'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎64v] (119/211)

and of zaptieli Khorsliid, whilst on the road vvero stolon by A-iusan 3\.nrds of Persia,
December 10, 1306.
Of the objects stolen, two horses and a Remington rifle with thirty-two cartridges,
&c., were got back by the Mahmudiyye Ka'imakam, and the other articles are under
inquiry and correspondence.
27. A number of sheep have been stolen from Shattakh Gaza by Berwari Gaza
Kurds, Bitlis Vilayet.
Letters have been written to the Bitlis Vilayet for restitution.
28. As to robbery of any shops or house in Arjish Gaza, and as to the carrying off
of nine sheep by Gellali Kurds, of Persia, from Sivan village under Van, and as to
burning of 18,000 stacks of hay in places between Serai Gaza town and the neighbour
hood of Van, and as to prevention from cultivating fields of Shahbagh villagers
(Van Gaza), by Sheikh Rifaat Effendi, guardian of vested interests of the Tekke,
called Sheikh Abdurrahman Baba in Van," and as to a trifling quantity of corn being
taken from Salkhane village of Hamidiyye Gaza by Derbaz Agha, ex-Mudir of the
Shemsiki tribe, and as to the taking forcibly of twelve “ chaps ” of wheat from Keoshk
village under Van by the ex-Regie, “ Kolji ” Tifur, and as to robbery of some sheep
from Agjaveran village under Van, and 50 sheep stolen at Bogazik Village, and also
robbery in and near, and on the roads of, Albak Gaza, Hekkiari, and 25 sheep carried
off from Kangevar village, Hamidiyye Gaza, and also a number of sheep of Kotranis
village, Julamerik Gaza, being carried off by brigands from Shattakh or Berwari whilst
others perished of cattle disease, and as to Mahmud Agha, of Arjish Gaza, being secretly
murdered, and a Kurd having beaten in the head of another Kurd with a stone, at
Kulan village, Mamidiyye ; and as toby one report 5,000, and by another 15,000 sheep
being plundered in Gevar and Shemdinan Cazas by Heriki or Persian Kurds, and as to
the burning of hay of the man Panos, of Mars, and as to the doings of the robber
Shakir (“ Mustemen ”) who gave security for good conduct, viz., raiding from Kangevar
village, Hamidiyye Gaza, twenty-five beasts, and from Sheverash village Shattakh
four beasts, and from the Miran tribe eighty head of sheep, and from the Dudera tribe
one horse, from Purbedalan village Norduz Gaza forty sheep, and from Zizans village
Shattakh, twenty “ chaps ” wheat, and from Makasik village 8 trees being cut down,
to build his own house upon which he also made 400 workmen and 100 carpenters to
work by compulsion. The above were announced by the English Consul.
Last year, 1305, the house of Agop in Arjish Gaza was broken into and things
stolen, but they were found and the culprits are now in prison, and the Ka'imakam of
that Gaza reports by telegram that this year nothing of the kind has occurred, and as
to the other reported robberies, no complaint open or secret has been made so far.
Nevertheless, allegations relating to the Van district have been referred to the Police
Administration, and those to the Cazas to the divers authorities for inquiry ; and
turning to the count of burning 18,000 stacks (“ tiya ”) of hay, though quite impossible
that there should be 18,000 stacks in the places mentioned, still the matter has been
referred to the police; and as to the sheep stolen from Agjaveran village, the villagers
have been questioned and deny any sheep being stolen, so that the statement is quite
without foundation. The assassination of Mahmud Agha of Arjish is also without
any foundation. And as to the hay of Panas, of Mars, being burnt by the watchmen
of Kharagans, this was at first pretended but could not be proved in the examination;
and as to Shakir’s having cut down trees at Makasik, no village of this name is
known.
Annotations upon List of Crimes.
4. Arusan Kurds were not mentioned as the malefactors, but simply Kurds.
7. The arson referred to took place before the end of last August. The village
had petitioned, and their complaint was referred to the Van police, who, they declared,
had neglected the matter so late as fifteen days afterwards. The incident here
mentioned is, perhaps a later one.
11. Kosh: spelt Koch.
13. Gaso was understood to be a Turkish subject, if he was not at some time or
other Mudir of a Turkish Nahiyye,
24. This incident is the same as the conversion of two Armenian families
mentioned in my despatch of the 5th April, 1890; and
25. It is said the four (corrected to two only) men in question, who are all
relations or connections, have since become Moslem at Makus.