The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-16 00:00:00

CAPTURED BY BRIGANDS.

Brigandage is very active in Greece just now. A
Reuter's telegram narrates the capture of two secretaries
of legation, one English and the other Italian, three Eng-
glish travellers, and two women, the latter being released.
but the former detained until the payment of
heavy ransom. This is not the only event of the
kind that has happened lately. Several captures have
been made. A correspondent of the Times, writing from
Salonica gives an account of the adventures of one young
Greek, who has just escaped from a horde of robbers, in
the Thessaly mountains. The following is the story :
The young Greek is one of four brothers, possessors of
coasting vessels and inhabitants of Kariza, a village situated
at the foot of Mount Ossa. It appears that two of his
brothers and another inhabitant of Kariza were re-
turning to their homes from the sea coast, a walk
of about an hour. They had got about halfway, and
had reached a spot romantic in its solitude and abounding
in rocks and trees, when they were suddenly surrounded
by eight brigands, who appeared as if by magic from
their hiding-places, armed to the teeth—this well-known
phrase in this case being literally verified, as the brigands
carried their swords between their teeth ready for
action, in case the guns which they held
their hands levelled at their victims should miss fire, or
prove insufficient for their deadly work should anY
resistance be made. In this case, however, it was impos-
sible, as only one of the brothers had a revolver, which wal
loaded with shot instead of ball. The brigands forthwith
despoiled them of 100 liras which they had in their pos-
session, and made prisoners of two of them—viz., the
youngest brother, aged 21 years, as they said he would be
able to walk the best, and the companion of the brother,
aged about 30 years. There seems to have been soma
fatality in the family of the elder of the captives in thus
falling into the hands of the brigands, as about tell
years ago his father was in the Church of Karizat
with the greater part of the villagers, when it was
surrounded by brigands. In trying to effect 1110
escape, as, being about the richest person in the
village, he feared being taken prisoner, he fled to the
roof of the church, and was there shot by the brigands,
who, nevertheless, got a good round sum from the brother
of the victim, who was unaware at the time of what had
occurred. Seven years after this event the brother who
had been thus duped and had been led to pay so much. i
money, and which had reduced the family very much n
circumstances, was taken prisoner by the brigands, who,
not being satisfied with the 2500 given them as a ransom,
cut off half of each of his ears. The cap-
tors, with their two prisoners, made their escape
to the mountains in the neighbourhood, and
for two days continued their flight night and
day, and for two more days they did not rest except at
night. During this time they managed to reach the'
rocky heights of Mount Othrys, which form the frontiers
of Greece and Turkey, where they remained in compara-
tive security for 18 days. I am informed there are other
brigands who infest this chain of mountains in
parties of twelve and twenty-five, amounting ill
all to about one hundred. The brigands lived;
well in their mountainous retreat. Lamb and
mutton, which they roasted by their fires, figs and
other ruit, milk, wine, ,Szc., formed their daily fare!,
and in the evening they, sang their robber songs, and
seemed to enjoy themselves very much in their rocky
abode. The two prisoners were kept bound night and
day, but not so as to prevent their walking; otherwise
they were well treated, with the exception of the cruel
threats that the brigands assured them they would carry
out if the ransom were not paid. They at first demanded
4,000 liras-1,000 liras from each of the four brothers—
ransom for the younger of the prisoners, but
afterwards they reduced their demand to 2,00°
liras, of which they informed the brotherS
at Kariza by letter, threatening to cut off the
ears and nose of their prisoner if they did not fully coin-
ply with the-demand. Before the answer came, and after
the prisoners had been twenty-two days with their
inexorable captors, it appears one night, having probablY
drunk more wine than usual, they became very drowsy
and slept soundly, those who were on watch not excepted-
The younger and more vigorous captive, pretending at
first to sleep soundly, now seized upon this oppor-
tunity, and made his escape to Armyros, where ai
friendly hand cut his bonds, and whence he pro'
seeded to Volo on horseback. Having previously;
informed his brothers by letter of his escape, and of the
unfortunate drowsiness of his fellow prisoner, who stal
remained with his captors, and for whom they demanded
1,000 liras as ransom, he left Volo by steamer for Salo-
nica, where he arrived on Friday, the Ist instant and
visited his relations there—the family with whom I am
at present residing. The evening was spent in rejoicings:
and among those present who were overjoyed to see to
return of the one who was given up for lost, none WO
more merry than the escaped captive.

A SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.—A horse belonging
to Mr. Porritt, of Burnham Market, died suddenly. The
cause of death not being known, the body was to
when in its stomach eight stones were found, six of them,
weighing a pound each, the other two half a poun'lA
They were sharp-edged, and of triangular shape,, an
how they found their way into such a strange situation is
not apparent.—East Suffolk Gazette.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT A MARRIAGE CELEDEA-
TlON.—Several persons were injured at a marriage celebra-
tion at Hexham. Some young men were firing cannons
in honour of the union of Mr. W. Ridley to Miss TenlPl,_e•
both of Hexham, when a spark fell into a powder coil
which immediately exploded, injuring one man, name'
Taylor, very much and seriously burning several other
who were standing near.
MR. NEWDEGATE AND THE UONVENTS.—During
the past ten days no fewer than 277 petitions have been
presented to Parliament against Mr. Newdegate's pro"
posed committee for an inquiry into conventual establish"
ments, and many others were received too late to be PA
oented before the House of Common 4
EIMCILYMMI9P,—/rfkiciU Begigfr!