6

between the people of these two towns^^{and a neighboring town of Kurds} because they
were brigands who lived by plunder, the people
from neither village being ever engaged in
honest productive labor

I was convinced that the Sultan, who sees
nothing but cringing sycophants, and who is
approached only bt scheming diplomats, has been
kept ignorant of the enormous cruelty of the
alleged murders. I reminded him that when
he once expressed his desire for personal friendship
and cordial relations, I had told him, that truth
was a thing that rarely found its way to the ears
of Kings and Sultants, and that as the United
States had no desire for any part of the Ottoman
Empire I had no motive to deceive, and would
not lie to him. Now I wanted in all frankness
to ask him a question, and perhaps, give him
some facts. Being invited to proceed, I asked, if
the news paper accounts of Turkish outrages
had ever been told to him? He answered that
he knew his troops were charged with killing

between the people & there this [town] and a neighboring town of [K---] because they