The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-06-10
miscellaneous.
COLONEL sYNGE.
The Story of His Captivity Among BrIgands.
Correspondence London Times.

Constantinople, April 30.-As soon al
Colonel Synge returned to Salonica | re,
quested him to give me some details o
his captivity. Ill-health and numerous
occupations prevented him from at once
complying with my request but I have
now received from hiol the following
graphic account of his capture, detention
aud release:
"On Friday, February 10, I returned
10 Salonica after a month"; absence in the
north ofthe Province, where I had been
engaged in assisting the refugees. On
the following Tuesday I left for my farm
at Tricoista. My servant, being some.
what late for the train, left a portion of
my baggage behind, among other things
my rifle cartridges, There being no
train until the following Thursday, on
that day sent to the Topson station, but
my man did not return the same owe.
ming. On Thursday night, between 10
and II o'clock, sitting in my arm chair, I
was startled by shots rafting in at the
windows and blows at the granary door
below. My house is a solid brick build.
ing, the ground floor forming the grana.
ry, which mad no interior communica.
ton with the rest of the house. The
front is occupied by a large veranda.
ii had nothing ready. My guns had
been packed away when l went up the
country, and l had not got them out.
There were no cartridges, l went up to
the top of the house, and opened fire
with small shot where l saw the flashes
of the rifles. They were.all round bang.
ing away and the bullets smashing up
everything. My Albanians, who occupy
a house across the farmyard, about n
hundred yards of, also opened fire, but
the brigands were all under cover. Get.
ting through the granary door, they col.
lected some planks, and straw, and, set
ting fire to the heap, the house was soon
full of smoke and untenable, and l had
to give up.
"As they afterwards told me, they left
the forest, situated about a half mile off,
shortly after dark, sent two of the band
in advance with meat, with which they
silenced the watch dogs, and then the
remainder advanced to reconnoiter.-
First they looked after the A~lbanlans.-
Going up into the veranda of their house
they saw them through the window and
took notice of their arms. Leaving some
of their band to hold them in check, they
next proceeded to reconnoiter the house
First they contemplated making a lad.
der and assaulting from the veranda, but
fearing to expose themselves, they con-
sidered that setting fire to the building
from the outside would entail less loss.
After trying unsucCessfully, they deter.
mined to burst IN the granary door and
set fire inside. Two guns we're told off
to each window on hat side of the the
house, with orders to keep up a constant
fire. -Four men were sent to the door;
two with axes, and the signal was given.
"On my surrendering they took two
Of my saddle horses from the stable. l
was mounted on one, and Nike, the chief
of the band, on the other. The work.
men were called to look after the fire,
and l was told to send word if any troops
were sent in pursuit l should be murder.
ed. | was then marched off toward
Mount Olympus. The night was pitch
dark, with sleet and snow. About an
hour and a half's journey south there is
the River Vistritza (Haleacmon) to
cross. Arrived at the ferry, Nike, with
n companion, went to the ferry hut, in
which were three Albanians and a Chris.
tan boatman. One of the Albanians
was an old friend of Niko's, and he
counted on his passing him over the
river without opposition. Knocking at
the door. he said, "Don't you know meP
l have come from Venea, and must pass
over tonight" The Albanian said,
Wait until l blow up the fire a bit, "and
then opened the door. Whether Niko
wes not recognized, or whether, seeing
he had only one man with him, the AL.
banians thought he would be an easy
capture, / can not say, but one of them,
Niko's friend, calling upon his compan.
ions to shut the door, drew a revolver
from under his pillow and fred three
shots, wounding Niko's companion in
the shoulder but missing himself. Nike
drew his yataghan with a thrust which
disabled the second Albanian. The third
was shot by n of the band through the
window, and, some of them rushing in,
the boatman was also wounded, but " as
made to work the ferry across. The
wounded Albanian was brought down to
boat, and, though begged hard for
his life and offered to ransom him, he
shot, and l was told that were they
not in a hurry he would have been tor
tured. Having crossed the river and the
plain between it and the mountains, it
was a steady ascent, the snow getting
and deeper. About dawn there
was a halt among some rocks, and the
lay passed there. At night, on again.
Until late IN the third night the unfor.
innate horses got nothing but some dry
beech leaves to eat, and no water, as it
vas all frozen. After the fourth night
hey disappeared, and afterwards turned
Up at Caterina.
"On,the third day 1 was dictated a let.
er demanding 10000 liras ransom, be.
ides gold watches. etc. This letter was
delivered to Consul. General Blunt
some ten days a~fterward, and then
by one from Nike, demand.
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