Message #450

[Mod_1]

None of us was invited to take place in the investigation.
Although we were the primary witnesses in the case none of us was
called in to testify. However, I ordered the taking of our testimonies
at the regiment; I assigned the case to Colonel Aleksadrov. I made a
proposal for the removal of the Reserve Officer Karagadayev from his
post and sending him back to the infantry unit to which he was
affiliated earlier.
Even the murderer Armenian whom I personally caught on the spot
in Tafta was not taken to court at all. Colonel Morel was afraid of the
uprising of the Turks in Erzurum.
Antranik came to Erzurum on February 17. Dr. Zavrief, the Vice-
Commissioner of the Regions under Occupation, was with him.
As we have never occupied ourselves with the Armenian history or
with the activities, none of us was aware of the fact that Antranik
was a Turkish subject and a ferocious murderer sentenced to capital
punishment by the Turkish Government. I learned all about those
when I met the Commander of the Ottoman Army on March 7.
Antranik was wearing a Russian brigadier general uniform. He was
carrying an order of St. Vladimir of a fourth degree, and a combatant
order of Stanislav of a second degree. He was also carrying a St.
Georgievski cross of a second degree. Russian Colonel Zinkević, the
chief of staff, came to Erzurum with him.
A day prior to Antranik’s arrival in Erzurum, Colonel Morel announced
the telegram message he received from Antranik stating that machine
guns were placed in Körpüköy to kill all the cowards fleeing Erzurum.
As soon as Antranik came to Erzurum he took over the Fortress
Command. Colonel Morel entered his command. We remained under
the command of Colonel Morel as before.
The day Antranik came, one of my officers in one of the regions
under my area of responsibility reported me that the Armenians
massacred all the unarmed innocent inhabitants of Tepeköy,
especially, regardless of their age and gender. I informed Antranik
about this massacre immediately at our introduction. In my presence,
he ordered the sending of twenty cavalrymen and catching at least
one of the murderers. I do not know what came out of it.
Colonel Torkom reappeared. Two days after Antranik’s coming
Armenian Artillery Colonel Doluhanov came to Erzurum. He first said,
he was appointed as an Artillery Inspector and he would be my
superior.