The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-11
ock Island, Illinois, Wednesday, May II, 1881

On being thus seated on the top of tht
mountain, Mr. Suter was closely questioned
as to his profession and means and wheth
er he or his wife had parents living, OF
| relatives likely to pay ransom. Mr.. Sute1
replied that he had neither private means
nor relatives who could pay any consider
| able sum. They then asked various other
questions as to the proprietorship of the
mines and Mr. Suffers interest in them
| One of them also asked what was their OBJ
ject in having soldiers quartered near the
| house. Mr.. Suter replied that they were
there on his wifes account. Are you a
coward?" they replied mo. he answer
ed. but nv wife is naturally nervous; and
besides, the consul and pasha insisted on
ii. Then they said, ''as they gave you
guard they ought to have taken better
care of you, and Barber Aga (meaning the
Sultan) is responsible for you and your
ransom Mrs. Suter asked why, as her
husband went daily to his work, they did
not take him then, instead of coming to
the house at night and frightening them
all. They replied, that is just it. We
wanted to show YOU what a small protec-
ton the Turkish guard was to you, and
had there been hundreds OF them instead
of the number there We're we should still
have taken you as easily. Another re
mark they made was that they were not
brigands of their own will, but had been
driven to it by Europe.
Finally, after a great deal of talk among
themselves. they said that Mr.. Suter must
write to Mr. Blunt, Consul General at Sa-
lonica, informing him that the ransom they
required was 915, 200, and that this sum
must be paid in fifteen days. On this Mr..
Suter exclaimed that they might as well
XII hlm at once as there was not the least
Likelihood of his being able to raise such
sum" Then" they said, you refuse to
write? In that case, not only you, but
your wife and child will forfeit your lives
on the spot" Mr.. Suter then begged to
be allowed to consult with his wife, and
they came to the conclusion to write as
the brigands demanded. They then asked
If 1t would be for their advantage that Mrs.
Suter should go to Salonica or stay, and
Mr. and Mrs Suter replied that it would
be better for her to go to Salonica, as in
case Of pursuit she could not keep up with
them. They then made Mrs. Suter prom
lse solemnly that, if allowed to descend
the mountain. she would at once
start for Salonica, and use every
means to prevent the soldiers coming
in pursuit of them, and they threatened
that as soon as any soldier or armed
villager approached them Mr. Suter
would be killed. In return they swore the
Bessa-6ess that Mr.. Suter would be safe
in their hands pending negotiations for
payment of the ransom, on the conditions
that they were not pursued, and were left
free to communicate with the village.
1t was now about 2 A. NJ, and after
sad parting with her husband Mrs Suter
was allowed to return with her child, and
accompanied by two of her servants, the
other two remaining with Mr. Suter, Pro-
vided with torch, they with great diff
Guilty found their way down the mountain
side, and arrived at home about 4 o'clock
in the morning. Mrs. Suter Immediately
sent off a messenger with the letters, and
started herself, two hours afterwards 6
o'clock Friday morning) for Salonica. This
journey of twenty hours she accomplished
by the afternoon of 4he next day (Satur-
day) having ridden for seventeen hours
and driven three in the carriage sent for
her by Mr.. Blunt, the Consul