Published in the "Tabor Beacon" Newspaper
Tabor, Fremont County, Iowa, January 24, 1895

Many Armenian Students at Marsovan Drowned - With Heavy Stones Tied About Their Necks They are Thrown into The River.

New York, Dec. 31 - The most interesting immigrant at Ellis Island last night was Diogenes Menippe, a young Armenian who escaped from the furry of the Turks just in time to save his life and was about to be sent home as an undesirable immigrant, when his case was reviewed by the immigration officials and he was discharged.

Menippe is only 18 years old. He was a student at the American College at Marsovan, Armenia, and after seeing twenty of his school companions murdered and two college professors imprisoned and sentenced to death he determined to escape if possible. Menippe is a bright youth and speaks the English language fairly well. This stood him in good stead when he reached Constantinople, for he succeeding in inducing the authorities to believe him to be a foreigner. The young man’s parents are in the employ of the American Bible society at Marsovan and, being under the protection of the American flag had never been molested. They furnished him with enough money to come here, but he had only $5 when he landed and thus came under the prohibited class of immigrants.

His flight from Marsovan, he said, was attended with great difficulty and danger. The whole town was patrolled by Turkish soldiers and whenever they had nothing else to do they sent a delegation to the college to examine a student. This examination consisted of taking him from under the protection of the college, tying a stone around his neck and throwing him in the river. Twenty of the students, he said, had been murdered in that way in two years. Two of the professors had been arrested and taken to prison where, after a mock trial, they were sentenced to death.

Previous to the passing of this sentence, Dr. Herrick, an English professor at the college, appealed direct to his country for interference in behalf of the two men, which was promptly given. Their release was demanded by England and speedily granted by the Turkish Government.

The Turkish soldiers would visit the college, armed with an order for examination, which the college authorities were obliged to honor. The return of the students thus taken from the institution was always promised but never kept. Two of the college buildings were burned by the soldiers.