Dr. Esther Lovejoy Describes Systematic Robbery and Outrages by Troops.
The New York Times
2 Oct, 1922
(excerpts from article)
Dr Esther Lovejoy of New York, Presi-
dent of the American Women's Hospi-
tal, who had just returned here after a
week's survey in the stricken city. Dr.
Lovejoy declared that the world has not
been told the real story of fire and
horror.
"There are still several hundred thou-
sand Christians in Smyrna and the in-
terior whose lives are in peril, for the
time limit of their evacuation has ex-
pired,' she said. Only Providence
knows what their fate will be. The
crowds on the quay are so great that
some of them are pushed into the sea.
Women stood waist deep in the water,
holding their babies aloft in their arms
to save them from drowning.
"Turkish soldiers are systematically
robbing the men and wrenching the
rings from the women. The wretched
sufferers are willing to be robbed if the
robbing can purchase life.
"There are more than 100 mothers
who gave birth to babies. Some were
delivered while standing. I attended
many. Some of the infants died within
a few hours from exposure, but the
mothers clung pitifully to the dead
bodies of the little things."
Further Reading:
The Testimony of Esther Pohl Lovejoy
Certain Samaritans by Esther Pohl Lovejoy
