a d i s p e n s a r y and s m a l l h o s p i t a l w e r e v e r y soon 
r e o p e n e d . S o t h a t on M a y 29th, one of t h e S i s t e r s c o u l d 
w r i t e : 

" A t t h e d i s p e n s a r y w e are a b l e to a t t e n d d a i l y to s o m e 
100 t o 150 w o u n d e d , a n d w e g i v e relief t o m o r e t h a n 1,500 
people. A d r e a d f u l f e a t u r e is t h e n u m b e r of t h o s e o u t o f 
t h e i r m i n d s ; one of o u r w o m e n i n v a l i d s w a s h i d i n g two-
w h o l e d a y s d o w n in a w e l l w i t h s e v e n c o r p s e s a r o u n d h e r 
i s it t o b e w o n d e r e d a t t h a t h e r m i n d g a v e w a y ? " 

T w o of t h e S i s t e r s w e r e n o w r e q u e s t e d b y t h e w i f e o f 
t h e B r i t i s h C o n s u l to h e l p her at t h e i n f i r m a r y s h e h e r s e l f 
h a d g e n e r o u s l y s t a r t e d ; S i s t e r s S a i n t - C y r a n d S t . J e a n 
w e r e a p p o i n t e d f o r t h i s w o r k . 

T h e m i s s i o n a r i e s a n d n u n s also b e g a n f o r m i n g p l a n s as-
t o s c h o l a s t i c w o r k , p e n d i n g t h e re-erection of t h e c o l l e g e s ;. 
a n d t h e n u n s s e e m e d b e n t on a g a i n s t a r t i n g t h e i r 
o r p h a n a g e , t h o u g h t h e a b s e n c e of m e a n s r e n d e r e d t h e 
e x e c u t i o n of t h e s e g o o d i n t e n t i o n s a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e f r o m 
t h e first. 

T h e l a s t t h i n g the R e l i g i o u s t h o u g h t of w a s t h e i r o w n 
dire d i s t r e s s ; one i n s t a n c e is r e l a t e d of a n u n askings 
f o r s o m e t h i n g for h e r s e l f , a n d t h a t s o m e t h i n g she did n o t 
g e t . H e r e is t h e s t o r y : O w i n g to t h e i r e x t r e m e e x h a u s t i o n , 
i t had b e e n d e c i d e d to s e n d s e v e r a l of t h e n u n s a w a y f r o m 



- 6 y -

T H E H O S P I T A L O F ST. R O G H N E A R T H E S T A T I O N . 

n a t i o n . C o n c l u d i n g , h e told t h e m n o t to h e s i t a t e t o a s k 
f o r a n y t h i n g t h e y m i g h t r e q u i r e w h i l s t on b o a r d his v e s s e l . 

O n e o f t h e S i s t e r s , the merest little g i r l - n u n , s t e p p e d 
f o r w a r d a n d s a i d : 

" W i l l y o u p l e a s e g i v e m e a r o s a r y ; m i n e w a s b u r n t 
d u r i n g t h e m a s s a c r e s . ' 1 

T h e r e w a s a m o m e n t ' s s i l e n c e ; t h e a d m i r a l ' s f a c e w a s 
a s t u d y . A n o f f i c e r — s o m e w h e r e in the f r o n t r a n k — s a i d : 

A d a n a f o r a f e w d a y s . A s s o o n a s t h e n u n s c a m e or* 
b o a r d t h e F r e n c h m a n - o f - w a r Jules Ferry, t h e a d m i r a L 
in f u l l dress, s u r r o u n d e d b y all h i s o f f i c e r s , r e c e i v e d t h e m 
in h i s s t a t e - s a l o o n , a n d e x p r e s s e d h i s a d m i r a t i o n f o r their 
h e r o i s m , t h a n k i n g t h e m f o r t h u s h o n o u r i n g the F r e n c h 



— 68 — 

! ! S i s t e r , I h a v e a r o s a r y , b u t . . . I . . . c a n n o t . . . p a r t 
w i t h i t . " 

T h e d e e p - s e t r a c e - h a t r e d b e t w e e n T u r k s a n d A r m e n i a n s 
c a n n o t b e denied for a m o m e n t , b u t o n c e t h e m a s s a c r e s 

A D A N A AFTER THE FIRE. 

Oil the left, the residence of the Catholic Bishop, M g r . Terzian : 
on the right, the Protestant church. 

h a d c o m m e n c e d , t h e y b e c a m e d i s t i n c t l y a n t i - C h r i s t i a n in 
c h a r a c t e r , a n d m a n y p r o o f s of t h i s a r e at h a n d . I n f a c t , 
i n a l m o s t e v e r y c a s e , t h e a l t e r n a t i v e of a p o s t a s y or 
d e a t h w a s offered t o t h e A r m e n i a n s , b y t h e i n f u r i a t e d 
M a h o m e d a n m o b . F a t h e r B e n o i t i s t h u s r i g h t in s a y i n g 

t h a t a v e r y g r e a t n u m b e r of C h r i s t i a n s , e v e n s c h i s m a t i c , 
a c c e p t e d d e a t h r a t h e r t h a n d e n y C h r i s t . 



B 69 — 

A y o u n g w o m a n , r e c e n t l y m a r r i e d , s a w h e r f a t h e r , h e r 
m o t h e r , a n d h e r h u s b a n d , k i l l e d b e f o r e h e r e y e s . " N o w , , 
b e c o m e a M u s s u l m a n ; w e w i l l g i v e y o u a n o t h e r h u s b a n d , " 
s h e w a s t o l d . 

T h e a n s w e r w a s u n f l i n c h i n g : " I a m a C h r i s t i a n a n d 
I m e a n t o r e m a i n a C h r i s t i a n . " S h e w a s s l a u g h t e r e d 
w i t h o u t f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n . A y o u n g m a n w a s s u m m o n e d 
t o b e c o m e a M o s l e m . A s a n a n s w e r h e m a d e t h e s i g n of" 
t h e C r o s s . H e w a s s u m m o n e d a g a i n , a n d g a v e t h e s a m e 
a n s w e r . A t h i r d a n d final s u m m o n s ; t h e M o s l e m m o b w a s 
c l o s i n g r o u n d h i m ; fierce, e a g e r f a c e s g l a r e d d e a t h , b u t 
h e did not flinch . . . h e r a i s e d h i s h a n d h i g h u p a b o v e 
h i s h e a d , b r o u g h t it d o w n a l o n g h i s b o d y , a n d t h e n w i t h 
a l a s t effort, t h r e w b o t h h a n d s w i d e oiit, a s h e fell s t a b b e d 
t o t h e h e a r t . 

A y o u n g A r m e n i a n g i r l , e d u c a t e d a t t h e S i s t e r s ' s c h o o l , 
h a d g a t h e r e d a c r o w d of poor p e o p l e , m e n and w o m e n , , 
r o u n d h e r ; t h e y s e e m e d to be t h i n k i n g of a p o s t a t i z i n g ; t h e 
m o b w a s in t h e n e x t s t r e e t ; s h e k e p t r e p e a t i n g a l o u d : 
" S a c r e d H e a r t of J e s u s , in T h e e do I p u t m y t r u s t , " a n d 
t h e p o o r p e o p l e r e p e a t e d h e r w o r d s . T h e m o b had t u r n e d 
t h e c o r n e r , a n d b o r e d o w n u p o n t h e h e l p l e s s Christians;.. 
in a f e w m o m e n t s n o o n e w a s l e f t a l i v e . . . . I t is s a i d 
t h a t a w h o l e C h r i s t i a n v i l l a g e w a s b l o t t e d o u t f o r r e f u s i n g ; 
to d e n y t h e F a i t h . 



T . SOME DETAILS OF THE MASSACRES IN 

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF AD ANA 

W e s h a l l in this c h a p t e r m e r e l y set d o w n a s u m m a r y of 
t h e report of F a t h e r R i g a l , w h o a c c o m p a n i e d t h e c a r a v a n 
o f relief o r g a n i z e d at A d a n a b y the F r e n c h C o n s u l - G e n e r a l , 
M . R o q u e - F e r r i e r , a n d w h i c h c a r a v a n w a s i n t e n d e d t o 

•succour t h e s u f f e r e r s in s o m e c o u n t r y d i s t r i c t s b e t w e e n 
A d a n a a n d A l e p p o . S t a r t i n g f r o m A d a n a on M a y 27th, 
t h e c a r a v a n w a s c o m p o s e d of t h e R e v . F a t h e r E t i e n n e , 
P r i o r of t h e T r a p p i s t s of C h e k l 6 , F a t h e r R i g a l , t h e i n t r e p i d 
M o t h e r S u p e r i o r of t h e S i s t e r s of S t . J o s e p h , t w o of t h e 
:Sisters, a n d of an a d e q u a t e escort of T u r k i s h soldiers. 

A s u m of 1,500 f r a n c s h a d b e e n c o l l e c t e d a n d w a s 
t a k e n o n t h e j o u r n e y , also s o m e s e v e n w a g g o n - l o a d s o f 
p r o v i s i o n s a n d m e d i c a l stores, a l a r g e p a r t of Which w e r e 

^generously f u r n i s h e d b y A d m i r a l P i v e t . 
T h e p l a c e s v i s i t e d w e r e a s f o l l o w s : 
C l o s e t o A d a n a : t h e v i l l a g e of C h r i s t i a n - K e u i , b u r n t 

o n A p r i l 1 4 t h ; n o o n e l e f t . ( T h e m a s s a c r e s h e r e a n d a t 
I n d j i r l i k w e r e k n o w n t o h a v e b e e n horrible.) 

A n h o u r or so f u r t h e r on I n d j i r l i k , also e n t i r e l y 
- d e s t r o y e d ; 145 C h r i s t i a n houses, all b u r n t to t h e g r o u n d . 
O f 800 or 900 i n h a b i t a n t s , o n l y t w e n t y - e i g h t m e n and t h i r t y 
w o m e n w e r e l e f t . 

F u r t h e r on, of a s c a t t e r e d c o m m u n i t y , said to h a v e 
i i e e n one of 1,240 C h r i s t i a n s , t h i r t e e n m e n and s i x t y - s e v e n 
w o m e n r e m a i n e d . 



— 7i — 

A t A g h z e - B e u y u k , ten h o u s e s , all r a z e d to the g r o u n d . 
A t G u e m i - S o u r a , t w e n t y - f o u r h o u s e s , all d e s t r o y e d . 
M i s s i s , a s m a l l t o w n of s o m e i m p o r t a n c e on t h e b a n k s 

o f t h e r i v e r D j i h o u n : n o t a s i n g l e C h r i s t i a n to b e seen a n y -
w h e r e ; o n l y M o s l e m s , w h o s e e v e r y g e s t u r e a n d look s h o w e d 

T H E KIVE;R D J I H O U N JS^I^SIS. 

h a t r e d and d e f i a n c e ; s u c h r e m a r k s a s these w e r e over-
h e a r d b y the m i s s i o n a r i e s : " W h a t a r e t h e s e giaours h e r e 
f o r ? " " S o t h e r e are still s o m e of t h e giaours a l i v e ! " 
O f t h e i,800 C h r i s t i a n s , it is said 400 w e r e m a s s a c r e d in 
t h e t o w n , and; 200 in the s u r r o u n d i n g c o u n t r y . 200 o n l y 
w e r e said to h a v e s u r v i v e d , and b u t ten of these w e r e m e n 
w h o m a n a g e d t o m a k e their escape. W e s i n c e r e l y t r u s t 
t h e s e figures f o r M i s s i s m a y p r o v e e x a g g e r a t e d ; at p r e s e n t 
t h e r e is no reason for t h i n k i n g so. 



— 72 — 

• H a m i d i e . T h e C h r i s t i a n p o p u l a t i o n h a d b e e n 1,500» 
s o u l s ; t h i r t y m e n and 370 w o m e n h a d s u r v i v e d , and h a d 
been a b l e to t a k e r e f u g e in M r . S a b a t i e r ' s f a c t o r y . T h e -
m a s s a c r e w a s said to h a v e b e e n so w e l l p l a n n e d t h a t 6 0 0 
m e n w e r e t a k e n b y s u r p r i s e in the m a r k e t - p l a c e a n d w e r e 
k i l l e d on t h e s p o t ; s o m e 500 others w e r e h u n t e d d o w n in 
the c o u n t r y n e a r b y . 

A t O s m a n i 6 t h e m i l i t a r y c o m m a n d e r h a d supplied t h e 
B a c h i - B o u z o u k s w i t h M a r t i n i rifles, and h a d ordered t h e 
t r o o p s to fire on the A r m e n i a n s . 

O f 800 C h r i s t i a n s , t h i r t y m e n and 200 w o m e n r e m a i n e d . 
F o u r h o u s e s o n l y h a d r e m a i n e d s t a n d i n g in the C h r i s t i a n 
q u a r t e r . 180 persons, w o m e n and children, w e r e said to-
h a v e t a k e n r e f u g e in t h e c h u r c h . A p a r t y of T u r k s poured 
p e t r o l e u m into t h e b u i l d i n g and set fire to t h e w h o l e p l a c e , 
w h i l s t a n o t h e r p a r t y of T u r k s w e r e g r o u p e d at the c h u r c h 
d o o r s and p r e v e n t e d a n y e s c a p e f r o m t h e b u i l d i n g . O n the-
flooring and on t h e w h i t e - w a s h e d w a l l s b l a c k s h a d o w s a s 
of h u m a n f o r m s : c o u l d b e c l e a r l y traced, a n d s e e m e d to tell 
t h e t a l e of v i c t i m s s l o w l y roasted to death. . . . 

A f t e r Osmariie, the c a r a v a n b e g a n to a s c e n d D j e b e l - i -
B e r e k e t . L e a v i n g the w a g g o n s in t h e plain, the provisions-
w e r e p u t on t h i r t y - s e v e n p a c k - h o r s e s , and t h e j o u r n e y 
continued. 

H a s s a n - B e y l i w a s t h e first p l a c e r e a c h e d — o n c e a r i c h 
and p r o s p e r o u s centre, n o w a h e a p of ruins. 

I n all t h i s m o u n t a i n o u s r e g i o n t h e m a r a u d i n g b a n d s , , 
b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r b y t h e m u f t i of B a g h t c h e and a r m e d w i t h 
M a r t i n i rifles, had m a r c h e d to the w o r k of p i l l a g e a n d 
a r s o n , q u i t e m e t h o d i c a l l y and to t h e sound of t h e b e a t i n g o f 
d r u m s , l i k e a r e g i m e n t of soldiers. A t their a p p r o a c h the-
A r m e n i a n s , too f e w a n d too w e a k to d e f e n d t h e m s e l v e s ^ 
h a d s o u g h t s a f e t y in flight. O n l y a t H a s s a n - B e y l i had. 
t h e r e been a n y s h o w of r e s i s t a n c e ; w h i l s t the w o m e n a n d . 



— 73 — 

c h i l d r e n hid a w a y in the c a v e s and c l e f t s of t h e m o u n t a i n s , -
t h e m e n f o u g h t for t w o d a y s behind i m p r o v i s e d ramparts,. 
b u t M o s l e m s a r m e d w i t h m o d e r n r i f l e s h a d c o m e d o w n on 
t h e m on all sides, so t h a t in the end the A r m e n i a n s w e r e 
f o r c e d to g i v e w a y , and w e r e n o d o u b t killed to t h e l a s t 
m a n . 

C A B I N OF A POOR A R M E N I A N F A M I L Y I N T H E M O U N T A I N S . 

T h e r e g u l a r order of e v e n t s w a s , first m a s s a c r e , then 
p i l l a g e , t h e n i n c e n d i a r i s m , a n d w h i l s t t h e h o u s e s w e r e b e i n g 
b u r n t d o w n , p a r t i e s of c o u n t r y folk t o o k possession of all 
horses and c a t t l e , d r i v i n g t h e m b e f o r e t h e m until t h e y h a d 
r e a c h e d a c e r t a i n d i s t a n c e , so t h a t s u c h r o b b e r y c o u l d n o t 
b e t r a c e d a f t e r w a r d s . 

N o b l e e x a m p l e s of m a r t y r d o m w e r e r e p o r t e d in this-



•district; t h o s e t h a t s u r v i v e d assert t h a t t h e v i c t i m s , b e f o r e 
b e i n g s a c r i f i c e d , w e r e i n v a r i a b l y s u m m o n e d t o d e n y o u r 
L o r d . 

I n m a n y p l a c e s t h e w o m e n w e r e s p a r e d . T h i s m a y 
h a v e been a p r e c o n c e i v e d p l a n — a n d t h e m o t i v e s m a y h a v e 

"been v a r i o u s . T h a t m a n y y o u n g g i r l s w e r e c a p t u r e d a n d 
•detained in T u r k i s h h a r e m s t h e r e c a n b e n o d o u b t . 

T h e s a m e t h i n g h a s b e e n d o n e b e f o r e . B u t it is a real 
-satisfaction t o b e a b l e to r e c o r d t h a t in this i n s t a n c e a 
-considerable n u m b e r w e r e t r a c e d a n d r e c o v e r e d , M . R o q u e -
F e r r i e r a n d P e r e E t i e n n e h a v i n g t a k e n u p t h i s m a t t e r w i t h 
a n e n e r g y a n d t h o r o u g h n e s s t h a t entailed g r e a t p e r s o n a l 
r i s k to t h e m s e l v e s . 

E v e n a t t h e p r e s e n t m o m e n t i s o l a t e d c a s e s of C h r i s t i a n 
w o m e n b e i n g detained in T u r k i s h h a r e m s a r e e x t r e m e l y 
l i k e l y t o e x i s t , b u t t h e d i f f i c u l t y . o f b r i n g i n g s u c h c a s e s t o 

l i g h t is n e c e s s a r i l y e x t r e m e l y g r e a t . 

F o r the w h o l e of t h e district of D j e b e l - i - B e r e k e t , 
F a t h e r R i g a l g e t s a t t h e f o l l o w i n g f i g u r e s , n e c e s s a r i l y 
. a p p r o x i m a t e : 

C a z a of B a g h t c h e : 
B a g h t c h e : 102 h o u s e s b u r n t o u t of a b o u t n o , 7 7 1 

"Christian i n h a b i t a n t s , 641 r e m a i n ; 1 1 3 m e n killed. 
H a s s a . n - B e y l i : 4 1 2 h o u s e s ; s e v e n r e m a i n s t a n d i n g . 

2 , 1 8 6 i n h a b i t a n t s , of w h o m a b o u t 1,890 r e m a i n . 265 f a t h e r s 
o f f a m i l i e s d i s a p p e a r e d . 

L a p a c h l e : a c h u r c h a n d 145 h o u s e s all b u r n t . O f 7 4 7 
I n h a b i t a n t s , 581 r e m a i n a l i v e . 

K h a r n e : t w o c h u r c h e s , 131 h o u s e s , f o r t y - o n e s h o p s , all 
±>urnt. 795 i n h a b i t a n t s , 6 1 9 r e m a i n . 

K o u r t l a r : 101 i n h a b i t a n t s , 75 r e m a i n . 
G u e u k t c h a y i r : f o r t y - o n e h o u s e s b u r n t ; 185 i n h a b i t a n t s , 

j 3 0 r e m a i n . 



C a z a o f I s l a y 6 : 
I s l a y 6 did not s u f f e r so m u c h , t h a n k s to t h e e n e r g y of 

t h e Q a i m m a k a m , t h e G o v e r n o r of the district. 
A t K i l l e r , there w e r e fifty houses, t w e n t y - s e v e n w e r e 

b u r n t . O f 258 i n h a b i t a n t s , a b o u t 230 s u r v i v e d . 
A t Intilli, t h i r t y - t w o h o u s e s , all b u r n t ; of 167 i n h a b i -

t a n t s , 136 r e m a i n e d . 
K o u c h j o u : t w e n t y - f o u r h o u s e s , n i n e o f w h i c h w e r e 

b u r n t ; n i n e t y i n h a b i t a n t s , e i g h t y - t w o s t i l l a l i v e . . . . 

I t is to t h e s u r v i v o r s in t h e f o r e g o i n g p l a c e s t h a t t h e c a r a -
v a n b r o u g h t s o m e relief, and it w a s n e c e s s a r y in t h e e x t r e m e . 
A g r e a t n u m b e r of r e f u g e e s at B a g h t c h e w e r e s u p p o s e d to 
b e n o u r i s h e d a t t h e e x p e n s e of t h e G o v e r n m e n t , b u t t h e 
p r o v i s i o n s h a d soon g i v e n o u t , a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s w i t h 
o t h e r p l a c e s w e r e i n t e r r u p t e d o w i n g to t h e a b s e n c e of 
s e c u r i t y o n t h e h i g h roads, so t h a t o u t s i d e relief w a s 
i m p e r a t i v e . 

T h e G e r m a n P r o t e s t a n t m i s s i o n a r i e s h a d , h o w e v e r , 
b e e n at B a g h t c h e b e f o r e t h e a r r i v a l of t h e c a r a v a n f r o m 
A d a n a , a n d h a d t a k e n a n u m b e r of o r p h a n s w i t h t h e m t o 
e d u c a t e t h e m a t their o r p h a n a g e a t M a r a s c h . 

T h e F r e n c h F a t h e r s w o u l d g l a d l y h a v e t a k e n c h a r g e 
o f s o m e h u n d r e d s of o r p h a n s o n t h i s j o u r n e y , a n d t h e 
•difficulty w o u l d h a v e been one of s e l e c t i o n o n l y , b u t e v e n 
in g o o d w o r k s m o n e y tells, and t h e a b s e n c e of m o n e y i s a 
t e r r i b l e h a n d i c a p ; w h e r e w a s the m o n e y t o c o m e f r o m ? 
w h e r e is it to c o m e f r o m e v e n n o w , if r i c h C a t h o l i c s in 
E u r o p e a n d A m e r i c a do not h a v e c o m p a s s i o n a n d c o m e t o 
t h e r e s c u e ? 



— 76-

I t is b y t o t a l l i n g all the f o r e g o i n g figures a n d c o m p a r i n g 
e s t i m a t e s of l o s s of l i f e in A d a n a itself t h a t t h e i m m e n s i t y 
of t h e disaster is s l o w l y r e a l i z e d . T h u s a figure of 20,000 
t o 25,000 A r m e n i a n s k i l l e d d u r i n g the m a s s a c r e s seems, 

T w o C H I L D R E N W O U N D E D I N THE M A S S A C K K S . 

n o w t o b e a d m i t t e d a s a p p r o x i m a t e l y reliable, and t h e l o s s 
o f l i f e in c o n s e q u e n c e of t h e m a s s a c r e s , c o n t i n u e s u p to 
t h e p r e s e n t d a y , and m a y c o n t i n u e d u r i n g the w h o l e of t h e 
w i n t e r m o n t h s . T h u s a s l a t e a s A u g u s t , a F a t h e r in a 
r e p o r t s a y s t h a t d u r i n g t h e l a s t f e w w e e k s a s m a n y as. 



-632 o r p h a n s h a d died of insufficient n o u r i s h m e n t a n d 
•exposure in t h e v i l l a y e t of A d a n a a l o n e ! I t is heartrend-
i n g to t h i n k of these t h i n g s , a n d t h e C a t h o l i c m i s s i o n a r i e s 
•earnestly b e g f o r help. 

T h e F r e n c h F a t h e r s a r e a c t u a t e d b y n o s e l f i s h m o t i v e ; 
t h e y d e s i r e s c r u p u l o u s l y t o a v o i d t h e d i v e r s i o n of f u n d s 
f r o m a n y o t h e r c h a r i t a b l e p u r p o s e s . B u t t h e y b e l i e v e , 
a n d m a n y g o o d C a t h o l i c s b e l i e v e w i t h t h e m , t h a t a t t h i s 
m o m e n t in t h e w h o l e C a t h o l i c w o r l d , in t h e w h o l e o f 
C h r i s t e n d o m , t h e r e is n o m o r e p r e s s i n g n e c e s s i t y t h a n 
t h e s p e e d y r e l i e f of t h e A r m e n i a n C h r i s t i a n s . T h e y a r e 
o u r b r e t h r e n : for t h e m , t o o , C h r i s t d i e d , a n d c a n w e n o w 
a l l o w t h e m t o p e r i s h m i s e r a b l y ? 

T h e A r m e n i a n s h a v e c e r t a i n l y m a d e m a n y m i s t a k e s ; 
a s is n o w w e l l k n o w n , t h e y h a v e h a d a m b i t i o u s p l a n s , 
p a r t i c u l a r l y s i n c e t h e g r a n t i n g o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , w h i c h 
s e e m e d to offer s c o p e f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of l e g i t i m a t e 
a m b i t i o n s . 

E v e n c o n c e d i n g t h a t t h e a m b i t i o n s of s o m e A r m e n i a n s 
h a v e e x c e e d e d t h e l i m i t of w h a t is l e g i t i m a t e , the. w o r d s 
m a y w e l l b e a p p l i e d : " I f it w e r e so, it w a s a g r i e v o u s 
f a u l t , a n d g r i e v o u s l y h a t h t h e A r m e n i a n r a c e a n s w e r e d i t ; " 
so g r i e v o u s l y i n d e e d , t h a t t h e r e i s p r o b a b l y i n t h e h i s t o r y 
o f t h e l a s t t h o u s a n d y e a r s n o t h i n g t h a t c a n b e a t a l l 
•compared t o t h e s l a u g h t e r of t h e t w o t o t h r e e h u n d r e d 
t h o u s a n d A r m e n i a n s i n T u r k e y d u r i n g t h e r e i g n of 
A b d u l H a m i d . 

B u t , l e a v i n g t h e d e a d to b u r y t h e d e a d , w e h a v e o u r 
d u t y to t h e l i v i n g s u f f e r e r s of the g r e a t c a t a s t r o p h e t h i s 
s p r i n g . T h e s e sufferers s t i l l n u m b e r their t h o u s a n d s ; a m o n g 
t h e m a r e i n n o c e n t a n d h e l p l e s s o l d . m e n , w o m e n , a n d 
•children, m a n y of w h o m w i l l m o s t c e r t a i n l y p e r i s h t h i s 



— 78-

w i n t e r u n l e s s p r o m p t relief o n a g e n e r o u s s c a l e b e f o r t h -
c o m i n g . 

I t is t o t h e C a t h o l i c C h r i s t i a n s all t h e w o r l d o v e r t h a t 
t h e C a t h o l i c m i s s i o n a r i e s l o o k for h e l p ; a n d t h e y e a r n e s t l y 
p r a y t h a t t h e i r a p p e a l w i l l n o t b e in v a i n ; G o d ' s b l e s s i n g 
w i l l r e s t f o r e v e r o n t h e g e n e r o u s g i v e r . 



C o n d i t i o n s of M e m b e r s h i p in the 

S O C I E T Y FOR T H E 
P R O P A G A T I O N OF T H E F A I T H 

1 S U 
1. T o offer for t h e intentions of the S o c i e t y the " O u r F a t h e r " and 

" H a i l M a r y " of the morning or evening prayers, a d d i n g the invocation,. 
*' S t . F r a n c i s X a v i e r , p r a y for u s . " 

2. T o give an A l m s f o r ' t h e Missions. 

T H R E E C L A S S E S O F A S S O C I A T E S 
1. O r d i n a r y M e m b e r s contribute five cents every month, or s i x t y 

c e n t s a year. 

2. S p e c i a l M e m b e r s contribute six dollars a y e a r , representing the-
s u m collected in a band of ten associates. 

3. P e r p e t u a l M e m b e r s contribute at one time a sum of money not 
less than $40.00, and are thereafter enrolled in perpetuity. 

D e c e a s e d P e r s o n s m a y also be enrolled b y their friends as-
O r d i n a r y , Special, or P e r p e t u a l Members. 

O v e r 10,000 M a s s e s are offered e v e r y y e a r b y the missionary 
priests for the living and dead associates. 

M a n y P l e n a r y a n d P a r t i a l I n d u l g e n c e s are granted to t h e 
members of t h e S o c i e t y . 

I m p o r t a n t P r i v i l e g e s have been granted b y the C h u r c h to Priests-
h e l p i n g the w o r k b y their influence or personal alms. 

SUBSCRIBE TO 

" C A T H O L I C H I S S I O N S " 
A Magazine Devoted to 
Home and Foreign Missions 

Issued e v e r y other month b y 

The Society for the Propagation of the Faith 
S U B S C R I P T I O N O N E D O L L A R A Y E A R 

S e n d S u b s c r i p t i o n to t h e R i g h t R e v . M g r . J. F r e r i , D . C . L . , 
627 L e x i n g t o n A v e n u e , N e w Y o r k , N . Y .