The Oasis Massacre

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 117, 8 November 1911, Page 5

The Oasis Massacre

m 4400 INNOCENT MEN. WOMEN AND CHILDREN KILLED. A HORRIBLE STORY. OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA. ■ITALIANS DEMORALISED WITH FEAR. ■By Cable—Press A--.n-iation—Copvright London, Novemb.r <i. Mr. McCtillagh. Ihe Westminster Gazette's correspondent in Tripoli, has retiirnrd hi> papers to General Cmevas as a proti*t again*; the atrocities. Mr. M-Cullagh photographed the -scenes of horror, which he described as ■worse than anv Rn-«ian pogrom or Armenian Four hundred women •and children were shot, and 4000 men, .of whom not a hundred were guilty. Mr. McCullagh saw fifty men and •children executed in a batch. Cripples and blind beggars were deliberately «hot. and sick people, whose houses were hurned, were left on the ground, and were refused a drop of water. The Italian soldiers are paralysed with fear, as the enemy's persistency day ami night is allectiiig their imaginations and nerves. Advices from Malta state that the nodies of fi.flv cholera victims 'were collected in llie streets' of Tripoli on Sunday Forty cholera cases are being reported daily in the Italian army. There is a pestilential stench arising at the oasis where the recent massacre occurred. Rome. November 0. General Frugoni is superseding Gen-» , «ral Canevas. who has been appointed Governor of Tripoli. , An Italian messace to the Powers . #taf<"= tint the <•■ itinuous success of the Italian arms renders resistance use- , less. If peace is signed it will enable Italy's policy to be inspired by her Intere«t in the maintenance of the terri- . torial status quo in the Balkans, for which the consolidation of Turkey is an , ■essential factor. An Italian cruiser sank the Turkish transport Akalxih in the Red Sea. The «najority of the crew were rescued. TURKISH ARTILLERY AT WORK. RAINY SEASON COMMENCING. HEARTLESS EXECUTIONS. Received 7. 11 p.m. Rome. November 7. Turkish artillery bombarded the Italians throughout Monday, concluding with an attack on the Italian left until nine at night. , •".,"' Aeroplanes dropped bombs 'in the' Turkish camp. Heavy downpours of rain indicate that the rainy season is commencing. Tlie correspondent of the Turin Stampa states that the soldiers were inebriated with vengeance. He narrates that after other executions, a husband and wife, two splendid typis of Bedouin*, were led to a wall: they took one another's hands, and npeated prayers. The soldiers then levelled their rifles. and the hu-hand was shot. The woman did not flinch. The order was then given to fire at her. The rifles were levelled and she was killed. Later an old woman was shot. She was charged with concealing cartridges under her rags. She was forced to strip, though she feigned modesty in order to prevent the search. TURKS RETAKE DERNA. HEAVY ITALIAN LOSSES. Received 7. 11 p.m. Constantinople. November 7. Enver Bey and the Senussi chiefs telegraph that the Turks seized Derna, and that the Italians lost 500 killed and numerous prisoner-, together with 18 guns. The Turks' losses amounted to .SO killed and 80 wounded. THE CHOLERA OUTBREAK. Received 7. 10 p.m. Malta. November 7. Out of forty-six suspected cases of cholera there have b;>cn twenty-nine deaths during the past fortnight. The outbreak is well under control. STEAMER RUNS THE GAUNTLET. Melbourne. November 7. The shamer Berlin, from Smyrna, had an exciting time while running down the Turki-h coast, where all the lights were out, and submarine mines scattered about on account of the war. The captain, who had an intimate knowledge of the coast, managed to steer clear of danger.