The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-11-03 00:00:00

OUTRAGE on AMERICAN TRAVELLERS
IN TURKEY.

A letter in the Lerant !Jerald of the 17th RIM an account
of • grow attack upon two American gentlemen and a boy
on their way to 21111. a. Mr. Henry Stanley, one of the mus-
ter, \RUM

When about seven hours from Afiuna Karahiesar,
on the 18th September, en r6utt for Tiflis and Thibet
via Erzernum, from Smyrna, I and my two coal-
panione. Mr. Cook, of Illinois, and a youth of New
York, were attacked by a bani of robbers, hailing from
the village of Chihissar, headed by a fellow named
Achmet, of Karahissar, and robbed of all our money,
valuables, and clothing, to the tune of about 80.000
piastres, It would occupy too much space were I to
enter into minor details; suffice it to state that, after
robbing us, they conveyed 1113 IR prisoners in triumph
to Chihieear, accusing us of being robbers, which
brought down on our devoted heads unparalleled abuse
from the villagers; the women pelted us with stone.;
the children spat at us; the men belaboured 118 un-
mercifully with sticks, clubs, and firetongs. Not
comprehending in the least what direction affairs had
taken, I main say, for myself, that I was plunged in a
state of stupefaction, not unmingled with rage, as to
how and by we were thus treated. We had instantly
acquiesced in all their demands, and were as docile as
lambs in their hands, and, though when attacked we
were armed with the best Sharpen riflee and Colt's
revolvers, we had offered no resistance. When night
arrived, they bound us with cords drawn so tight
around our necks that it nearly produced strangula-
tion, in which suffering condition they allowed us to
remain twelve hours. (A passage here occurs relating
to the treatment of the boy.) No explanations that
they can render can gloss over the wanton cruelty and
mwignant treatment to which we had been subjected.
Next, two of them conveyed us, bound, with the
most daring effrontery imaginable, to a small town
called Itashikeui, with the statement that we were
robbers, where, of course, we, powerless to explain
the mystery that hung over us, were treated as
prisoners, accompanied by the most cruel abase;
chains wers hung around our necks, like garlands, for
the night. From this place we were sent to Minna-
Karahieesr, where we received the benefit of an inter-
preter in the person of Mr. Poloso, agent of the
Ottoman Bank at that place, who acquitted himself
very creditably in that capacity; the fruits of which
were that we were immediately freed from " durance
vile." Nor did his generosity stay here; he lent us
ample funds, procured us comfortable rooms at the
khan, and fed and clothed us, thus acting the part of
a good Samaritan to three unfortunates. And again,
through his energetic and repeated appeals to Raotif
Bey, the sub-governor of that place, all the robbers
were arrested, and will be tried according to law.
The American minister at Constantinople has de-
manded the full repayment of the money stolen, the
public trial of the prisoner., and the exaction of the
full penalty uf the law upon the rufhans who assaulted
the boy.