New-York tribune., 1898-12-28
GREENS FIND 4 BRTGAND HERE.
IDENTIFY A HIGHWAYMAN AS A FUGITIVE
OK WHOSE HEAD THERE is PRICE
OF FIVE THOUSAND FRANCS

Michael Fernando a Greek who Is I'm custody
charged with having decoyed Nicolas Iout2ouble.
u Greek sailor. OF No. S3 Water-st.. to his room
at No. 1879 East Thlreenth-st last Thursday. and
having beaten him into insensbiliiy and robbed him,
was identified yesterday In the Yorkville Police
Court az Soteros de Sarantos. ferocous Greek
brgand. for whom the Greek Government has
offered a reward Of 500 francs, dead or alive.
The Identification made by George Iegouras.
collector OF ferns and wild flowers. who lives at
No III West Sixteenth-st.
Fernando or Saran.os. is powerful fellow.
standing six feet high. and Of tremendous
strength. lie IS known 10 all his friends "the
big Greek" lie has been In this country FOR
many months. and has been recognized by nearly
all the Greeks who have met him the brigand
on whose head the Greek Government has placed
price but they have been awed by his ferocity
and the stories Of his prowess that they have been
afraid to disclose his identity to the authorities.
Detectives Jackson ard OConnor. Of the Fifth-st.
station. however. opened the for the dis
closure OF the Greeks real character and identity
by arresting him for the robbery OF the Greek
sailor
Prior TO the breaking out OF the Graco-Turkish
war. according 10 the story cleaned by the poilcc.
band Of desperate brigands under the leader
ship OF SLrantos. infested the province OF Artola,
in Greece The outlaws imprisoned wealthy resi-
dents OF the country and travellers. and held them
for ransom and many tourists suffered az tneir
hands. They became so bold ihat the Greek 10y
ernment at last sent detail Of soldiers to aid the
police In supprcssng them. In the battle that foi-
lowed ive soldiers were killed by the outa~s. ~.
The Greek Government then offered a reward Tor
the capture of Sarantos. dead or alive.
Fernando denies empha;icay that he Is Sarantos.
enemies to get rid OF him. Iortzouble. the sailor,
declared in court yesterday that the prisoner was
coInterfeier ard that II policemen were sent with
him to Jersey city he would show where counter
felt money being made Detectives OConnor
and Jackson told the Magistrate that the sailor
that they were little douStf3 about his charges.
George Iegouras, the fern collector was VII
ness In court yesterday. ne SAID ne was p3sitNIe
and that he was known to all the Greeks in the
city but they afraid to testify against him.
Zegouras said that ne would communicate further
with his relatives IN Greece, and ge, more details
about the brigand.
Magistrate Kudch held Fernando for trial in
5000 bail for the assault the sailor and in
the matter Of the brgandaG OF Fernando before
the Greek Counsel.
When Fernando was arrested he wrote letter IN
Greek to Adjy NeiyO. OF No 30 West Fourteenth
ST. He asked the detectives to deliver II. They
held the note and had II translated last night IN
the letter Fernando says, among other things
most desperate scrapes that | eyer got INTO
want you to come to court and testify that You
that this man attempted an indecent assault upon
me. That. ! think will get me out OF II. .
The detectives visited the Greek Consul, at NO
81 South Wiliam-st.. yesterday afternoon ana
asked him If he knew IN IT the bandit on whose
head his Government had set so high price was
in this country. The Consul said he had KNOWN
ton as his Government Lad given him no instruc-
tions. lie said there was a treaty between HreeCe
and the United states under which Fernando couii
be eXtradted. but that was useless 10 tSae a a. ~
vantage OF II. because the prisoner would nave 10
be taken to Greece by way OF France and ltaly
and would be free man a. soon as he ser 1907 III
either OF those countries. He congra tulat"d the
detectives on their capture saying GU nave
captured dangerous man