'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎59r] (108/211)

21
attendants to shoot them. By design or accident, three children of Sulieman
were shot.
As farmer of the tithes, he used to behave in the most oppressive and illegal
manner; for instance, if a load of flax was due to him, valued at 60 piastres, he
would refuse to accept the load, but insist on being paid 150 piastres instead. Crops
were frequently burnt under his auspices, and many other acts of oppression took
place.
He was summoned here by the late Yali, Samih Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , to answer for his crimes,
and was actually expecting sentence of banishment when, at the beginning of
November last, the present Vali named him provisional Kaimakam of Alashgerd in
the place of the existing Kaimakam, whom he suspended.
For the first month or two Ahmed kept tolerably quiet in his new position, but
latterly, gaining confidence, he has been gradually returning to his old courses. He
forcibly collects large sums of money from the Armenian villagers in his district, and
maltreats all such as won’t or can’t pay.
A certain Sirkis, son of Avedis, of the village of Khunzir, was sent from here
under arrest to Toprak-Kaleh, being found without a passport. Ahmed caused him to
be so severely beaten in prison that he died from his injuries. He has also thrown
some twenty Armenians into prison on trifling charges, where some of them have
already remained for many weeks.
Such are a few of the facts, well established as far as anything can be in these
parts, in the career of this man, who now holds an official position in which he hopes
to be confirmed.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES S. HAMPSON.
No. 19.
Sir TV. White to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received March 20.)
Mv Lord Constantinople, March 13, 1891.
‘ WITH reference to the rumoured formation of Kurdish cavalry militia regiments
reported from Kurdistan, I had the honour to send to your Lordship all the information
I was able to collect, in my despatch of the 24th February, which has evidently
crossed, on its way, your instructions in despatch of the 28th February, with reference
to the question asked in the House of Commons as to the eniolmcnt of Kurds and
Circassians, in the provinces inhabited by Armenians. The information obtained by
me on the subject is as yet extremely scanty. I shall, however, not fail to continue to
give the subject mv constant attention, and I may add, with regard to the question
asked in Parliament, that the Grand Vizier denies the existence of any body of
Circassians in the districts alluded to, and that it is believed here in official circles
that the great activity displayed at the commencement, in the organization of the
Kurds as disciplined soldiers of the Turkish reserve forces, though taken up at fust
with oreat zeal, will not be followed up by similar activity in the long run.
^ I have, &c.
(Signed) W. A. WHITE.
No. 20.
Sir W. White to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received March 20.)
Mv Lord Constantinople, March 14, 1891.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith to your Lordship copies of two
despatches addressed by Her Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Van to Her Majesty’s Acting
Consul at Erzeroum, reporting upon recent crimes of violence which have come to
Mr. Levey’s knowledge.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. A WHITE.