THE TURKISH WAR.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 402, 23 September 1876, Page 2

THE TURKISH WAR.

(From the London Times. 16,000 PEOPLE MASSACRED IN ONE VILLAGE. CHILDREN SHUT IN A CHURCH AND BURNED. A “ Bulgarian” writing to the Times from Leipsic, gives a detailed account of the horrible atrocities which have been committed in Bulgaria. On the Ist of May (OS), the village of Bratzigoro, two hours south of Pazardjik, containing 500 Bulgarian houses, was attacked. The peasants of the surrounding villages were assembled there in order to protect themselves. During three days the peasants resisted the Bashi-Bazouks. On the fourth day a detachment of regular soldiers, under the command of Hafiz Pasha, arrived. As soon as the peasants saw regular troops tjiey went to meet them and laid down their arms, but in return they were plundered by the BashiBazouks, and their village was then seton fire. One principal subject of the ammunition of these cowardly BashiBazouks consists of petroleum, of which they carry great quantities with them, and they pour it over the houses, which are destined to be a prey to their ferocity. The same misfortune befel Vetren, a village consisting of 400 houses, which however, was defended by a band of insurgents. Perushtitzs, three hours south-west of Philippop >lis, containg 400 to 450 houses, which were inhabited by the wealthiest, most laborious, and most honest peasants of the whole villages, had to suffer the full ferocity, inhumanity, and rapacity of the Asiatic barbarians. On the 27th the Bashi-Bazouks.attacked on all sides of the village, murdered two priests, enslaved all the girls and young women that they could find, and then set the village on fire. Some brave young Bulgarians who had decided to defend themselves against these rapacious robbers shut themselves up in the two churches. On the morning of the 28th arrived Rashid Pascha, with a detachment of regular soldiers, accompanied by the Begs and officers of Philippopolis, who had come, some in order to indulge in the pleasure of seeing the most flourishing Giaour village reduced to ashes, others in order to enrich their harem with Bulgarian girls, others Tor the sake of pillage. Raschid Pasha caunonaded the churches. Of the villages which were not injured by the fire of the Bashi-Bazouks, and the remaining houses, the angel of destruction spread bis dark wings on this flourishing spot, so that of the beautiful Perushtiza there remained but a heap of ashes. Of 2,500 inhabitants of Perushtiza only 900 saved their lives by escape.. At Klissura these wretches set the crown to their crimes by burning the school, in which they had shut 120 children. The following authentic facts may show what have been the motives of the barbarians— Before burning the villages everything of worth had' been taken from the houses, and the booty had been carried off in cars. Among the saved there are no girls, and no children older than eight years ; children not older than ten years have been publicly violated; Bulgarian girls have been sold in the markets of Pazardjik and Philippopolis. In a village Kalofer 70 young girls, who refused to accept the Mahomedan faith, were violated in the midst of the village ; then shut in a stall, which was set on fire from the four sides, so that no one epe.aned. The article ee»eludeß by giving the name of 39 villages destroyed bytlie fire of the Bashi-Bazouks,