The bee., 1883-08-11
A BATTLE WITH BRIGANDs.
Desperate Fight Between Native Policemen
and Circassfan Bandits.=

: and Circassfan Bandits.=
Il A Sivas Turkey letter to the Con-
stantinople Eastern Ne,cS says: Eye
witnesses do not altogether agree as to
the details of the capture of Kel Tahir's
robber band But the main facts are
these: The chief for the past three
years has been the terror of the roads
and Villages between Sivas and
Samsoun and Sivas and Yusgat.
Soldiers and zaptieh3 had repeatedly
been sent after ehim, but he had
hitherto succeeded in defying them
all, often wounding them with i'm
punity. The villagers were growing
more and more helpless before him,
and would give up unresistingly what
ever gcld, or even whatever girl, he
demanded. Eight days before he en-
countered our zaptiehs he came from
the direction of Samsoun, adding to
his band of six one new recruit.
1t is certain that he had sent word
to the caimacam of Yenikhan, nine
hours from SivaS, that he would soon
visit that village, and that as he had
given notice beforehand, he would ac-
cept no excuses in place of the bag of
gold he should demand. From differ
ent sources came reports, as well as
from Knoshack, the village where he
was finally taken, that he was dcmand-
ing and waiting for fifty liras and four
girls. On Wednesday the zaptiehs
struck his trail, and early on Thursday
morning, as they neared the Kizilbash
village of Knoshack, some two days
from Sivas, toward Yusgut, they en-
countered villager sentinel whom
the robbers had forced into their SER
vice to watch the approach of the
Zaptiehs. The sentinel took courage
and gave no alarm. The ZaptiehS
quickly committed their horses to the
charge of the villagers, and crept up
on foot. and surrounded the house
where the robbers were resting Our
vail had already outlawed the whole
band, and had promised entire immu-
nifty to any one who should kill them.
As the house was surrounded,
Chashambeli HaSsan Bey, one of the
robbers, whose horse had been put in
a distant stable, was standing at the
outer door, and was turning to enter
the room to raise the alarm, when he
was shot deal. At the report of gun
Kel Tahir springs out Ike a fash,
draws in the body of his fellow COM
rade, and shuts the door. The captain
of zaptiehS calls out to him: excl
Tahir, enough, surrender, surrender,
or we must shoot YOU" But his only
answer was yOlley after volley from
revolvers and Winchester rifles,
through thew ndOwS and up the ch m
ney. The zaptiehs, sixty in number,
were mostly protected by walls and
village carts. They had orders to re-
serve their fir till tie robbers were
tired. The captain mounts the roof
over the outlaws and shouts again:
"Tahir, why will you compel us to kill
you? Surrender" Tahir screams, all
the while firing hi repeater into the
earth of the Fat roof in the direction
of the captains voice: u" | know Sivas
prison. was there two years ago. [
would rather die somewhere else" The
order was then given to tear off the
top of the chimney, and to cram down
lighted straw.
But the septiehs were no quicker
than Tahir; he snatched up the native
bsds and crammed them into the
chimney t. prevent the smoke from
coming down into the room. The
lrigands' bullets now Eegan to tear
through the roof, and the order was
given to bore through the side wall of
the house. This done, the captain of
the besieging force drew near and
shouted: Surrender, say" Tahir
replied: "All right, captain; comeup
to the hole you have made in the
side and / will hand you my weapons
through" "No, No, Tahir." reiOined
the captain, "you have got as old fox
as yourself to deal with now. Take
off your coat and belt and come out in
your shirt, and not a hair of your head
shall be touched. If you don't you are
a dead man The firing out and in
from the window continues, and
bullet strikes into the stable, and
Tahir's noble horse falls dead before
the manger.
Suddenly the firing from the house
cease, all i, quiet inside. The be-
siegers strain their eyes with atten-
ton, and the word is passed round
that the brigandS are mounting. The
captain issues his final orders Zap
tiehs, stand steady and firm now.
Give them little room if they want
to come" The door Of the house
swings back, and out dash five mounted
Circassians who put spurs into their
horses flanks and urge them on for
dear life. The new recruit came out
after them on foot, with revolver in
each hand. The noble steeds dashed
forward splendidly, but ascOre OF rifles
belch forth upon them torrent of
fire and lead. Although wounded, the
horses instinctively continue to struggle
along, when three of them are brought
down by another volley. Orders are
given to cripple the other two; the
report follows -one of the two remain
ing horses is hit, and Tahir is seen on
the other side of it, determined to
make last desperate stand. He NOR
tally stabs his horse in order that it
shall not roll and turn in agony. and
from behind the bulwark formed by
the quivering carcass of his expiring
steed Tahir begins to fire on the enemy.
But he is surrounded and killed, while
tho last of his comrades MANAGES to