The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-09-05
A Bulgarian Bandit.

The following interesting story, which
reads like sensational romance, is told 10
the Pail Mall Gazette:
During the Crimean war body OF Poles.
known as The Cossaeks Of the sultan Vas
attached to the Turkish eontingcrG. This
corps was retained as part OF 10, Turkish
army after the dissolution Of the contingent.
and has recently been stationed An Bulgaria.
where II has done good service in checking
the depredations " a form liable bandit
named koushtchou Ogou, vito has for some
time acted ia connection " d the iusuTgent
agitators on the ether side of the Danube.
and is SAD % have taken prominent part
40 the rsvp dtIonary expedition which lately
entered Bulgaria from the Danubian Drlaci-
palitles. An account Of the history and
adventures Of this bandit, intersuevsyi with
valuible information on Bulgarian life and
character, has been contributed 10 the Rgr1e
Contemporaries by Madame Caroline Sucbo-
doiska, the vile Of an officer IL the 'Cossacks
VI the sultan
Many years ago, when klushtchou vas
a young man, his personal beauty and skill
"a all athletic exercises made IA universal
favorIte, and the village grls Used all their
arts 10 attract him. His choice fell on
beautiful maiden named Mitza whose pa
rents, poor bat respectable peasants of an
adjoining village, fully approved his suit.
Al went "eii for time, and preparations
were made iOr the betTC Lnal OF the young
couple but unfortunately K0ushtehou was
called away u distant dis srict on business.
and Mitza went with her father to work an "A
field belonging 20 a wealthy Turkish pasha
in the neighbOrhood. Tue pasha. STRUCK
with her beauty and innocence, pursued her
with bis attentions aud the unfortunate .irl
was too dazzled with his brilliant promises
% make much resistance. The pasha's pas
sion was shorI-hVed, ana he soon abandoned
her. Meanw bile k0ushtchou, having earned
a sufficient SUN to enable MIN to marry, H.
turned to his village and ciaimed the hand
OF his beIrOthed. MltzA, conscious Of Der
guilt, but drpading to confess il, made no
objection W her lovers proposal, and the
: ceremony OF betrOthal, wlIcA 10 Bulgaria N
|, held to be almost az binding as that of mar
riage, was performed ia The presence Ut All
the principal people Of the village. But she
could not long conceal her disgrace. The
consequences ~ere terrible. Her fasaer died
OF shame and grief she became maniac,
aud still wa1ders about the hills, an object
Of fear and alteration to the superstlu0us
peasants, who look upon idiots AZ sacred .
; and KOushtchOu fed to the hills, vOwinr
vengeance against the Turks.
Since then be has led the life Of a sort "
Bulgarian Fra Davalo. Accompanied III
devoted band Of followers, he secured ill.,
whole country, killing every Turk he met,
aud imposing contributions on his country
men TO support him in his lawless pursuits.
His popularity among the women cJntibu-
ted greatly to the IMMUNITY with which w
carried on bis depredations. n every VII
lage there WIS a girl who acted a. his ac-
complete, informing him whenever a rich
Turk happened TO be passing through, and
warning hun 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 bis band, especially as X was
known that be appropriated considerable
portion OF his booty to the malnten ance 0i
churches, the relief of the poor and other
charitable objects. An attempt was once
made by the government 70 capture nm
through another bandit, named Hussein,
who was then confined in Turkish prison.
, Hussein was liberated and promised large
reward if he would betray hIs former chlef +;
but he only joined his former Companions,
and being captured second time was burnt
alive by the troops.
"The attempts made last year TO stir up
an instruction in Bulgaria were 70 a grea.
extent carried out with koushtchou's c0-
operation. The Polish C5ssacks pursued
him for months eli over TIE Balkan, am
succeeded 10 breaking Up his band and cap
turing its principal chiefs, Bat they fAiiei
to catch KoushtchOu himself On one coca
SION an old Turkish woman came ID tham
with Bulgarian priest, saying that she
kneT the bandit's hiding piAc=, anl was in
the habit 81 bringing him bread aud brady
every day but when the troops cane 70 the
spot the bIrd had flown. IL was Afterwards
found that Koushtchon had been warned oi
his danger by the old womAns dau-nter,
who had fallen IN love with Ene bandit, and
walked several m''- ~ over the mountains No
save him He then escaped 70 Blclare-t.
where be has since been employed vita tls
Bug iran Committee