Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-04-21
THE GREEK BRTGANDS
THE OUTLAWS WHO HOLD AN ENGLISH
OFFICER AND MS WIFE,


Some three weeks ago brief cabl,
dispatch announced thst Col. Synge
Of the British army together with biz
wife, had been capturedlby Greek bri
gands near Salonica and was held fol
heavy ransom. No "details of the
capture were given. Asfew days age
London paper printed a dispatch
J from Constantinople saying that the
brigands had sent letter demanding
SIS 900 ransom for their captives, and
threatening that if this amount was
not given them within ten days they
would send Col. Syngo's head to Sa.
lonica. Three days later news was
sent to London that the British Con.
sui at Salonica had received letter
| from Col Synge saying that be and
his wife were kindly treated and that
the brigand chief was absent, necessi'
tating the interruption of negotiations
for their release.
Greece has not unreasonably been
styled the cradle Of brigandage. From
time immemorial that land has wit.
messed some OF the boldest captures in
the history of outlawry. From time to
time the civilized world is startled by
the intelligence that some traveller has
been seized by band of Greek bri-
gands and murdered If the ransom de-
manded for his life has not been
promptly paid. tits natural that great
anxiety should be felt IN regard to Col,
Synge and his wife, particularly by oil
persons who are acquainted with the
history OF Greek brigandSge.
! Greek brigands mostly live in small
bands in the businesses of the numer.
GUS mountains by which the country
is broken. In daytime they hardly
stir from their hiding places, which
are grottoes and rocky places. When
night comes they move to q spot far
away-so distant that the police would
never think of being on the lookout
for them-and commit their depreda.
tions. As an illustration of the rapid.
ty with which they move the band of
the Arvantakis brothers, coming from
Turkey, had passed the Greek frontier
in the vicinity of Lamia, on January
Is, 1870. The Minister ofthe interior,
Mr.. Laimis, being informed by tele.
graph Of the fact, Immediately gave
orders calculated to lead to the arrest
OF the band, or, at all events, TO driving
them beyond the frontier But moth
ing could check their advance, Such
was the rapidity, of their movements
that the Greek military and police
force dispatched against them did not
catch sight of them, although their
presence in the vicinity was daily sig.
nailed to them by the officers Of the
Government On one occasion, how.
ever, the brigands were surprised, and
q conflict cnsued in which they lost
seven men. Three of the brigands
were taken prisoner and carried to
Athens, where they were summarily
sentenced and put 20 death. The 9th.
ers Of the band, only nine in number,
succeeded in reaching the mountains
that separate Attica and B9otia from
the province of Haegarides, whence
for several years they plundered the
country, numbering some hundred peo.
pie, and ever battling the most active
researches of the Greek troops.
On the eve of the day on which four
English travellers were captured and
murdered in the vicinity of Marathon,
the so-called band of 0ropos were at
Villa, the ancient ldyllia, a little west
of the route that, passing by Eleusis,
runs between Athens and Thebes. In
the course OF single night they had
walked sixty -four kilometres over steep
mountains, and had halted in good
season by a bridge over which the
travellers had TO pass. The whole
Greek army was IN pursuit of them af-
ter the crime, but in vain, although
they were still on the same mountains
whence they had descended to commit
the murderous assault.
The success Of the Greek brigands
would be inexplicable to any one who
should lken Greece to any other
mountain region of the civilized world.
On the mountains OF Greece there are
no roads and no houses. Only eagles,
vultures, brigands, and Greek shep.
herds can live and move about on their
steep sides. Hence the chief difficulty
with which the Greek Government
has TO contend. Fear and ambition
also contribute TO render the under.
taking more difiicult, Entire villages
frequently side with these outlaws for
the sake OF selfpreservation. The bri-
4 gands are, indeed, in many instances,
the real masters Of tho villages. A
single fact is recorded as on exception
to this rule, which is highly to the
honor of the Mayor of Dolos. Some
ten years ago he and his three sons
put three chief brigands to death in
their house. II was on the fete Of st.
George, Greeoe's patron saint. The
brigands thought that they were the
masters Delos, and they decided TO eel.
citrate the fcstivity in the very house
OF the Mayor. At night while they
were the prey of bestial intoxication,
they were taken and shot by their
hosts, and the country was relieved of
the dread which their presence had
caused The Mayor and one of his
sons, however, paid later on with
their lives for the good they had done
their country. The remnants of the
band avenged the act BY capturing ia.
ther and son, cutting them TO pieces,
and exposing their dismembered bodies
on the main square Of the city.
Another Of the reasons why bri.
gandage has not, so far, been extirpa-
ted from Greece is that politicians, out
of the ambition to secure Office, use the
brigands TO ointimidatc their opponents
When the former are elected the i'm.
munity Of their brigand aids naturally
follows. Prime Ministers and Ambas-
sadors, as history proves, have on sew.
eral occasions secured the services oil
brigands. Turkey being particularly
notorious for creating in this way en-.
barrassments TO the Greek Govern.
ment.
The majority of these brigands have
been, at some period of their lives,
shepherds In no country is there
ruch type Of shepherd as IN Greece,
They live a nomadic life, and have lit.
tie in common with civilized beings
0stensibly living very simply, they
are devourcd by such thirst for
money as has no parallel. It is fair
to say, however, that the greatest
number Of them are not Greek They
are generally considered as AIbanians,
and are distinguished by the name Of
Vlackopimenes, or Nlacks. They are