The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1901-10-25

TYPE Ok BULGARIAN BhIGAND.
brigands are the aristocrats Of the kid
naplng business. They carry ON their
trade with much ceremony. Often they
are men whose antiadministration
views have made Sofia too hot for them
and who have had to take to the hills
in self defense. Once In the hills they
have to live, and what easier mode of
gaining a livelihood is there than alb
Quoting rich tourists and winning big
ransOms for the rafe return of their
captives?
That they are hunted by the police
and soldiers OF two governments is of
little concern to them apparently. The
police seldom get near enough TO the
bandits to do them any harm. 1t is
said that for many years the sultan
maintained a chief bandit hunter ut
the enormous salary of 5000 year.
He was appointed for the express pur-
pose of engineering the capture of one
notorious brigand. Obviously when
the bandit was captured the 100000
salary of the high official would cease,
and, obviously also. the bandit was
never caught.
The Turkish bandit is, IL not a COW.
ard. cautious and calculating person.
He wants plenty of time for laying
plans, collecting information and get.
ting all the advantage on his side. He
has no desire to stop a bullet, and
American and European travellers are
generally we'll armed. Therefore he
generally confines his attentions to
members Of his own race. Rich Arme.
mans make good prey for him.
The Bulgarian bandit on the other
hand, fears neither God nor man. So
we'll organized is Bulgarian brigand.
age that the brigands are divided into
classes-first and second class brigands,
servants, carriers, etc. A first class
brigand is as jealous of his social dis.
tinction as society woman. He IL
chivalrous In his way. If he releases
q prisoner after the payment of ran.
som, he makes Ii point to return to
him his Jewelry and sometimes even
advances him q small sum toward his
travelling expenses OH his way back to
civilization. Yet when safety or dis.
cipline demands he will cut throat
WIFI dS llllie lAC III
gar Turk.
The refuge Of the bandits Is usually
a cave in the side OF a mountain or OIL
a mountain top. always so well con-
cealed that only the brigands can find
1t. The captive who is carried to il
could not find ii If he were to look for
il after his release. In these caves
they plan their descents upon the
plains. They have aiders and abettors
among the peasants Of the neighboring
country, who keep them Informed OF
the movements Of the police as we'll rs
those Of riQl travellers.
The dress of the brigands is pictur-
esque 1t is of serviceable material,
rich in gold embroidery and we'll gar
nished with arms Of every description.
In cold weather they wear long shaggy
coats called capotes, which drape their
stalwart figures and at the same time
cover multitude Of sins.
One of the features OF the bandits
discipline is that he allows no women
in his camps. 1t is not that he fears
they may be unable to endure the
strenuous life or that their presence
may curb the spirits Of his men. He
fears their tongues. Indeed he discour-
ages any tendency to talk among the
men. They may discuss Bulgarian pol
itics or anything else under the sun ex-
cept themselves. On that point they
must be silent as the grave. In this re-
spect the bandits are perhaps worthy
of imitation.
The Bulgarian bandits are said to be