The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-26
A BULGARIAN BANDIT.
A Sensational ROmsnos OF the Crimsan


War.
The following interesting story which reads
like a sensational romance, is told in the Pat
MAJ Gdzette:-
During the Crimean war a body of Poles,
known as The Cossacks Of the Sultan, was
attached to the Turkish contingent. Tnis corps
was retained as part OF the Tursish army after
the dissolution OF the contingent aud has re-
Gently been stationed in Bulgaria, where it has
done good service in checking the dpLredatiOns
of formidable bandit named Koush tchou
Oglou, who has for some time acted in connec-
ton with the insurgeht agitators on the other
side OF the Danube, and is said to have taken
prominent part in the revolutionary expedition
which lately entered Bulgaria from the Danu-
bian Princlpalities. An account of the history
and adventures of this bandit, interspersed
with valuable information on Bulgarian life
aud character has been contributed to the
Reuue Contemporaries by Madame Caroline
Suchodolska, the wife of an officer in the
'CossaCks of the sultan
"Many years ago, when Koushtchou was
young man, his personal beauty and skill in all
athletic exercises made HIM universal fa-
vorite, and the village girls used all their arts
to attract him. His choice fell or a beautiful
maiden named Mitza, whose parents, poor but
respectable peasants OF an adj onlDg village,
fully approved his suit. All went well for
time, and preparations were made for the be-
trothal of the young couple, but unfortunately
Koushtchou was called away to distant dis.
lrict on business, and Mttza went with her
father to work in field belonging to O wealthy
Turkish pasha in the neIghborhood. The pasha,
struck with her beauty and innocence, pursued
her with his attentions, and the unfortunate
girl was too dazzled with his brilliant promises
to make much resistance. The pasha's passion
was short-ived, and he soon abandoned her.
Meanwhile Koushtchou, having earned suffi-
cient sum to enable him to marry, returned to his
village and claimed the hand of his betrothed.
Mtza, conscious of her guilt, but dreading to
confess it, made no objection TO her lovers pro-
posal, and the ceremony of betrothal, which in
Bulgaria is held to be almost as binding as that
nf ma rpin una pAnIi in AZ -
all the principal people of the village. But she
could not long conceal her disgrace. The con-
sequences were terrible. Her father died of
shame and grief; she became a maniac, and still
wanders about the bills, an object of fear and
alteration to the superstitious peasants, who
look upon idiots as sacred; and Kouschtchou
fled to the hills, vowing vengeance, against the
Turks. Since then he has led the life of sort
of Bulgarian Fra DIavoio. Accom- panied by a
devoted band of followers he secured the
whole country, killing every Turk he met, and
imposing contributions on his countrymen to
support him i'll his lawless pursuits. His
popularity among the women contributed
greatly to the impunity with which he
carried on his depredations. In every
village there was a girl who acted as HIS accom-.
plice, informing him whenever a rich Turk
happened to be passing through, and warning
him against the approach of the troops. He
soon obtained such a reputation among the
villagers that they never thought of resisting
his demands for food, clothing, or money for his
band, especially as it was known that he appro.
priatt dl considerable proportion OF his booty
to the maintenance of churches. the relief of
the poor, and other charitable objects. An at
tempt was once made by the Government to
capture him through another bandit named
HussciD, who was then confined in Turkish
prison. Hussein was liberated and promised
large reward If he would betray his former
chief: but he only joined his former compau-
ions, and being captured second time, was
burned alive by the troops.
1.-The attempts made last year to stir up an
insurrection in Bulgaria were to great extent
carried out with Koushtchou's cooperation.
The Polish Cos, ,acks pursued him for months all
over the Balkan, and succeeded in breaking up
his band and capturing its principal chiefs; but
they failed to catch Koushtchou himself. On
one occasion an old Turkish woman came to
them with Bulgarian priest, saying that she
knew the bandits hiding g-place, aud was in the
habit of bringing him bread and brandy every
day; but when the troops came to the spot the
bind had flown. 1t was afterwards found that
Koushtchou had been warned of his danger by
the old womaus daughter, who had fallen in
love with the bandit ard walked several miles
over the mountains to save him. He then
escaped 10 Bucharest, where he has since been
employed with the bulgarian Committee"