Turks In Capital Are Eager To Slay.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 5, 1912:
Ugly Feeling Grows Among the Populace and Old Prophecy of Massacre Is Recalled.
DEFEATS INFLAME NATION
Lower Classes Are Arming — Report of Slaughter of Christians at Rodosto Reach the City.
Special Cable to The New York Times..
    LONDON, Tuesday, Nov. 5.— The Daily Chronicle's Constantinople correspondent sends the following uncensored dispatch, under date of yesterday:
    "The situation in Constantinople grows more grave every day.
    "The continual rumors of Turkish defeats exasperate the Moslem element of the population. Hostility toward Europeans is increasing and is shown more openly and arrogantly as the days pass.
    "The lower classes express their fierce animosity without any attempt at concealment. Some of the workmen's guilds openly boast that they have taken a sacred vow to massacre every Christian in Constantinople should Bulgarians enter the city or should Rumelia be severed from Turkey. Fanatics swear on the Korean to take terrible vengeance on the infidel. The theological students, always a dangerous element, are now preaching incitements to the mob in out-of-the-way mosques. They refer to the ancient belief that the Turks will possess Constantinople for 500 years, after which Europeans will take the city. The prophecy goes on to say that according to the prophet's command the true believers are to massacre the infidels before they leave.
    "Hostile demonstrations, organized in secret, take place nightly. Last night a crowd of Kurds and other ruffians, well armed with swords, bayonets, and Browning revolvers, gathered at a place called the Seven Towers, and after long deliberation decided to march against the European quarters. Fortunately the police intervened before their intentions could be carried out. Many arrests were made, and the prisoners will be tried by court-martial to-morrow.
    "Terrible reports of massacre and pillage come from the provinces. The patriarch of the Greek Church has received information of a terrible massacre going on at Rodosto. The town is full of Bashi-Bazouks, who are committing all sorts of outrages. The Metropolitan applied to the Governor of the town, but the latter declared that he could do nothing while war was going on. The patriarch made a last appeal to the Porte this afternoon.
    "A hostile crowd attempted to march to the European quarter of the city. but fortunately the police were on the alert and opened the swing bridge between Stamboul and Galata, thus preventing what might have been a terrible disaster."