The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-27 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF BRIGANDS AT SWYBNA.

SMYRNA, August 16.—Last Sunday morning an un-
usual sight was presented at the entrance gate of the
largo building here, which serves as police office, prison,
and Pacha's house, A man's head was suspended about
seven feet from the ground, and it soon appeared that it
was the head of Simon, the chief (if the gang of brigands
who lately carried off Dr. M'Craith to the mountains.
burnt the French model farm, robbed the mail., and
murdered ucoffending country people. The constant
influence exerted upon the Pacha by Col. Storks, our
military cr.mmandant (who by the way, is about to re-
place Lnrd William Paulet at Scutari), and by the
French Consul—our own consul being far too old and
feeble to be active, either for good cr evil—has had the
good effect of keeping up a tolerably active system of
rural police. The direct pursuit under Hamid Bey
proved a complete failure, so that it was determined to
sc titer the forces, to offer rewards for the robbers either
alive or dead, and to imprison all persons suspected of
harbouring nr sheltering them, or supplying them with
food or ammunition. Accordingly rural police stations
are established about the various roads and passes, some
200 picked men being employed on this duty. A reward
of 100/. was offered for Simon or his head, and 20/. for
any of his hand. Nearly 100 people known to have had
communications with the robbers were brought in from
different villages. Some were imprisoned, others fined,
and about 15 sent to the Bagnio at Constantinople.
These measures at once made it difficult for the band to
procure food and shelter, and bad the good effect of con-
vincing the poor country people that they would be pro-
tected from the menaces of the robbers. Among those
arrested on suspicion were seven members of former
gangs, under Yanni Katergi, who after his imprison-
ment had retired from the profession. The information
derived from them proved of great use to the police.
One of Simon's band, named Kiriako, was taken with
him, and from his statements it appears that Simon was
fully informed of all the proceedings against him, and
cuol
a organiseted
would a
b e o
quite f a t
larg 8e 0 members,
enough
t o
w
that he bad accordingly determined to leave the country
for a time with this Kiriako, and go to Greece, or some
ofhtic h the
h islands,t
e ca
defy the police, The two brigands first intended to
embark at Smyrna. They accordingly went to, the
vineyard of an accomplice, about four miles from the
town, where Simon procured a Europeon dress and a
donkey, and, accompanied by the son of the farmer,
came into town. He first went in search of a gardener
named Thodori, who has for some time past kept out
of the way of the police. Not finding him, he found a
brother of Thodori 's and hisown brother, to whom he gave
about 100/. in money, his arms, &c. Then finding it
would be unsafe to attempt to get away by sea, deter-
mined to rejoin Kiriako, and make towards the en-
trance of the bay by land, arranging with his brother
to meet him at a certain rendezvous.

Having returned to the vineyard he changed his
European costume for his mountain dress, and the
two brigands made for the mountains on the north side
of the bay, armed with a small knife only. On Satur-
day morning they were on their way from the high
lands to the coast, near a farm called Ali-Aga, when
two guards hired to defend the farm saw and stopped
them. They said they were masons going to the farm,
and, oa being asked for the teskere or passport, said
they had none. They were accordingly taken to the
nearest station of rural police, following the two guards
without resistance, where they were recognised. They
were tied with cords preparatory to bringing them into
Smyrna. Simon submitted to this with apparent will-
ingness, but on the road he suddenly threw himself on
one of the guards, and attempted to seize his arms
Another guard, who was following, immediately shot
him. He was not killed, and begged his captors not to
take him living to Smyrna, but to take in his head.
This they did.
Kiriako was brought in, and underwent a long exa-
mination before the Pacha and Colonel Storks. He is
a bold, determined villain—son of a mason named Va-
pili, in a neighbouring village, a very honest man,
who has long been sadly affected by the conduct of
his son, and gives assistance to the police. It is not
long since that Kiriake, in revenge, set fire to his fa-
ther's house. Wben M'Craith was brought to the
police office to identify him, he made no denial, and the
Doctor gave evidence that he was the man who killed
an inoffensive old Turk in his presence. A Smyrnist,
who was taken with Dr. M'Craith, was also brought np
to identify him. This miserable cowardly creature, pro-
bably afraid of being visited by the vengeance of othersre
of the band, swore that he never saw the robber before
ie his life. " You lie, dog," said Kiriako ; Iw: .at.
first man that took you." He was placed for somey
in the black hole of the English hospital, h
English soldiers are confined, as the Turkwirsehmeperervisdoa,
awnads
not thought safe enough. He was tahten
painppened to
many think and say that "an aecideed
him ; ' in other words, that he was taie
drowned at night. Others say_hte kuepp foarsa" publicand
h Sultan can be
example, and will be banged if
in-
duced to sign a death wa whioh he very seldom
will.
prove heavy blow and great
These arrests must
brigandage in
atShsnaar
yntaoal,rad
ibruytonamteulracgshti
discouragementstill
remains
te b"e
seen him at Zondjab,
week, and deny •
some five miles from hence ; others it, and assert
has escaped from r dtoennedto Iht Constantinople,ai vs
el ad
t
1s no
a onlnedanb band
of arriving
i as
ts ttihl le attruCtohn. s t acnetrintaoipnl ei.t
isTThere
t
of robbers, under a certain Luca, have appeared this
week about Bondjah, but it is expected that they will
be obliged to give up for want of food. Letters were
found on Simon from another bandit chief to the south-
ward, offering to join his forces ; and it is clear that the
system is widely extended over Asia Minor. There are
accomplices in this town, who act as bankers, and allow
iztuest for the tia94q. The polio. an os look•oui
" _