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[Yervant1]

ARMENIAN WOMEN PUT UP FOR AUCTION - THE NEW YORK TIMES, SEPTEMBER 29, 1915

January 14, 2015

100 years ago in The New York Times

September 29, 1915 - Refugee Tells of the Fate of Those in Turkish Hands

Speaking yesterday, his remarks being based on the authenticated data
in his possession, Professor Dutton said he does not believe anything
had happened in many centuries so terrible as is the studied and
systematized effort on the part of a political coterie in Turkey -
the Young Turks, led by Enver Pasha - to exterminate a whole race of
people. The whole plan involves the wiping out of the Armenians.

Only a day or two ago, added Professor Dutton, a young girl who left
Turkey on Aug 18 called here to see him. She told of the fate of the
100 girls who were attending a mission school in Anatolia. These girls,
who were of course Armenians, were divided into groups and those
that were the best looking in the opinion of the Turkish officers
were taken over by those officers. Those considered not quite so
good looking were given over to the soldiers, while those still less
attractive were put up for sale to the highest bidders.

Several Americans who have been in Turkey for many years have arrived
here within the last few days. They all testify to the truthfulness
of the reports that have come out of Turkey concerning the treatment
of the Armenians, but in every instance they beg that their names be
not used for fear that what they have said will find its way back to
Turkey and friends or relatives they left behind will be punished by
the Turks in retaliation.

Copies of two letters, in which the writers tell of the fate that is
being meted out to the Armenians, were given to The Times yesterday
by a man in close touch with Armenian conditions.

In one of these letters the writer among other things says:

In Urtab, Tukh, and about twenty other Armenian villages on the lake
the entire population was found to have been massacred by the Turks -
not a single living soul was found in these villages, which were now
given over to howling dogs, while large numbers of corpses have been
washed ashore from the lake and the rivers.

These corpses, which were ascertained to be all of males, were terribly
mutilated, but nothing was discovered as to the whereabouts of women
and children. By sunset of July 20 the Armenians captured the heights
of Kerkur. When they reached the summit the town of Bitlis presented
to their disappointed gaze a sheet of flames, and they knew that the
worst had happened. Some female refugees, who managed to escape the
Turkish cordon, have since related the story of fiendish massacres
in the town and the wholesale deportation of women and children.

To a well known minister of the Armenian Church there came out of
Turkey, by some mysterious underground route, a letter which is
described as of "undoubted trustworthiness" Excerpts from their
letter follow:

Armenia without the Armenians - such is the plan of the Ottoman
Government, which has already begun to install Moslem families in the
homes and property of the Armenians. Needless to say, the deported
are not allowed by the Government to take any of their belongings
with them, and as there is moreover, no means of transport owing
to the exigencies of the military, they are forced to cover on foot
the two or three months' journey to that corner of the desert region
which is destined to be their sepulchre.

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