Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-12-28
LIFE AMONG BRIGANDS.
A Diet Of Beach Leaves, Glover and Grass-A
Head That Was Hard TO Cut Off
Aiah4bad Morning Post.

A Diet Of Beach Leaves, Glover and Grass-A
Head That Was Hard TO Cut Off
AIahabad Morning Post.
Herr Binder. one of The men who was
captured by tha brigands at Bsllove, has
given an interesting nsrr alive of his tx
perieuces. He says: "Messrs. Scrikof-
sky, Lander, Mitklol and myself were
sitting quietly at the Cafe Manto, in Bel
Iowa, when five hrigan6s entered, their
ystagsns in hand. The chief APPROACH
Lander and said, 'Sigpor Lsniler, follow
men Before Lander could answer he re-
ceiyed two blows in the face and was led
into the next room TIE brigend chief
then came up to me and seiZ d hold of
me by the wrist. As l hesiteted l also
received two blows in the face. 1 he
brigapd s brsndished their yatagaps over
our heads, and d | esjs'aIce would have
been in vain. Seriously was released,
while Lander, Mitklol and /, together
with laborer, had our hands tieo. We
were taken away about one kilometer TO
pit where the brigend5 had put NE
already in 1884. There We found thir-
teen brigands waiting for Us. We march
ed the whole night until thee IN the
morning when we rested INT noon. On
the Monday we sem the first letter TO
Frau Lander, asking her TO make every
effort 10 OBJ ain our release. The aborer
captured with Us served as messenger.
The same day the brigands heard the
mounted gems d'armes we're coming, and
cOnst q 1el thy changed their quarters
Ga WEDNESDAY our provisions, consisting
of bread, sutton, tommy fish and cognac,
taken by the brigands from tie cafe at
BelLova were exhausted. The next two
days all We had to eat vas beech leaves,
clover and grass. Tobacco We had in
abundance. Six OF them were sent to
capture somebody provided with eataoles.
In four or five hours they rerurLed
with two Turks, one of whom received
twely. francs the next morning sogo and
bay bread with. He was told that If he
did not come back ms comrede would be
PCT to death. We withdrew to Il small
wood three kilometers off. The Turk,
however, did not return. The chief was
furious and wanted to slap the other
Turk with his yatagaL, but his followers
prevented him from doing. Afterwards
we set out again and marched fer some
time. The bri. ands took bread and
buck 8keat from a sheph 7rd, which WAS
distributed among the mse!ves and US as
prisoners. Towards nine O'Clock that
morning the Turk, whose name was Hass-
an, asked to go on one side, which, &C
com panied by several of the band, he was
allowed to do. Presently We heard ter
ribe howlipg. Hassan had tried to es-
cape end the brigands had beaten him
till he lost consciousness. 1t was then
decided that he should be killed. The
question arose as to who should DO the
deed. Among the brigapds was one
Gejargi, butcher by trade, who wore
long knife. Lots were drawn IN hat,
and the marked paper was drawn by &c
jargi. Hassau was standing five yards
OF. In AZ imploring tone he called out,
Il have sixty pounds at home, ard you
shall have it if you save my life" The
brigands laug he'd increduously. Hassan
was not killed directly. He was left in
mental agony another eighteen hours
Towards five O'Clock the next morning
Gejargi and three others Jagged behind,
and We knew Hassan was 10 die. Soon
afterward they came up with Hessan, and
the horrible Ge jargi, with an air of salts
faction, wiped his knife from which the
Turks blood WAS dropping. They said it
was to cut off Hassan's head. The exc
cutioner had TO try three times before hv
succeeded. Hassen's murder furnished
the brigands with matter for conversation
for whole week.
IRE band is organized on a military
footing. After our capture they took
down our names, nationality, religion
and profession. Five of the band are
first class brigan6s, four belong to the
second class, two act as spies, and the
others are called "fox tales" the rest TO
do the drudgery. The executioner, Gs-
jargi, is first class bligand. The band
is made of Bulgar!ans, with the excep-
ton of two, who are of the Albanian
origin. One of them speaks Polish and
Russian. Kassareff wears modern civil
ian clothes, the others the Bulgarian
national dress. They repeatedly said
that they expected to be pardoned in
case there was change of regime Ia Bul-
garia. The brigand, Mitri, said he had
| been TO the Stay committee in Odessa and
| Kalafat. KEsssreff made no secret of it
| that he had spent the winter with those
| committee. The hrigands ennouuced
their intention of shortly carrying out a
g eat coup. They said they only wanted
the ransom for political purposes. We
had no more forced marches in MacedOn-
ia, where the brigands fei. at home.
| When our ransom money came there WAS
a quarrel as 10 how it was to be divided.
| Eventually IT was distributed In four
categories We ourselves got four
pounds each as lucky money, with the re-
mark, This is a present from our band"
The thirty-two pounds found upon us
when we were captured was also returned
to u.s. The brigands who took US are
pious. They cross themselves morning
and night and bafore each meal. They
live 10 accordance with certain laws
I,
afraid a woman might betrav them.
They are not even allowed to talk about
themselves,