The blight of Asia : $b An account of the systematic extermination of Christian populations by Mohammedans and of the culpability of certain great powers; with the true story of the burning of SmyrnaHorton, George
History
The blight of Asia : $b An account of the systematic extermination of Christian populations by Mohammedans and of the culpability of certain great powers; with the true story of the burning of Smyrna
Horton, George
Christians -- Turkey; Fires -- Turkey -- İzmir; Greeks -- Turkey; Turkey; İzmir (Turkey) -- History
There was an uprising in the town, something in the nature of a riot,
and some more Turks were killed. Various estimates have been given by
Americans who were present as to the number killed, ranging from fifty to
three hundred. The latter is a high estimate. There was also considerable
looting, both in Smyrna and the outlying regions.
Speaking of this affair in a pamphlet entitled _The Great Powers and the
Eastern Christians_,[3] William Pember Reeves says:
“So far as the persons killed in Smyrna were Turks, they
numbered, I am told, seventy-six, killed partly by Greek
soldiers and partly by the town mob. About one hundred of
other nationalities were killed also. The ring leaders in
the business were executed by the Greek authorities and
compensation paid to the families of the victims.”
Where Mr. Reeves obtained his information is unknown to me, but it
coincides with that which was given me by Americans who were present and
whom I saw a short time after the landing of the Greek troops. I was
present in Smyrna when the ringleaders in the disturbances of May second
were condemned and shot.
It was here that the Greek governor-general displayed that resolution
and marked ability which characterized his entire régime at Smyrna. He
suppressed the disturbances completely in a very short space of time and
severely punished the evil-doers. Three of the ringleaders, Greeks, were
taken out to a square beside the railroad connecting Boudja and Smyrna
and publicly shot and buried where their graves could be seen by all the
people passing between that popular summer resort and the main city. This
trio had been previously tried by court-martial and sentence had been
executed immediately.
Many others were tried and received lesser sentences. The populace was
informed that Greeks disturbing the peace would be more severely punished
than Turks, a policy which was carried out during the entire Hellenic
administration and contributed no little to the unpopularity of the
governor-general among the native Christian population.[4]
Mr. Sterghiades, the Greek governor-general, ordered all those who had
loot in their possession to give it back immediately, under pain of
heavy punishment, and specified a certain warehouse on the Rue Franque
where it was to be delivered, and practically all the plunder was given
up. All Turks who claimed to have been robbed were invited to present
their claims to the government and these were accorded with so little
question that numerous Turks profited immensely by presenting false or
exaggerated demands. In addition, many Greek landed proprietors and
prominent inhabitants of the smaller towns went out into the country and
by haranguing the peasants and protecting the Turks, contributed greatly
to the restoration of order in the rural regions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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