News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-10-11
BRIGANDAGE IN TURKEY.
Tusnfe Condition fthe Country about Sa-
IOnicn and Adm.

The latest exploit of brigandage near
Salonica, according to the Constantine
pIa correspondent of the London Daily
TeIrQraDh, has caused CONSERVATION at
the Palace and Porte. So long as the
brigands confined themselves to plum
derinc and carrying off foreigners or
small farmers the authorities hardly
chose to interfere. and seemed to have
regarded them only as levying back
sheesh in a slightly irregular manner.
When. however, they catch Mehmet
Pacha, a general of brigade, his broth
er-in-law, and a wealthy local merchant
of Salonica, the case is regarded as more
serious There has been always a strong
impression that there was some kind of
understanding between pursuers and
pursued. Some of the watches which
were sent to the capturers of Colonel
King were worn by Turkish employees
not long after they had been delivered
to the brigands. After the capture Of
Colonel Synge Salih Pacha was sent to
Salonica. A thorough soldier and an
honest man, he buckled to the Job with
resolution and skill, and III series of
ably planned and vigorously executed
operations dispersed most of the bands
and filled the prisons of SalOnica with
brigands. 1t will hardly he believed
that not a single one was brought to the
gallOws, and that many Of them We're
allowed to go out on bail, a washerwO-
mans son becoming surety for several
dozens. The few who were killed died
resisting the troops. and of those who
surrendered the majority appear to have
nc h
ment. SaIihs tXertiOus were almost
thrown away. He was thwarted at each
step by the provincial authorities and
finally called to Constantinople. Almost
before his back was turned Nike and the
other chiefs collected fresh followers and
resumed their interrupted occupation.
GUESTS OF THE FARMERS.
The vilayet of Adm is nearly as badly
off as Salonica. At Smyrna, its capital,
a few years agO-perhaps the system
still fOnishes-a regular agreement eX-
listed between certain nOtables of the
province and some of the brigands. The
thieves labored on the large farms of the
influential Turks during the winter
months without wages, in return for
distinct understanding that if they got in
to trouble while rObbing I'D the summer
their masters should employ their infu-
ence to obtain their release. To this
day the traveller in Adm may have
pointed out to him, staggering in en-
broidered garments and with a belt full
of knives and pistols, miscreants who.
though guilty of scores of murders, have
cheated the hangman and actually been
made guardians of estates and mines.
When Midhat Pacha was appointed Gov
ernor in 1880 he found Adm overrun
with brigands. He instantly made
preparations for attacking them, and
within six months the delighted citizens
of Smyrna were witnessing the death
ON the gibbet of dozen or so
of their worst enemies, Moslems and
arrest in the spring of 1881 His High
ness could boast that he had already
given to the vilayet the same security
with which he had endowed the Syrians.
His successor was Ali Pacha, superseded
a couple of months back. Under his
rule brigandage assumed its old proper
tons, and the Smyrniots now dare not
put foot outside the town. At Castam-
Dol, on the Black Sea, further evidence
of the difference between good and bad
may be had. Said Pacha.
formerly a Woolwich cadet, compelled
the villagers, by fines and other punish
ments, to attack the brigands, who were
ravaging the country with impunity. He
completely cleared the vilayet of these
rutfians. RUstem Pacha, protected by
the charter of Mount Lebanon from
StambOul's interference, handed over to
Wassa Pacha Il province where peasant
and tourist are as safe as in England.