"AN INNOCENT VICTIM"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2510, 10 July 1915, Page 13

"AN INNOCENT VICTIM"

la an Egyptian paper, the "AlAhram" (meaning Pyramid), dated April 24, 1915, it is stated that a Maronito priest named Michael Haik was hanged by this Turks after having been kept in prison for, six months for an offence that he never committed. It appears that some, time after tho outbreak of hostilities between and the Allies a letter was written'to M. Haik by'bis nephew, then in South Africa, in which letter the Turks wero blamed for their policy. in : entering into tho fray..' Tho Government, being informed of the contents of the letter by the postal authorities,' M. Haik was arrested; at once, and imprisoned at Beyrout for six months. ; After which; hands and feet hound, he was ' directed to Damascus for a worse treatment. Two days after his arrival in that towi he ended his life in a way peculiar to the Turks. He was niado to stand on a chair underneath two posts erected in the form of a triangle. Tho rope round Ms neck was fastened to tho apex. He was ordered by his executioners , to say ','Long live Turkey, Germany, and Austria," but to their surprise lie called out "Vive la France, L'Angl_oterre,_ -et la Russiol" Tho chair was immediately removed from under liis feet, and tho great war added another victim—a good Roman, Catholic, Syrian' priest—to its already long list. ' -