Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-10-01
A BRIGAND'S DEATH.
kara-Naoum, the Terror of Macedonia,
Shot Down by Turkish Soldiers.


IConstantnople Cor. New York Herald.]
There is great rejoicing at Salonlca
and Monastir. Brigandage, the hydra
headed monster that has so long been
proving upon the vitals of the south
western part of European Turkey, has
received severe blow sufficient, 1T is
thought, to put an end to freebooting
operations for some time to come. One
of it's principal limbs has been Topped
off in the shape of Kara-NaOum, the
black-visaged Pomak Chief as his
name implied, whose exploits during
the last few years had made him ter
ror of widespread district IN Mace
donna. IF Kara-Naoum did not ENJOY
European reputation it was not for
want of mention in the local press.
Time after time has his name been cited
in connection with some gross outrage
for he was very active In his oper-
atoms, and the field of his labors ex-
tended from Florina on the one side to
the northern regions of Lake Ochrida
on the other. In fact, he divided
with the famous Nike, the captor of Col.
Synge, all the lower part of Macedonia,
and so strong was his band that the
regular police force never cared to come
to close quarters with it. These two
mountain "Tchelebis," as brigands are
politely termed In Turkey, we're in
friendly alliance with each other, and as
pledge of their union the brother Of
Nike served with Naoum as his ieuten-
ant.
For the reason just given pursuit is
never driven home, and Naoum in con-
sequence, became so daring as not to
stop short in his kidnapping operations
at even local governor. No longer
ago than last Ramazan certain Hairie
Effend, the "Caimakain" Gieutenant-
Governor) of the town of Florina, was
carried off to the mountains by Naoum
and his band, together with several
other persons. 1t seems extraordinary
that this should have happened, with
such protection as a Governor has
always at hand in the shape of ''zaptehs."
His excellency, however, who had the
reputation of being "bon vivear" was
away at the time, feasting with select
party of boon companions in a small
kiosk in the couRtry, little dreaming of
Naoum's presence in his vicinity, see
ing that but few days previously the
latter had robbed party of travellers on
their way to Ochrida. The strangest
part of the story is that none of these
men have ever been heard of since.
No demand was made for their ransom,
and not the slightest trace of them have
been discovered, in spite of all the ex-
ertions of the authorities. The active
pursuit set on foot no doubt angered
the brigands, and, in accordance with
their usual custom, the governor and
his fellow-captives were all murdered.
This interference with the local gov
errors was the false step in Naoum's ca
reer which brought him to grief. AS
long as he confined his operations to the
unofficial subjects of the Sultan the
local authorities were not so averse to
his existence as to take any extra
trouble to put an end to it. When, how
ever, "Caimakain" was spirited away,
brigandage assumed very different as
pect. From the "Caimakain" to the
''Vai' was no great advance, and the
governor general of the province be-
gan himself to feel somewhat nervous
necessity was seen of drawing the line
somewhere in respect to these unlicensed
raids upon the population, and it would
seem to have been decided that this
line should be the capture of ieute1-
ant-governor. Ahmed Eyoub Pacha,
the Vail of Monastir, accordingly dis
patched picked body of troops, under
the command of Mustapha Pacha,
Circassian officer of great pluck and de-
termination. For several months, how
ever, the brigand chief and his band,
by the celebrity of their movements, man
aged to battle all the efforts of the gen
eral in his search for them. At last the
pursuers succeeded in getting upon the
track of Naoum, who, with few follow
ers, had separated from the rest of the
band.
Slowly but surely they followed him
up and managed to surround him be-
fore he was aware of their presence in
his neighborhood. Long success had
probably rendered Naoum or his scouts
over-confident or careless, for they
were completely taken by surprise.
However it may have been, the other
morning, while he, In company with
three of his band, were quietly drinking
tea in one of the houses of a small
village near Florina, they were sudden
~ confronted by body of men in the
uniform of the Sultan, who summoned
them to surrender. The answer was
volIey from their revolvers and rush
for the door at the back of the house.
Their retreat, however, was cut off, and,
continuing to resist, they fell at length
beneath the fire of the soldiers, though
not before two of the latter had been
severely wounded. Three of the
brigands, including Naoum and his
lieutenant, the brother of Nike, expired
on the field, and the fourth died few
hours afterward at Florina, where he
had been carried with the bodies of his
companions. There is no doubt about
the death of this br1gand, for his body
was duly identified at Florina by sew
eral of his victims.