Armenians Being Murdered

London, May 17. – Six thousand Armenians have been massacred at Van, in Armenia, Asiatic Turkey, according to a dispatch received from the Russian consul at Urumiah, Persia.

This message is dated May 15. It adds that the Armenians are defending themselves to the utmost against the Turks and Kurds arrayed against them, but that help is urgently needed there. 

Dispatches from Persia, Armenia and Trans-Caucasia, in Russia, have set forth for several weeks that the position of the Armenians in Turkey and Northwestern Persia was one of grave danger, but no message had conveyed any indication of extensive massacreing.

Kurds and Turks have been persecuting the Armenian residents of the localities for several months. Many have been killed while large numbers have been driven away as slaves. Can has normally 30,000 inahbitants. American missionaries there have taken an active part in the protection of Armenians.

Massacres of Armenians in 1895, which resulted in international action for the institution of reforms, occurred in October and November, when 15,000 persons were killed.