Your only remaining brother sends you a letter, but no letters
can begin to explain the sad state of this city. The massacre of
Dec. 28 and 29 has left all homes except Catholics and Syrians
entirety empty of any comforts. Many families have not one bed
even; all cooking utensils, clothing, bedding, carpets, etc.,
were taken. Most have a little zakhere left, though some have
not that. We are feeding about 175 of the most needy, and more
will come to us every week. The loss by death is between 4,000
and 5,000. Our pastor, the Rev. Hagop Abouhayatian, Dr. Kivorc,
and brother Harotoun, Sarkis Varjebed Chubukian and brother and
son, Garabed Roumian, Habbourjou Avedis and brother Sarkis, old
sexton Garabed and other sexton Bogos, Majar Kivorc and brother
Bogos and Berber Monofa and two sons, Eskejiyan Marderos, Zarman
Roomian's three eons, are some of the dead. In all, our Protestant
dead are 115. Some of our people perished in the Gregorian Church,
where 1,500 or 2,000 went for refuge Saturday night, and on Sunday
were murdered or burned, very few escaping. It was the most awful
of all the terrible events of those two days.
Thank God, two hundred and forty were saved by coming to me; sixty
of them were men. I could not keep the men in my house or yard,
because it was forbidden by the guards, but I hid them elsewhere,
and fed them for three or four days. The government carefully
protected me, and killed as many of my friends as possible. We
have our house and all the schoolrooms full of the wounded and
the most forlorn.
Our Oorfa redeefs leave to-morrow; we have new soldiers now for
guard of the city, and Christians especially. Oorfa redeefs have
been poor guards, and but for them the awful work would not have
been accomplished. The pastor of Severek, the Rev. Marderos,
was killed. The Rev. Vartan remains alive in Adayaman. Both in
Severek and Adayaman the number of the killed was very great. In
Birijik about two hundred were killed, and all remaining have
become Moslems; they have been circumcised.
In Aintab about three hundred were killed, 847 shops plundered
and 417 houses.
During our first disturbance, six to seven hundred shops here
were plundered, and about 175 houses. Then the Christians used
arms to defend themselves. Since then all arms have been taken by
the government from the Christians, and the leaders were forced
to sign a paper stating the city as "in peace and harmony, thanks
to the rulers," etc.; twenty-five signed it, and now almost all
of these have been killed. Our pastor signed for Protestants.
Only two of the Gregorian priests remain, and they are wounded. The
bishop is alive, but feeble, and does not work publicly now. Their
state is very sad. We desire your prayers, and the aid of all
who can give us help by money at this time.
Sincerely your friend,
P.S. Your brother asks you to send a letter to him by me.