The record-union., 1893-11-03
GRECIAN BRIGANDAGE.
Futile Efforts to Suppress the Knights
of the Road.
The Authorities Seem Powerless and
the Inhabitants of the Country
Are Filled With Alarm.

Public attention in Greece has Of late
been directed toward the marked increase
of criminality, so bold that it defies leg
islation and fills the inhabitants with
alarm. A veritable panic has been crea-
ted by brigands, whose depredations
have been so frequent and persistent as to
arouse the Government TO extreme &C
ton. The authorities are powerless to
suppress these lawless knights. The
country is literally infested with them,
the rank and file being criminals who
have been condemned for murder or
theft, and who, by some means manag-
ing to evade justice, betake themselves
to the highway. The most daring of
these malefactors are those less sought
for or suspected by the police. These,
having passed beyond brigandage, ex-
tort from peasant or townsmen accord
ing to opportunity. Moreover, encour-
aged by the immunity they have en-
joyed, they have had the hardihood to
enter villages, small towns, and even the
larger cities. These organized bands
have long existed, but heretofore the
Government has taken no measures to-
ward their suppression, 1t being occu-
pied with affairs of State and questions Of
AuduCes ~ Is OWING 70 IQlS budG Lu0 HO-
torious Djonlis PapakiritZopouH and
TZanakas, whose names furnish whole
chapters in the criminal records, have
Uourlshed from year to year, their eX-
ploits being fully as remarkable as any
related in fiction. These outlaws eXtort
protection by threatening their victims
with death should the latter attempt to
seek justice.
Brigands and their exploits still pos
sess mysterious fascination for the peO-
pie, and especially the inhabitants of the
cantons of continental Greece, furnishing
a reminiscence Of the rude wars of his
tory preceding the great revolution. In
many places no opprObrium is attached
to the word brigand. On the contrary,
brigand is regarded as a hero, "klepte,"
one who, through untoward circum-
stances and the rigor Of the law, is COM
PEELED to live by his wits. A "klepte" is
an example of herOism and crude patri-
Otism in the estimation OF these simple
minded folk. He is by no means looked
upon as lawbreaker, but rather knight
errant, who accordingly is entertained
right royalty preparatory to his starting
out upon the highway. Once arrived, he
seiZes the unwary traveller at the edge of
the wood, captures him and holds him
until the ransom demanded from his rel
atives is paid, the ransom being proper
tonate to the wealth and station of the
annoyed by police interference the cap
tive is put to death.
An attempt was made 10 suppress
brigandage in 1870, which resulted most
disastrously. Troops were ordered to
trace these criminals to their haunts. At
that time the parents of a certain captive
endeavored, through every means, TO cir
cumVent the authorities pending negotia-
tions for his release. Failing in this,
they received from the brigands the eyes
OF the unfortunate prisoner. In other in
stances nose or an ear of the captive
was cut OF and sent as a warning to his
family. These examples proved effect
ual in securing to the outlaws immunity
and exorbitant rewards in the future.
The history of brigandage should fur
ni5h to-day a splendid field for the nov
elist. The list of felOns upon whose
heads price is set grows daily. Only
recently the police have noted number
Df individuals whose calling appears to
have been tie haunting of dark and unfre
quented alleys where, later, corpses were
discovered. Sucn mysterious deaths are
OF daily occurrence. In every case the
perpetrator has been unidentified. Moth
ing has as yet proved etfectual in eXter
mlnating the brigandS. Under law
passed IN 1872 the parents Of PapaklritZO-
poulOi, one of the most celebrated of the
brigands, were transported beyond the
borders of Samia. Here these worthless
related tale Of narrowing persecution,
declaring that on account of a love affair
in which their son had engaged they
had been banished from the country.
Through sympathy extended TO them
these malefactors were enabled to organ
ize and to carry out a series of crimes
that appalled, the entire community at
that period. At the present whoever
succeeds in ridding the country of this
pest of brigandage will have rendered an
inestimable service. 1t is already agreed
that Draconian measures are to be adopt
ed, and, should Greece and Turkey unite
in the effort, millennium of peace may
be anticipated by the long-sutfering pop
ulace.