STORIES OF TURKISH FEROCITY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2482, 19 September 1922, Page 4

STORIES OF TURKISH FEROCITY

QUAYS LITTERED WITH “COR PSES. BRITISHERS AND OTHER FOREIGNERS KILLED. ATHENS, Sept. 15. Arrivals at Mitilini from Smyrna state that a reign of terror prevails in the city. The Turks are despoiling the remainder of the populace. The sufferers include Europeans. Even large buildings, guarded by the French marines, have been pillaged. Many Greeks have thrown themselves into the sea in order to escape the Turkish fury. Several were rescued by Allied warships. The British Admiral, who had landed marines at Smyrna, withdrew them in order to avoid provoking the Turks. Several villages were set afire, and many of the inhabitants massacred. Many English families have left the city.

The refugees from Smyrna who arrived in Athens recount even more terrible stories of Turkish ferocity. Immediately after entering the city the Kemalist soldiers massacred and robbed the citizens. The quays are littered with corpses. The Greek Metropolitan at Smyrna (Bishop Chrysostomos) was tortured and murdered. A Greek journalist was shot dead after being dragged through the streets tied to a motor car. A building containing 800 women, children and old men was burned. The British Admiral at Smyrna has warned the Turkish authorities that if the massacres continued the Turkish quarter will be bombarded. An American passenger horn Smyrna says that he saw 900 Armenians forced by Turks to embark on a lighter, and they were then shot down from the shore. The bodies were left in the water. . The flames last night were entirely beyond control, and are approaching the British Consulate. All the foreign consulates are probably doomed. The American one has been burned. There are 300,000 refugees in the citv. All the Allied warships have been filled. . . An American destroyer containing the American Consul, several Americans, and numerous Armenian refugees has arrived at Piraeus. They state that Air Wilkinson, head of the British post office, and two or three other Britishers have been killed and also other foreigners. The Consul will draw the attention of the United States to the matter in a detailed report to the Athens Legation. The last troopship will leave Asia Minor in a few days. The newspapers unanimously declare that after the evacuation, of Asia .Minor the Greeks must defend Thrace to the very last.—A. and N.Z. cable.