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i THE MORNING NEWS, I
’ Established 1850. - - Incorporated 1888. >
( j. H. ESTILL. President. f
COWARDICE UNDER THE CROSS
CHRISTIANITY'S INACTION IN AR
MENIA CEXBIREU,
The British I.lon Pln> Inn the Cur Be
fore the llob* of Constantinople.
The Editorial* of the Turkish
Press Inserted Irnler Censorship
From the Palace—The Story of the
Capture of Zeitoun False—Armen
ian Envoys Treacherously Seized
liy the Turks.
London, Dec. 29.—Dr. Henry S. Limn,
e litor of the Review of the Churches, and
JVrcy W. Bunting, elitor of the Contem
porary Review, have addressed the follow
ing communication to •‘All Editors, Eng
lish and American.”
We inclose extracts from a letter from
a private friend who spent several
months of this year In Armenia, and who
is one of the first authorities on the
question, as indeed you would admit, were
we at liberty to publish his name. May
we beg you to insert these in the next
issue of your paper. Yours faithfully,
Henry S. Bunn,
Editor of the Review of the Churches.
Percy W. Hunting,
Editor of the Contemporary Review.
“Any allusion to Armenia Upsets me. I
am ashamed, excited, indignant when I
think of what I saw in that country, and
of the confidence with which I consoled
quailing women,' weeping men, with hopes
that England would see them through
their difficulties, and the words of heart
felt thanks they uttered, often upon their
knees in the fields or on the hillsides, and
the childlike messages of anticipatory
gratitude, which they asked me to deliver
to the English people, now burn and
rankle within me like an envenomed
wound.
“The European powers are playing a
farcial representation round the graves
of a Christian people. If conduct similar
to their’s were to be pursued by an in
dividual in private life, it would be visi
ted with social ostracism and would brand
him with an indelible Cain's mark of in
famy. Fancy a man's neighbor parading
about the doors of his house while he and
his children rush frantically from room
to room and from window to window,
Implring them to save them from the de
vouring flames. We have a pity on a rat.
If we hear of its protracted and hopeless
efforts to escape from burning, hut men
and women, boys and girls who are kill
ed piecemeal, are laughed at—that Is
what it has come to.
inti guvemuitiius ui bit a.
spectacle to make angels weep. They
guard the sates of Turkey, so to say.
solemnly declaring that whatever may
happen to the Christians, however dia
bolically they may be tortured to death,
nothing shall happen to the Turks —they
at any rate must and will be preserved
from harm. Is it a wonder then thijX .tha.
Turks should set about fulfilling their
threat of wiping out Armenia In Armen
ian blood? Every one knew that the
threat would be fulfilled. Oonsula re
ported to their governments that the de
parture of the European delegates from
Moush would mark the beginning of the
blood bath, and newspapers gave the pro
phesy publicity. Appeals to the public
to Insist on precautionary measures were
multiplied, and at last mere verbal warn
ing gave place to unmistakable signs and
preparations, but diplomacy turned a deaf
ear (the Armenians are nobody kith and
kin). Were they Greeks or Bulgarians,
.Uagymars or Serbs, they would have high
and powerful protestors who tellingly talk
of the primary duty of protecting brothers
ami Christians. Even Abyssinians are
brethren and orthodox when political cal
culations come In. But Armenians! and
so none of these governments insisted on
the explanation or even dismissal of Seek
ki Pasha and the authors at the Sassoun
savagery. Nay, they were decorated and
honored by the sultan, as an encourage
ment to others to go and do likewise. And
now others have gone out and have out-
Heroded Herod, and none seems shocked.
People are only interested to get the
latest news of Stvas or Trebizond, or
wherever the latest massacre has oc
curred, at their breakfast table early. Few
persons take even a remote Interest In the
Armenian question on the continent, and
those few are the advocates of Turkey.
The Mustrian press, said to be paid by
the Turkish government, impudently de
nies the Shssoun massacre and accuses
the Armenians of having attempted to
butcher the Kurds and Turks. The Ger
man press is the bearer of the same kind
of culture to its readers, and in both these
countries the public knows positively
nothing about the Armenian question. The
Russian papers, beginning with the No
voya Vremya, cracks jokes at the Armen
ians and in the last numbers which I
have read, ask: ‘Why should we Rus
sians sacrifice a single soldier for the
- ike of Armenian bankers and million
aires who are much better off than we are
ourselves, to say nothing of British and
American agitators, who have so cleverly
not up the Armenian comedy.’
“A couple of regiments of British sol
diers orCossacks Is what is wanted. They
would set matters right in a few days.
Hut even if the whole English speaking
people should arise and demahd tills,
would it be accepted?”
The next issue of the Contemporary’ Re
view will contain a long article entitled:
' Armenia; An Appeal,” by Dr. E. J. Dil
lon, cf which the following is a synopsis:
"The time liaß come for every reason
ing person to accept or repudiate his share
of tht- joint indirect responsibility of the
British nation for a series of the hugest
and foulest crimes that have ever stained
1 lie oages of human history. The Armenian
neonle in Anatolia are being exterminated
by Turks and Kurds, by such fiendish
no thods as may well cause the most siug
gish blood to boil with shame and indig
iiation.
“The Armenians are not lawless barbari
ans or brigands, nor are the Turks and
Kurds the accredited toreh-bearers of civ
llization, but if it be expedient that the
-Armenians should be exterminated, why
< hop them up piecemeal? Why must an
honest, hard working man be forced to
witness the violation of his daughter and
■ hen have his hand cut off and stuffed into
bis mouth, while a sermon is being
l reached to him on the text: “If your God
’> ° God, why does he not succor you.
hen the other hand is hacked off. his
• irs torn off and his feet severed with a
1 it diet. Surely'roasting alive, flaying,
• ' inboweling, impaling and other hor
f"rs have nothing that can excuse them
In the eyes of Christians, however, deep
ly absorbed on politics. Christians
tln-v are, and from the middle of the fifth
*• utury scarcely a year has elapsed in
" hi. h Armenian men and women have
' <*t unhesitatingly laid down their lives
for their religious belief. The murdered
Sa - oun, of Van, of Erwroum, were
1 hrifiian martyrs; ami any or all of thus**
who-*- *yi*s wore gouged out, whose qulv
■liiig ibsli waR torn from their hoilh-K.
might have nbiainoo lib’ by embracing
i-'lam and abjuring Christ, lint, Instead, |
• ,ij,d HU- Christian martyr*. Why,
u that our compassion for these, our j
r nu n. has not yet assumed the form !
hi'live help? or reasons of 'higher
■'bib ■ The condition <>f Armenian i
• i-tlMitM when w.- lira, interfere*] (1871) |
ib-i,enable, i-awti existed toby on pa- .
Mohammad am crime* were puttisha
"idy In theory Russia was willing to
'••dilute law' and order for crime and
slid to guarantee to Christian* the
'intent du to human being*, lit!! we
1 denied tier right to do tht*, a* sh—
sea to admit our claim to undertake
offle handed, , aat-1 lit effect ‘though j
fp].e ■ |Eofmtio
our political interests may clash with !
tnose of Russia, we will see to it that they
not subversive of the elementary prin
ciples of human Justice and the immutable
law of God.'
. “Yet we never took any efficacious step
to fulfil that solemn promise. Our con
suls forwarded exhaustive reports, the
press published heartrending details and
Armenian ecclesiastics presented piteous
appeals. But we pigeon-holed the con
sular reports, pooh-poohed the particu
lars published by the press and ignored
the petitions of the priests. We pressed
a knob, as it were, in London and there
by opened hell’s iortals in Asia Minor,
letting loose legions of fiends in human
shape, who set about torturing and ex
terminating the Christians there. And,
lest it should be urged that our govern
ment was ignorant of the wide-reaching
effects of its ill-advised action, it is on
record that for seventeen years it con
tinued to watch the harrowing results of
that action without once interfering to
stop it.
“During all these seventeen years writ
ten law, traditional custom, the fundamen
tal maxims of human and divine Justice
were suspended in favor of a Mohamme
dan saturnalia. The Christians, by whose
toil and thrift the empire was held to
gether, were despoiled, beggared, chained,
beaten and banished or butchered. Scores
of Armenians were thrown into prison
and tortured and terrorized until they de
livered up the savings of a lifetime. Whole
villages were sacked. In a few years the
provinces were decimated, Aloghkerd, for
instance, being almost entirely purged of
Armenians. Over 20,u00 woe-stricken
wretches fled to Russia or Persia. On the
way they were seized over and over again
by soldiers of the sultan, who deprived
them of their little money and clothes,
outraged the women and girls, and then
drove them over the frontier to hunger
and die. Those who remained for a time
behind were no better off. Turkish tax
gatherers followed these, gleaning what
the brigands had left, torturing and flog
ging their male victims, dishonoring their
wives and deflouring their daughters.
“Stories of this kind In connection with
Turkish misrule in Armenia have grown
familiar to English ears of late. It should
be remembered that these statements are
neither rumors nor exaggerations, con
cerning which we are justified in suspend
ing our judgment. History hits set Its
seal upon them. The Turks have admitted
these and worse acts of savagery; the
Kurds glory in them; trustworthy Euro
peans have witnessed and described them,
and Armenians have groaned over them in
blank despair. Officers and nobles in the
sultan's own cavalry regiments bruit it
abroad with pride, the story of the long
series of rapes and murders which have
marked their official careers.
“In accordance with the plan of exter
mination which has been carried out with
such success during the long years of
Turkish vigor and English sluggishness,
all Armenians who possessed money or
money’s W’orth were for a time allowed to
buy immunity from prison. But ns soon
as terror and confiscation took the place
of extortion, the dungeons of Erezroum
Erzlngham, Marsovan, Hassankaleh and
Van were filled till there was scarcely
standing room. Educated schoolmasters,
missionaries, priests and physicians
were immured in these noisome hot beds
of Infection and forced to sleep night after
night standing on their feet, leaning
against the foul, reeiking corner of the
wall. Hunger, thirst anil slimy water ren
dered their agony maddening. Yet those
were not criminals nor alleged criminals,
but upright Christian men. who were nev
er vet of an infraction of the law.
into these prisons were cast venerable old
missionaries, teachers, ministers of re
ligion, merchants, physicians and peas
ants.
“Those among them who refused to de
nounce their friends or consent to some
atrocious crime, were subjected to tor
tures indescribable, often occupying days,
while their tormentors laughed and howl
ed In glee.
“Nights were passed in such hellish or
gies and days in Inventing new tortures
or refining upon the old. Some of them
cannot be described nor even hinted at
In the homes of these wretched people
the fiendish fanatics were equally active
and successful. Rape and dishonor with
nameless accompaniments menaced al
most every girl and woman In the coun
try. Children were often married at the
age of 11, even 10, In the vain hope of
lessening this danger. But the protec
tion of a husband proved unavailing; it
merely meant one murder more, and one
‘Christian dog’ less, and what astonishes
one throughout this long, sickening story
of shame and crime Is the religious faith
of the sufferers.
“Such In broad outline has been the
normal condition of Armenia ever since
the treaty of Berlin, owing at first to
the disastrous action and subsequently
to the equally disastrous inaction of the
British government. The above sketch
contains but a few isolated instances of
the daily commonplaces of the life of the
Armenian Christians. The Turks, en
couraged by the seventeen years contv
ance of the only power which possessed
any formal right to intervene in favor of
the Armenians, organized a wholesale
massacre of the Christians of Sassoun.
The preparations were elaborate and
open. The project was known to and
canvassed by all. A long report was ad
dressed by the Abbott of Moush to the
British representatives at Erzeroum, in
forming him of this inhuman plan. But
international comity forbade us to med
dle with the ‘domestic affairs of a friend
ly power,' and the massacre took place
as advertised. The rivulets were choked
up with corpses; the streams ran red
with human blood, the fore9t glades and
rocky caves were peopled with the dead
and 'the dying; among the ruins of once
prosperous villages lay roasted infants
by their mangled mothers' corpses; pits
were dug at night by the wretches des
tined to fill them, many of whom
flung in while but lightly wounded, awoke
beneath a mountain of clammy corpses
and vainly wrestled with death and the
dead, who shut them out from the light
and life forever. It was then that our
present ambassador at Constantinople
took action and displayed those remark
able gifts of energy and industry to which
the prime minister lately alluded with
pride The British ambassador did his
best 'and at last carried the appointment
of a commission of investigation. Yet,
while the commission of inquiry was still
sitting at Moush, the deeds of atrocious
cruelty which it was assembled to investi
gate were outdone under the eyes of the
delegates. Threats were openly uttered
that on their withdrawal massacres would
lie organized all over the country—mas
sacres it was said, in comparison with
which'the Sassoun butchery would com
pare but as dust in the balance.
"In due time they began. Over sixty
thouand Armenians have been butch
ered and the massacres are not quite end
ed vet In Treblzoad, Erezingham, Has
'■ankaleh and numberless other places the
Christians were crushed like grapes dur
in" the vintage. The French mob during
the Terror were men—nay, angels of
mercy—compared .with these Turks.
"These are but isolated scenes. The
worst canont be described. And, If It
could be. no description however vivid
would convey a true notion of the dread
reality At most of these manifestations
of bestial passion and rapine the sultan’s
troops in uniform stood by as delighted
spectators, when they did not actually
take an active part as zealous execution
ers And these are the Turks whom unan
imous Europe has judged worthy of roll
tßluing to govern and guide the Christ
ians of Asia Minor. The sultan under
takes if a reasonable time be given him,
to i •-establish the normal state of things
In Turkish Armenia; and we know that
the normal condition implies the denial
to Christians of the fundamental rights
of human tielng*. the abolition of wo
manly purity, the disintegration of the
family, the iaping of tender children -
It, a word, a system, of gov. rnmetii for
which the history of the world afford*
no parallel,
“Y-t unanimous Euro pa we *re told,
entertain* no doubt that tin* true inter
est* of Christendom demand that Turk
ish rule should Is maintained. It can
hut he too vp.-arly stated Riak what l*
SAVANNAH, GA., MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1595.
asked for is not the establishment of an
Armenian kingdom or princti ollty. not a
'buffer state,’ not even Christian autono
my in any sense that might render it of
fensive or dangerous to any of the pow
ers of Europe; but only that by some etli
caoious means the human beings who
professed and practiced it there for cen
turies before the Turks or Kurds were
heard of, shall be enabled to live and die
as human beings, and that the unparall
eled crimes of which, for the past seven
teen years, they have been silent victims,
shall speedily and once lor all be put a
stop to.
"What serious hope is there that the lot
of the Armenians will be bettered in the
future? Continental jurisconsults have
Just given it as their conscientious opin
ion that any special reforms for the
Armenians would necessarily involve a
grave violation of the rights of man and
of the law of God, and the jurisconsults
ought to know. If this be so, the sensi
tive sultan will naturally shrink from
such lawlessness and godlessness, and
piously shelve the reforms. They would
strongly recommend the Introduetion of
wide reaching reforms for all Turkish
subjects, were It not that insuperable ob
jections render even such a course abso
lutely impossible; for, first, • the
powers have no right to in
terfere in favor of the sultan's Moham
medan subjects; second, the Turks and
Kurds themselves desire no such reforms,
are in fact opposed to them; and finally
general reforms for all would necessarily
prove as disastrous as special reforms for
Armenian Christians, because the Arme
nians, as the most intelligent and only
self-disciplined element of the popula
tion, would profit by the improvemeut
to obtain political preponderance for
themselves. Things had better, therefore,
remain ag they are, with the wholesale
butcheries left out; that Is to say, the
normal conditions of things must he re
established, which In a very few years
will solve the Armeniun question by ex
terminating *he Armenians.
"And England, Christian, moral Eng
land, apparently inuorses this vletw.
“Jf there still be a spark of divinity in
our souls, or a trace of healthy human
sentiment in our hearts, we shall not
hesitate to record our vehement protest
against these hell-born crimes that pol
lute one of the fairest portions of God's
earth, and our strong condemnation of
any and every line of policy that may
tend directly or indirectly to perpetuate
or condone them.”
The correspondent of the United Press
at Constantinople sends the following un
der yesterday’s date: “The continuous
publication and circulation of official
falsehoods, together with the barricade
against truth of every avenue of publicity,
has become one of the most dangerous
elements of the political situation at Con
stantinople. Censorship of the Turkish
press exists. Latterly Its sole object has
been to suppress facts, and to compel the
publication of ‘editorials' relative to the
Armenians, which are prepared at the
palace, and of 'telegrams' written under
physical compulsion by wretched Arme
nian prisoners in the dungeons of Asiatic
Turkey. In reality, the Turkish newspa
pers are thus edited at the palace.
“The result of this use of the press Is
that the Mohammedan populace, and even
moderately educated gentlemen at Con
stantinople, find their chief reason for dis
content with the sultan in his failure
to order the destruction of Christians
generally. They suppose that the Arme
nians of Asiatic Turkey have murdered
and pillaged great numbers of Moslems;
that the reserves have been called into
the field to pun)sh and reduce to older
the Armen+au; tlta-t UiadiFAtrepean pow
ers have intervened to prevent the restor
ation of order, and that the foreign gun
boats have come to the Bosphorus in order
to encourage the Christians in insurrec
tion. The deduction made from this mass of
error is that the Christians are preparing
to massacre Moslems, and that therefore
the Moslems must first massacre the
Christians. Unquestionably the object of
this official dissemination of falsehoods,
through cunningly devised communica
tions to the press, has been to inflame the
ignorant and cause the intense excite
ment which has resulted.
“It is now learned that the report that
the Turkish troops had captured the town
of Zeltoun from the Insurgent Armeni
ans hail Its origin in a statement made by
Gen. Mustafa Remiz, who Is at Zeltoun.
This report was supported by a telegram
received in Constantinoule from Aleppo,
which not only stated that Zeltoun had
fallen, but gave details of the flight of
many refugees before the Turks regained
possession of the town. Many of these
refugees were said to have fled to Killls,
In a southeasterly direction from Zel
toun, where it was expected that an at
tack would be made upon them by the
Turks.
“Semi-official reports now show that
the city Itself has not been taken by
the Turks. The place which is filled with
refugees is Invested by the troops. Gen.
Mustafa Remiz, demanded the surrender
of the city and eighteen of the Armenian
notables went outside the fortifications
to treat for a surrender. Ffteen of these
envoys were detained by the Turkish gen
eral, who sent the other three back with
the terms he offered by the surrender of
the place. These terms included the giv
ing up of their arms by the Armenians.
The Armenians from the mountains, who
captured thel city, were willing to ac
cept the terms, but the refugees, who
feared that df the Turke got Inside the
fortifications there would be another mas
sacre, insisted that there be no capitu
lation. Gen Remiz asked for orders from
Constantinople, and yesterday the sultan
Issued an trade ordering that a battle be
avoided if there was any chance of pro
curing the surrender of Zeltoun by other
means.
“The missionaries at Marsovan have
telegraphed to the Hon. A. W. Terrell,
the American minister, declaring that
the guards furnished by the authorities
for their protection are not trustworthy
and that in consequence their lives and
property are in danger.
“Mr. Terrell telegraphed to Milo A.
Jewett, the American consul at Slvas,
Instructing him to go to Marsovan if
possible. Yesterday Mr. Jewett replied
that it was impossible for him to leave
Sivas, as an outbreak was threatened at
that nlace.
“Mr. Terrell then visited the porte,
where his representations resulted In
an order being sent to the military com
mander at Marsovan to substitute regu
lar soldiers for fTfe guard who had been
detailed to protect the Americans.
“The missionaries at Marsovan are Rev.
and Mrs. John F. Smith. Dr. and Mrs.
George F. Herrick, Dr. and Mrs. Charles
C. Tracy, Rev. and Mrs. Edward Riggs,
Rev. and Mrs. George E. White, Miss
Frances C. Gage and Miss Martha A.
“Jft Sivas are located Rev. Albert W.
Hubbard, Rev . Hy T. Perry and wife and
Miss Mary E. Brewer.”
The Constantinople correspondent of
the Standard telegraphs that M. Neli
doff, the Russian ambassador, had a long
private audience with the sultan on Wed
nesday. He adds that it would cause no
surprise should It be learned that there
is a secret Russo-Turkish treaty. It Is
well known in Constantinople that th*
so-called concert of the powers consists
of a confused entente between five of
them, while Russia, backs Turkey, whose
finances are in a hopeless condition.
Russia, it Is said, Is now offering a loan
of monev to the porte. A Russian syn
dicate which Is strongly supported by the
Russian embassy, has applied for a con
cession for a petroleum monopoly, offer
ing therefor the sum of <230,000 yearly.
All the foreign embassies, with the ex
ception of the Russian, are prepared to
strenuously resist the granting of the
monopoly. Turkey'* financial troubles
readied "such a pitch lam week that the
treasury applied to every province for
Oi.oii with which to nay the troops.
Smyrna was the only vilayet which wan
aide to meet the demand.
Constan’lnople. liec. 29, -Several Turk*
wore arrested here on Friday. It waa
chrg< and hat they Intended to make a
demonstration against the sultan when he
drove from the iutlx.ee to the mosque to
perform hi# usual Friday devotion*.
Among the prisoner* are two clerks who
are employed in the ministry of war anti
a clerk hi the ministry of the Interior.
A military adjutant was also arrested on
the same charge. a
The sultan has presented to the o*ar
a magnificent pair of horses and a quan
tity of the finest Turkish tobacco. Geri.
Arif Fasha, accompanied by the third
dragoman of the Russian embassy, has
gone to St. Petersburg, where he will
turn the gifts over to the czar. It is said
that Arif Pasha it also entrusted with a
secret mission to, the czar. It is evident
that there is a Russo-Turkish rapproaeh
ment, and this is much commented upon.
CAMPOS TO REMAIN IN CUBA.
lie Say* He Cannot Resign in the
Fnee of the Enemy.
Madrid, Dec. 29.—A dispatch to the Ira
parcial from Havana confirms the news
regarding the great constitutional dem
onstration held in that, city last night.
The dispatch says that the eloquent
speech made by Capt. Gen. Campos crea
ted a profound sensation. Referring to
the reports that he intended to resign his
comtnand In Cuba, he declared that what
ever his personal inclinations might be.
It was absolutely impossible for him to
resign in the face of flie enemy. The
government was able to replace him, but
the demonstration increased his desire to
annihilate the enemy and improve the
difficult situation, j
The dispatch adds that Gen. Pando,
commanding in th province of Santiago
de Cuba, dispatch,*) a strong force to meet
Jose Maceo, W'ho was reported to he near
Baracoa with 4t men. The Spanish
troops met Macep*s force and completely
defeated them. Thk insurgents lost fifty
killed and wounded, The rebel camp and
a quantity of provisions were captured.
The Sprnlsh loss Mte* one killed and six
wounded.
A dispatch fronr Havana to the Im
parclal says that Goinez and Maceo aro
retreating from theJCienfuegos district.
Havana, Dec. 29.—ft is denied here that
there are any signs of a retrograde move
ment being made by the insurgents who
are near Jaguey Chico, in the southern
part of the province of Matanzas. The
Spanish troops are vainly seeking to bring
about a decisive encounter with them.
The whole country through which the
rebels passed has been devastated by the
torch.
l,ondon, Deo. 29.—'The Madrid corre
spondent of the Standard telegraphs that
the cabinet has decided to cable to Capt.
Gen. Campos assuring him that he still
possesses the confidence of the crown
and the government, and congratulating
him on the constitutional demonstration
that took place Saturday niglu. The cor
respondent adds that Gen. Campos tele
graphs that the Insurgents are retir
ing across the province of Matanzas.
burning the cane fields, but respecting
the mills and buildings on the estates.
He further says that the military out
look has Improved during the week.
The Madrid government will not allow
Gen. Campos to grant autonomy in Cuba
until he has obtained more successes over
the rebels.
BRUTAL WORK BY BLACK*.
Negroes Murderously Assault a Gro
yqr nmi JJJJs Wife.
Jackson Mlsa., Dec. 29.—J. F. Smith, a
prosperous merchant, doing a family gro
cery business In the western suburbs of
Jackson, was murderously assaulted last
night by three negroes and left for dead.
They called at the store about 10 o'clock
for some tobacco on credit. Smith declined
to sell that way and they knocked him In
the head with a coupling pin, cut his throat
and threw him off the gallery. Re-enter
ing the Btore, they ransacked the cash
drawer, but got nothing, and then went
In his bed room, where Mrs. Smith wus
sleeping, choked her Into insensibility,
stole a pistol and left.
Smith regained consciousness, gave the
alarm, told the names of his assailants
and the police had two wall known ne
gro toughs by morning, but one scaled the
jail yard wpll and escaped In five minutes
after commitment.
The excitement in the neighborhood Is
Intense and hundreds have visited the
scene.
Physicians say Snath’s skull is cracked
and that the wound in the throat Is seri
ous, so that his recovery is doubtful.
This is the second assault of this nature
within a month.
WAR STILL O.V IN ABYSSINIA.
I,ending Chiefs Renounce the Pro
po*nl* for Pence.
Rome, Dec. 29.—A dispatch from Mas
sowah, capltol of Eryhtrea, says that the
leading Abyssinian chiefs have held a
council and decided to reno.unce the pro
posals of peace with the Italians. A vast
Abyssinian party is near Makalle.
The first detachment of reinforcements
sent to the Italian troops after the de
struction of Maj. Toselll’s force at Amba
Aligi, arrived yesterday at Asmara,
about seventy-five miles north of Adlgrat,
where the main body of the Italian
troops now is.
Reports from Kassala, In the north
western part of the province of Tigre,
show that everything is quiet there.
Kassala is a large town that wet recently
captured by the Italians from the Derv
ishes, and a few days ago It was reported
that a strong force of Dervishes was
marching toward the Atbara river in the
direction of Kassala, the presumption
being that they were either going to at
tempt the recapture of that place or at
tack the Abyssinians.
LONDON'S AMERICAN SOCIETY.
A Meeting Abandoned Bemuse Peace
I* Considered Assured*
London, Dec. 29.—1 t was announced last
week that the American society In Lon
don would hold a meeting to-morrow to
consider a resolution stressing hope and
confidence that the differences between
the United States and. Great Britain
would be amicably settled. The society
has now doclded that in view of the Im
provement in public opinion such a meet
ing Is no longer opportune. The meeting
will therefore not be held, the society
being confident that the differences will
be adjusted amicably and honorably to
both nations.
BIG BLAZE AT BEAN ETTSA ILLE.
A Hotel and Three glares Burned
With Their Contents.
Bennettsville. 8. C., Dec. 29.—Tliis morn
ing at 1 o’clock fire broke out, totally con
suming the Rogers hotel with half Its
contents. Mrs. L. Leggs’ store and its
entire contents, John 8. Moore's furni
ture store and its contents, Joel Douglas'
drug store and nine-tenths of It* con
tents, and damaging the stock* of J. If.
MB' hell and George W. Waddttl, gen
eral merchandise, fully one-half. All the
losses are about covered by Insurance,
except that of Mrs. Rogers, who had no
insurance. The loss on stocks and build
ings Is aliout $20.1*10.
Hied Heeaose Aot Asked 1,, (line,
Columbus. O , Dec. 29.—John C, Kelly of
Mount Hterllug, K>., aged Jg. commit tori
suicide at the Town street house to-day
by taking eoHiolle acid. He left a note
staling that h* killed himseif because
his sunt, who lives here, did not tuvui
him to dinner on Christmas day, ,
LONDON THE HEAVIEST LOSER.
EVEN THE GERMANS MADE MONEY
BY THE ENGLISH PANIC.
The German Bourses Never So Badly
Katlled Over Amerleau Securities
as the English—Speculators at ller
lin and Frankfort the First to Be
gin Buying on the Slump— Baron
Hammerstein Arrested After Leav
ing Greece.
Berlin, Dee, 29.—The reaction toward
confidence In the future of American
finances, especially as affecting interna
tional monetary relations, has been sur
prisingly rapid within the last few days.
Berlin and Frankfort took the lead of
London In speculative buying of American
stocks, and operators here have, on the
whole, benefltted by the selling which was
done in London, and at no time during
the Wall street panic have the* German
bourses been so much Influenced as was
the English market. The buying set In
earlier here and even investors took a
chance In securing stocks at low values.
The bourse closed notably firm on Satur
day, after considerable buying of Ameri
can railroad securities. The course of
operations here gives evidence of the de
creasing influence of London upon mat
ters of finance In which German finan
ciers or investors are Interested. Finan
ciers are no longer Inclined to accept the
tendencies of the lajndon market as a
good guide In important monetary enter
prises at the present moment. It is not
forgotten how Germany absorbed the
American loans at low values during the
war between the American states when
the bonds were almost unsaleable in Lon
don. So now when English financial
houses seem to hesitate over the recep
tion of anew bond Issue the Washington
government, If It Is desirous of having
foreign markets take part in the loan,
might find German firms prepared to ne
gotiate. The belief here In the perman
ence of peace between the United States
and Great Britain is atwolute. and the
ftenerul conviction in the recovery of a
icalthy condition of American finances Is
unshaken.
The capture in Athens of Baron von
Hammerstein, the former editor of the
Kreuz Zeltung, who absconded under
charges of forgery and embezzlement,
created a tremendous sensation In polit
ical and social circles when his arrest be
came known on Saturday. The arrest of
this fugitive has cut the ground from un
der the feet of the socialist leaders, und
may even be said to have carried away
the feet of some of them. All along one
of the chief weapons of the socialist pres*
and the socialist parliamentary leaders
has consisted of insinuations that the
government had connived at Baron Ham
mersteln’s escape and frowned upon gen
uine attempts to bring him buck In order
to prevent disclosures affecting the con
servative supporters of the government.
The capture of Baron Hammerstein has
taken the wind out of the sails of the
socialist craft, and rendered the Ham
merstein letters, which the socialists were
holding over the heads of many conser
vative members of the Reichstag, almost.
If not wholly valueless as terrorizing
measures. There has never been a mo
ment since the disappearance of Karon
Hammerstein that the government has
not been earnest and unceasing In it* en
deavors to find him und bring him back
to Justice, no matter who might be In
jured by any revelations which hl pros
ecution might entail.
The political police tracked him through
Switzerland and Italy and finally spotted
him as he was landing from a steamer at
Piraeus, the port of Athens, five miles
from that city. Having run him down
the police commissaries watched him
closely during the entire time occupied
in making applications In secret to the
i Greek government for his surrender. The
government of Greece does not extradite
culprits except for capital offenses, but
unaer pressure from Berlin, the Athens
authorities took advantage of Baron
Hammerstein having recorded himself
as "William Herbart” to expel him from
the kingdom as an anarchist suspect.
Baron Hammerßteln was therefore com
pelled to leave and embarked on a steam
er for Brindisi. The German police also
took the steamer and the moment the
sailed Commissary Wolf of the
Berlin political police placed him under
arrest. The conduct of the government In
the Hammerstein matter having thus
been vindicated the police will he allowed
a free hand to pursue their plan of so
cialist repression, while the conserva
tives, no longer deterred by socialist
menaces of damaging revelations, will
urge repressive measures In the Reich
stag.
Berlin now has the prospect of an ex
tremely racy scandal season between
the Hammerstein case and the revelations
contained in the Von Kotze documents
which are in the possession of Fritz Fried
mann, the absconding Berlin lawyer. Ac
cording to current report Friedmann Is
now In. London, where he has prepared a
pamphlet attacking high legal and po
litical persons which he threatens to pub
lish if the German authorities molest him
anywhere. It Is understood that Fried
mann wan A a formal permit, to return to
Germany, nominally Incognito, In order
to settle his affairs and Is now negotiat
ing with the proper authorities In Berlin
to that end.
A RAILROAD TO SOUTHPORT.
* "
Tlie Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio to
Extend Its Line.
Raleigh, N. C., Dec. 29.—The Carolina,
Tennessee and Ohio railway has bought
all the effects of the defunct Brunswick,
Western and Southern railway, and to
morrow begins a survey of the route from
Southport to Wilmington. This survey Is
merely to correct a few details In the for
mer survey of the Brunswick, Western
and Southern railway, and these details
are to be finished by Jan. 20, and the line
made ready for grading and laying of the
rails by that date. The distance between
Southport and Wilmington is twenty-nine
miles, and the road Is to be completed. Its
general manager says, In nine months.
Southport has deep water and Is at the
mouth of the. Cape 'Fear river. Fort Cas
well, which Is at the entrance to Its har
bor, Ib now being fitted for torpedo de
fense. The United States Is now build
ing a quarantine station at Southport.
SICILY’S STATE OF SKIGE.
Premier t'rlspl Isssues tin Order Re
voking It.
Rome, Dec. 29.—Prime Minister Crlspl
has Issued an orkcr revoking the decree
giving th military commander at Paler
mo direction of both the police and mil
itary forces of the Island of Sicily. The
revoking of the decree Is due to the fact
that the authorities have at last succeed
ed in so Improving the condition of af
fairs on the Island that life and property
are now everywhere secure, and no fur
ther trouble Is apprehended from the ma
chinations of the Fascl Dei Lavoratort
and other secret #ocl*!!*t societies, which
caused the government trouble In 1993 and
laid. Ii Wa these trouble* which , *Used
a state of selge to be proclaimed at Pa
lermo at the beginning of last year, that
toil to the arrest of Hlgnor Dr Frit*- Glut
frlda. a member of the chamber of Dep
uties, who was sentenced to **sii -
years’ imprisonment for vooni. lion with
the socialist DOtg, J
SESSION OF THE SENATE.
______
The Heorgnnlsnlion of Hie Commit- .
lee to He Perfected To-day.
Washington, Dec. 29.—The reorganiza
tion of the committees of the Senate, upon !
which the steering committees of both
the old parties have been working for the
past three weeks, will be effected to
morrow by the passage of a resolution,
to be introduced by Mr. Mitchell, chair
man of the republican committee. In vio
lation of precedents for a number of
years past, a yea and nay vote will be
taken upon the adoption of the resolution.
The democrats say they intend to show
to the country that the republicans have
more votes in the Senate than the demo
ertvts, and therefore are entitled to take
control, but there is a suspicion that the
demociats hope by this vote to be able
to show that a deal has been made by
the republicans with the populists. The
republicans meet this argument with the
statement that they have permitted the
populists to remain just where they were
under a democratic administration of the
Senate, and the charge of a deal no more
applies now than it would as ngainst the
democrats when they ussumed control.
The reorganization will not go Into
effect practically until after Wednesday,
for the present employes, committee
clerks, etc., have already been paid their
salaries fori til*- month, of
Besides the reorganization resolution, an
address by Mr. Lodge, rep., of Massa
chusetts, is on the programme for Mon
day, on the resolution now on the table
relating to the enforcement of the Mon
roe doctrine. Mr. Lodge, who is an ar
dent advocate of the strk-t enforcement
of that doctrine, will doubtless make a
strong speech, and command the atten
tion of the Senate and the country. It Is
understood he will go deeply Into this
subject and review the historical matters
out of which It grew and cases In which
it has been applied by this government.
It is probable that the Senate will In
dulge after to-morrow’s session in three
day recesses until the holiday season is
over. The new tariff hill Is now before the
finance committee, and a meeting of that
body has been called for Tuesday. While
there will be no undue delay in report
ing the bill back to the Senate, it Is not
probable that the report will be made be
fore the end of next week.
The programme for the House this week
is one of practical idleness, lender the
working of the agreement announced Sat
urday by Mr. Dlngiey, chairman of the
committee on ways anil means. Hie House
will be culled to order Tuesday to adjourn
until Friday, when the operation will he
repeated, adjournment being taken that
day until Monday, Jan. 6. at which tlmo
tiie consideration of business will he re
sumed.
The appropriations and ejection com
mittee* expect to do some work in their
rooms during the week for the further
ance of matters committed to them.
SILVERITES JOINING HANDS.
Three Orannlin I lons Consolidated
I inter One Head.
Chicago, Dec. 29.—At a meeting In this
city this afternoon of representatives of
the American Bimetallic League, the
National Bimetallic Union and the Na
tional Silver Committee, these organiza
tions were consolidated, the new combina
tion being named “The American Bimet
allic Union.”
The new organization stands for bi
metallism and will support the party de
claring In Its favor. In the event of
non-support by either of the great par
ties, the union will put forth Its own ticket
In the next campaign.
At a meeting held by the organisation
last September It was recommended that
the action of to-day be taken, and when
this was reported to the separate or
ders. representatives were aiqiolnted for
a rtnal conference. The National bimet
allic Union sent Thomas G. Merrill of
Helena, Mont., and K 11. Light of Chi
cago; the American Blmetalltc League
Gen. A. J. Warner of Ohio, and Judge
Henry G. Miller was put forth by the
National Silver Commission.
These gentlemen met to-day. and after
arranging the preliminaries, formally de
clared the organizations merged Into one.
Ratification by the executive committees
of the different organizations Is all that
1h lacking to maku the combination ef-
fective.
But two officer* were decided upon to
day—A. J. Warner for president, and E.
B. Light for secretary.
The general headquarter* will be at 131
Monroe street, and branch offices will
be maintained In Washington and Bun
Francisco, and probably in other cities
west and south.
The united organization will press the
campaign of education along their lines
with the utmost vigor In all parts of the
country, and Secretary Light says that
If neither of the big parties tukes up their
cause they will have a party of their own.
FELL A VICTIM TO FOR AKER.
One of the Speakership Caniltilates
In Ohio Gives I p the Fight,
Columbus, 0., Dec. 29.—Considerable bad
blood has been engendered by the with
drawal of Alexander H. Boxwell from
the speakership fight. In a card to the
public last night Mr. Boxwell says:
"Prior to last Saturday I had the promise
of fifty-seven members of the House that
they would support me for speaker; of
these tlfty-one were In writing. 1 have
the letters In my possession and have
shown them to many members of the
House. Since that time certain Influences
of which I have, full knowledge have
been actively exerted against me, so
that enough of the members upon whom
I had confidently depended have seen fit
to change their allegiance and have an
nounced their support of Mr. Sleeper.
This being the case. I don’t wish to pro
long the contest and add to the embar
rassment of my friends, which might
result from such a course. I have there
fore decided to withdraw from the con
tent.” _ „
The opposition of ex-Gov. Foraker to
Boxwell caused hi* defeat, and Mr. Box
well said last night: "1 could do nothing
with Foraker against me.”
The knowing friends of Mr. Boxwell
scented the Inevitable some days ago
and they even anticipated It from the
beginning. It Is known upon Mr. Box
well's word that ex-Gov. Foraker told
him early In the fight he would take no
hand In It. A little later he assured
him he was for him, but certain friends
had little difficulty in persuading ex-Gov.
Foraker that the McKinley administra
tion was urging the selection of Mr Box
well and as the dominant faction wants
everything in sight, as well as In pros
pect they went after -Mr. Boxwell. They
brought him down.
M AINE t'OI ATI'S TRAGEDY.
Henry Manning Now In Jnll With
Hie Fnllier,
Brunswick. Oa., Dec. 29.—Young Henry
Manning, who cut MuntfOfd Harrison at
a dance near Waynesville Christman
night, ban been < aught, and Is now safety
behind the bars of tbe Wayne county
jail The arres* was made yesterday by
Bhmiff Lyon* and Deputy Pishing it at
Bandhtll, sonic miles distant ft oat tbe
wmie of tin trage ]y. Powsell, an accom
plice of Manning's, who stole a horse on
which to enenp*. ha* no) yet been spore- I
liended. Manning's father, as *1 e•nj In a
*1 >, |*J front Jr*up to Die Morning New*
of to 4ay u*l lyc-V under sueet. ;
I DAILY, *lO A YEAR,
> S CENTS A COPT.
I WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A-WEEK *1 A YEAN
A MOB USES FIRE AND BULLETS
A WOMAN HI RNEU ALIVE AND HfH
I’tRAMOIK SHOT.
The Man llinl Killed Her Husband
and Been Acquitted on the Gronad
uf Self Defense—Emboldened by
His Escape, He Returns and Live*
With the Woman.
Lebanon, Ky., Dec. 29.—A mob inflicted
horrible vengeance on a faithless woman
and her paramour last night, when they
burned Mrs. T. J. West alive and 'killed
W. A. Dever, her paramour, at Mr*.
West’s house on Cartwright creek, on
the Springfield pike, three mile* north of
this city.
The mob Is said to have numbered about
seventy-five and it was about 12 o'clock
when they appeured at Mrs. West’s house.
Mrs. West. Dever and his little daughter
were the only persons In the house, and
when the mob called Dever to come out,
Mrs. West ami her little girl responded,
but Dever remained inside.
Just as Mrs. West reached the door sev
eral shots were fired at her and she ran
ba. k in the house, but the child remain
ed on the outside. The mob then tired sev
eral shots In th„ house, none of which took
effect, and, after seven** attempts to
get Dever to come mil, the mob fired the
building. The Intense heat finally forced
Dever to run out, and with pistol in
hand he started to a cornfield a few step*
from the house, where he took shelter
behind a corn shock and was shot to
death.
i Mrs. West perished in the burning ho-uso
and this morning her remains were found
In tha chimney, where she had taken
refuge. Her legs and the upper portion
of her body were almost entirely burned
off.
The little girl gave the alarm thl* morn
ing, l,ut only meager information can
be gutned from her.
W. A. Dever Is the man who shot and
killed T. J. West, husband of the burned
woman, at Beaver Green, on Cartwright’*
crei 1,. on Dec. 7 Dever had a preliminary
hearing and was released on the ground
of self-defense The killing is thought to
have been caused by intimacy on the part
of Dever nnd West's wife.
After Dever was released he was charged
with living with the woman. It 1* laid
Dover had been warned that he would b*
killed if he did not leave. He Wa* from
Knoxville and leaves a wife and several
children. Mr*. West also leaves a larg*
family.
The coroner's jury has so far failed to
return a verdict.
West and his wife had been living apart
for some time and his wife had instituted
divorce proceedings. She had been induc
ed to withdraw the suit, however, and
West was on his way to town to see about
the matter when he saw Dever. H
snapped a pistol twice at Dever after ac
cusing him of adultery With Mr*. West,
when Dever drew his gun and dssplta
West's plea for mercy shot and killed
him and ran away, hut returned when
the coroner’s jury returned a verdict of
Justifiable homicide, and renewed his re
lations with Mrs. West.
A THAGEDY IN A FOTOPFICE.
The Poslmnster Shoots a Physician!
Dead,
Weldon, 111., Dec, 29.-Dr. William H,
Taylor, a manlier of the lower house of
the general assembly from the Thirteenth
district, was shot and Instantly killed at
8 o’clock last night by John H. Pace, tho
postmaster of this town. Pape pleads self
defense, while friends of his victim
assert that the shooting was premedita
ted and the result of Jealousy.
Dr. Taylor had practiced medicine here
for twenty-eight years, and was popular
with all classes. Pace has been separated
from his wife for over a year, and had
accused Dr. Taylor of being the cauee
of his family troubles. To these chargee
little attention was paid at the time. Dr.
Taylor’s reputation being suoh as to cast
general discredit upon them.
Bent on securing his malls, the doctor
entered the postoffloe shortly before $
o’clock last night. While standing at tha
window. It Is said he demanded of Post
master Pace an explanation of a letter
which he hud heard the latter had writ
ten. regarding a suit he (Pace* was pros
ecuting against the representative. Par*
says that he told the doctor to leave, hut
the latter advanced upon him, threaten
ing an assault, whereupon he drew a re
volver and shot him In the head, inflict
ing a wound that proved Instantly fatal.
No one but the two participants wer*
present at the time, but the shot attract
ed scores of people. Mr. Pace made no
effort to flee, but calmly surrendered his
revolver when asked for It, saying his
life had been In danger, and he had flred
only In self defense. Angry mutterlngs
were heard, but no violence was offered
when the authorities took him In chaige.
Dr. Taylor had long been prominent In
political circles In this part of the state.
Among his close friends were Senator
Culloin and John R. Tanner.
A BLACK DESPERADO KILLED.
The White Alnn M ho Shot Him Dan
gerously Wounded.
Valdosta, Ga„ Dec. 29.--J. H. Carroll of
Mill town was In the city this morning
and reported a Christmas tragedy at
Thigpen's still, between here and Mill
town. A white man named Tom Studstill
shot and killed a negro named Frank
Alsabrook. The killing appears to have
been Justifiable and In self defense. Alsa
broolc had the reputation of being a local
terror and ut the time he was killed he
was entering the store of Mr. Cox for the
purpose of shooting a negro with whom
he had a difficulty earlier In the day. H*
was met at the door by Studstill who told
him to go hack. The negro leveled his
gun on Studstill, who drew his pistol In
an Instant and flred at the negro, strik
ing him Just below the heart and killing
him almost Instantly. The negro Area
his rifle at the same time, the ball strik
ing the butt of StudstiU's pistol, smashing
it Into splinters and tearing the hand to
pieces. Another negro flred at Studatilt
with a shot gun about the same time,
and about forty of the shot entered Stud
still's leg, producing a very serious
wound. The negroes were all drinking.
Htudstlll is a quiet farmer, well known
through this section. The average tur
pentine negro Is about as desperate with
a drink of whisky In him as any animal
in the forest, and this is especially true
where they have an Inclination to gambla.
C. W. Burt killed an eagle Friday near
Saussy postoffice. It measured eight
feet from tip to lip. It* daws wer* near
ly seven Inches across. The monster bird
I* supposed to have wandered up from th
Oiteeflnokee swamp.
l.rltto to Fight Everhart,
Dallas, Te*., I>c. 29.—Dan A Mtewart
to-day received a telegram from Slew
York announcing that Mrtffo and Jack
Everhart had signed to fight for tho
lightweight championship of tha world
for a pursa of H,<juv g side and a stdo bag
of tl.m a *1 do,
M recked urn Ireland.
fork, D**' 29 it I* ieported tiers that
a latg* unknown vesotrt was Wfwoßad to.
•lay at To* I,* ad and that all on hoard
her w*r lost A number of huge# sad
other hfevkMM* Lavs hesg washed g*htM%
