Mr. Leishman to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, August 15,
1903.
No. 524.]
Sir: The political situation in Macedonia
continues to grow worse each week. The revolt has become much more
general and the outrages committed by the revolutionists more barbarous
and on a much larger scale than heretofore, the bands having increased
both in size and number.
The delicate situation has been further strained during the past week by
the death of the Russian consul at Monastir who was shot by a Turkish
sentinel.
* * * * * * *
Up to the present time the Turkish Government has acted with commendable
patience and forbearance and have prevented both the non-Bulgarian
population and the troops from making reprisals for the numerous
depredations committed by the bands, such as blowing up bridges and
buildings with dynamite, destruction of crops, burning of villages, and
the killing of hundreds of inoffensive people, including women and
children.
The fear of massacres and possible consequent intervention of the
European powers is no doubt largely responsible for the great
forbearance shown by the Turks so far, but should the outrages continue,
which is altogether likely, it is only reasonable to suppose that sharp
reprisals will occur, which, in all probability, would result in open
hostilities.
* * * * * * *
The reports from Armenia are somewhat disquieting, but if there should be
a sympathetic outbreak I am inclined to believe that it will be confined
to certain spots and not a general uprising, and while reprisals by the
Turks would no doubt follow, I do not share the belief of many that a
repetition of the massacres of 1896 is imminent. * * *
While there is no evidence at present to warrant any fear of harm
befalling American citizens, I have deemed it prudent to warn the
missionaries in the interior to exercise care, a copy of my note to Mr.
Peet being inclosed herewith.
I also inclose copy of a dispatch just received from our consular agent
at Salonica reporting upon the local situation.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Leishman to
Mr. Peet.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, August 14, 1903.
Sir: While I have no particular reason to
feel alarmed in regard to the personal safety of American citizens
in Macedonia, in view of the fact that the insurrectionary movement
is becoming more general and outrages and assaults on villages a
daily
[Page 763]
occurrence, it would
be well for you to advise the missionaries in Macedonia to exercise
extra care and to avoid taking any unnecessary risks.
The quiet and patient behavior of the troops and Mussulman
population, under the greatest provocation, warrants the belief that
the Ottoman Government will do all in its power to prevent any harm
befalling foreign subjects, but it would be difficult if not
impossible for any power to guarantee freedom from injury by such
acts as the wild and random outrages committed by the
revolutionists, commencing with the dastardly affair at
Salonica.
It might also be wise for you to caution our people in Armenia, where
occasional small outbreaks warrant the suspicion that a slumbering
sympathetic movement exists, and the fact that the missionaries at
Van requested the legation’s aid some months ago to secure Turkish
protection against the Armenians lends additional color to this
suspicion.
I merely make this suggestion as a precautionary measure, believing
prudence to be the better part of valor.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. Lazarro to
Mr. Leishman.
United States Consular Agency,
Salonica, August 13, 1903.
Sir: I beg to submit some facts, mostly
relating to the political situation in western Macedonia, where the
revolutionary movement has taken quite a new aspect and considerably
increased, especially during the last fortnight.
The information has been obtained from reliable sources, but I can
not vouch for the exactitude of all the details. On August 2, 200
rebels engaged in a fight about Resen, a small town near Monastir,
seem to have been destroyed by the Turkish troops. The Turkish
quarter in Resen was burned by the Bulgarians.
On August 3, 1,500 Bulgarians entered the Greco-Wallack town of
Krushevo, four hours to the northwest of Monastir, near Prilep, and
after firing the public buildings and killing all the Turkish
inhabitants and garrison (about 50) they took possession of the
place and hoisted the rebel flag, which is black with two white “C,”
meaning “liberty or death.” Up to the present, although Krushevo has
been bombarded by artillery from the plain beneath, it is still in
the hands of the insurgents. The rebels have also taken and are
still holding Smilievo, a large Bulgarian village near Krushevo,
also the Greco-Wallack town of Klissura and village of Neveska, both
in the Fiorina district to the southeast of Monastir.
One hundred wounded soldiers and the bodies of 2 officers killed in
encounter about Smilievo were brought to Monastir on August 5. In
the same region the rebels are said to have killed 70 soldiers at
Gopech and 2 Albanian beys with their retinue at Presba.
Forty Turkish villagers from Germany, while on their way to the
Castoria market, were killed by the rebels and their village
burned.
The Turkish villages of Budakli, Mosintza, Elekler, Kanaklar,
Kachani, accepted the protection of the insurgents and gave up their
arms to representatives of the revolutionary committee. Excepting
two, all of the villages of the Kichevo district have been
abandoned. Bolne and Krusne, Bulgarian villages 3 miles from Resen,
have been burned by the Turks.
As rebel bands were approaching the town of Ochrida the Turks fell on
the Christian quarter, killing everybody, and set fire to the place.
The Bulgarians retaliated by burning and massacreing various Turkish
villages of the Ochrida district. In the Fiorina district 600 rebels
camp in the mountains in a position considered impregnable. There
they have ovens for baking biscuit, a clothing depot, and ammunition
stores.
One thousand soldiers, who were sent to take the place, had to
retreat after severe losses. Several bridges were blown up on the
Monastir and Uskup Railroad. The largest of these bridges was blown
up on the night of the 12th instant near Florina. The bridge was 15
meters long. The attempt to wreck the Uskup train on the 9th instant
did not succeed. The infernal machine which should have been on
board the train exploded at the depot of Zibeftche-Servian
frontier.
The assassination by a Zaptieh of the Russian consul at Monastir has
caused considerable excitement. The post-mortem examination proves
that the victim received several shot wounds after his death, and it
seems that, at least this time, there was no further provocation on
the part of Mr. Rostkowsky than his insistence to be saluted by the
Turkish guards.
[Page 764]
As there was a rumor of a possible attempt of the Bulgarians to throw
bombs against the Turkish mosques and provoke a general massacre of
the Christians in Salonica, I saw the military governor and arranged
that extra patrols should be kept night and day around the residence
of the American mission here.
The plan of the insurgents seems to be to draw away the Turkish
troops from Albania and the Bulgarian frontier (sixteen batallions
have already been sent to the Monastir vilayet from Albania), gather
them toward western Macedonia, then cut the communications by
destroying the railroads, and start the movement on the eastern
border nearer Bulgaria.
I have, etc.,
Hdgi Lazarro,
United States Consular
Agent.
