Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/207

Rh brutally killed. The number of victims in two massacres in Constantinople is estimated at 6,000, mostly laboring men. On the 8th day of October the massacre at Trebizond occurred and about 1,000 were killed. These two unjust massacres obliged the diplomats to insist upon their demands of the signing of the "Scheme of Reforms," which the Sultan did October 16, 1895.

3. Subsequent Massacres. October 16th was a day of rejoicing in Constantinople and in the provinces, but it will be remembered as one of the blackest days in Armenian history. On that day the Sultan professed to accept the Scheme of Reforms, but what he really did, as subsequent events show beyond any doubt, was to sign the death-warrant of the Armenian nation. From this time on reform by massacre was the order of the day. About thirty-five large cities, with hundreds of villages, were given over to slaughter and spoliation, so that by a moderate estimate 100,000 Armenians, the most influential men, were massacred, a greater part of their property was lost, and business ruined. About 40,000 houses and shops, churches and schools were burned. Thousands were forced to accept Islam. Thousands of virgins and pure women, after beastly violation, were captured and carried to the Mohametan harems. About sixty Gregorian and fifteen Protestant and several Catholic ministers were most cruelly martyred, many churches were turned to mosques or stables, the holy utensils and scriptures defiled, and before the altars the most brutal outrages were committed. Many