Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-03-10
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THE MYRIOFYTO TRAGEDY,
Constantinople Messenger.

Constantinople Messenger.
A fortnight ago we reported an ex-
traordinary occurrence at small vii
lage called Sterna. 4 short distance
from Myriofyto, on the Marmora
coast, the principal feature in which
was the shooting of q man named
Dimitri by a zaptieh, in the presence
of the caimakam of Myriofyto. Our
correspondent at Peristasis now sends
us the following further details =
Dimitri and his father, who is up
wards of seventy years Of age, own
ed a flock of goats, the son having
been brought up as IA goatherd. An
epizootic disease breaking out in the
district, which made great havoc es-
pecially among goats, Dimitri resolv-
ed to kill off his flock at once rather
than run the risk of having it swept
away by disease. Accordingly he
drove his goats down to Sterna, and
every day he slaughtered some Of
them, retailing the meat to the villa
gers at a price sufficiently low to en-
sure the sale of it. Now, there is
at Sterna certain Yanco, who
some months ago distinguished him
self by denouncing to the Turkish
authorities the signatories Of y Pc
tition sent from Sterna to the Euro
pean Commission of Reforms, for
which service the governor OF CALI
poll appointed him fetish, or detec-
tive, of the village. Yanco either
had grudge against Dimitri, or he
wished to show his zeal as a detect
i've, or both, for he accused Dimitri
of having stolen the goats, an accu-
sation which Dimitri Indignantly re-
PEELED. High words ensued, and on
the next day Yauco went to Myriofyto
and made statement to the author
tiles there. On the faith ofthis state
ment the cdimdkam, 'Tahsin hey,
mounted his horse and proceeded at
once, escorted by party of zaptiehs,
to Sterna. Dismounting, he seated
himself in a coffee house, and de-
spatched the zaptiehs in search 0fDi
mitri. Meeting the former moukhtm
of the village, certain Rail-, the
zaptiehs ordered him to conduct them
to the house of Dimitri, Which he did.
At the door of the house the atfianced
sweetheart of Dimitri was standing
cheapening the wares of a draper
named Kosma Alevrou of Myriofyto.
The zaptiehs had scarcely had time to
ask for Dimitri before he descended
the staircase, but before he reached
the foot of it the four zaptiehs
fired upon him and he received
the four shots at short range. Stag
gering he was caught by his sweet
heart, aud fell dead in her arms.
The zaptiehs struck the girl on the arms
with their swords in order to maxi her
relax her embrace of the fallen man,
and when he dropped on the ground
they plunged their swords into his
throat. This done they returned to
the coffee house, where the caimaham
awaited them, and presented them
selves to that functionary who asked
them what they had done. "Bittir-
dix" 1--WE have iinished), was the re-
ply, then the c0imakam drew up
sort Of process rerdal, which he obliged
every one who was in the coffee house
to sign, as well as those who were
standing about outside, and then his
cxcellencY took his departure, This
document is believed to contain a
statement that Dimitri opposed force
to the zaptiehs, an allegation which
is absolutely without foundation, as
can be proen by eye-witnesses. 1t
was not correct as stated in yOur
first report of this affair, that the wo
men of the village hooted and stoned
the caimGk0m. The narrative as
have given it is correct. Several
people have come from Sterna to tel
enraph the stoi to COnstantinople,
but they have been persuaded by
those interested in hushing up the
matter that they might get themselves
into q scrape by doing so. To sum
up the whole situation, it is this, viz:
that fetish Rance has but to accuse
a man, and the cain,dkam of Tyriofy-
to will without any Investigation,
send zaptiehs to shoot him like a dog.
Thus, although less than hundred
miles divides us from the capital, the
measure of security Of life and prop
erty. which is our lot, is scaut indeed.