'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎85r] (160/211)

Acting Consul Hampson to Sir W. White .— (Received at the Foreign Office, September IS.)
Sir, ^ Erzeroum, September 5, 1891.
AA ITH reference to my despatches of the 22nd and 29th ultimo, I have the honour
to inform your Excellency that I have received no further news from Acting Vice-
Consul Boyadjian in regard to the troubles with Kurds in Dersim.
In this town, various rumours as to fresh disasters to the Ottoman troops have
been current, hut it has been impossible to obtain any confirmation of them.
The force of regular infantry in Dersim now consists of ten battalions, namely,
two from here, two from Erzingian, two from Kharput and Palu, and four stationed
in Dersim.
It is late in the year to commence a campaign against the Kurds, but possibly, by
energetic measures, order may be promptly restored.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHAKLES S. HAMPSON.
No. 73.
Cice-Consul Devey to Acting Consul Hampson.—(Received at the Foreign Office,
September IS.)
Sir, Van, August 25, 1891.
ON Saturday, the loth instant, an Armenian of Shattakh town, named Mohsi*
Sahag, accompanied by his brother-in-law Abraham, of Shattakh, and a certain Markar,
son of David, of Norduz, were returning from Purbedalan, the village of Girevanli
Shakir (whose misdeeds were the subject of correspondence last year), towards their
home, when they were attacked near the village of Govan (where the Shattakh
Kaimakam, Reshid Bey, happened to be staying) by Shakir and his brother Umr (Ami,
or Amo), another brother, and a servant. Mohsi Sahag was shot dead, and his body
hacked by daggers; Abraham made his escape, but is thought to have been wounded,
he has not yet been heard of; Markar was not touched, and returned shortly after the
murder to the spot.
The Armenian (Sahag) had been to Purbedalan in the hope of getting payment of
a debt of £ T. 10 from Shakir ; he slept the Eriday night in the tent of an “ Ashiret ”
Kurd who was stopping at that village, and it is said the charges of the two guns of
the Armenians were drawn surreptitiously and earth substituted by Shakir’s men.
There was no spite against Markar of Norduz, who, however, would hesitate to give
strong evidence against Shakir, as he and his family live there. Ten gendarmes were
at once sent in pursuit of the assassins, and Shakir’s father (Yakub) was arrested by
the Kaimakam, but in view of the influence of the Girevanli family, and the number
of their relations and connections (nine or ten) there are holding petty Government
offices in Norduz and Shattakh, as members of the Administrative Councils, Census
Registrars, zaptiehs, &c., Shakir will perhaps contrive to remain in hiding.
On the 23rd instant the dead body of a zaptieh, killed by dagger-stabs, was seen
near the road from Shattakh to Van, near Muscova village. The zaptieh was stationed
at a khan between Muscova and Kotis villages, 20 miles south of Van ; his gun and
cartridges and boots had been carried off. Shakir and four companions were in that
neighbourhood the same day.
His Excellency the Vali returned to town yesterday after a tour lasting more than
three months; he recently told me that he had taken steps for causing the murderers
of Mohsi Sahag to be seized, and I now learn that the Alai Bey has been sent to
Norduz on account of this affair, and that other strong measures have been taken such
as, in all probability, will prove successful.
A Kurd of the Arusan tribe is said to have killed a Nestorian named Shlimon on
the 17th instant, at a wedding in a village of the Takuri tribe near Serai, the murderer
fled; an Armenian youth, son of a peddler of fruit in villages round Van, has also
just been killed by accident by a Kurdish boy at Kirel, in Havatzor Valley.
I am told that false information was given to the Government as to the culprits
being the Yezids named. On the same day that the zaptieh was killed in the attempt
at driving off animals from Karagunduz village, a telegraph “ chaoush ” who was
* “ Mohsi ” or “ Mehdesi ” is a term, like “ Haji,” implying the bearer had visited Jerusalem.
[170] L