The San Francisco call., 1901-10-20
SEEKING FUNDS
TO FIGHT TURKS
Macedonian Tells Of the
Capture of Miss
Stone.
Sultan's Cruelty Responsible
for Abduction of
Missionary.

BERKELEY. Oct. ia recital of the
facts surrounding the abduction of Miss
Ellen NJ. Stone In Turkey the people who
have done IL and their motives, Is given
by Veltcho Nickoloff Madoleff, a Mace
donian at present in this city, and who
claims to be a member of the Macedonian
Society and in direct communication with
the celebrated Macedonian committee.
He claims a personal acquaintance with
Miss Stone, his native village, Beetesa.
being but three miles from where she was
captured. With his knowledge of the
people and affairs there he believes that
he is able to give correct reasons for her
capture.
According to Madoleff Miss Stone was
taken into captivity by brigands from his
own people and possibly members of the
Macedonian Society. He declares en-
phatlcally, however. that the act was
without the knowledge or conniVance of
either the Macedonian committee or the
Bulgarian Government. The brigands
who took Miss Stone have one purpose
only for their act. and that is to- secure
money with which TO puIchase arms to
revenge themselves against the Turks for
outrages committed on the Maceuoniuns.
The brigands. according to Madoleff. are
recognized in Miss Stone an opportunity
for bountiful ransom. In speaking of
them Madolef said:
Robbed by the Turks.
The bIigands are men who have been robbed
by the Turks or have had their wives or daugh-
ters forced into Turkish wifedom BY officials
and soldiers OF the sultan They have gone
the mountains with the avowed purpose OF
revenge. Those who took Miss Stone evidently
knew her. They knew that she was teaching
some religion strange TO them and that behind
her was a rich people. They saw In her
II Miss Stone is in the hands OF my people,
as believe she 10. she will receive good treat
ment. There is no question about II. Blu. il
pressed BY soldiers Miss Stone viii be killed
That is certain. 1 know the people Their
lives are nothing to them: they are seeking
revenge only.
For the last thirty years the oppression of
the Turkish Government on my people has
been too cruel. They have been downtrodden
and kept poor through taxes and extortion.
They forced 10 support marching regl-
ments the young men are sent TO prison and
for outrages on friends and relatives. The men
become brigands and enter into state OF
constant battle.
War Is Spreading.
War is spreading over Macedonia and s, will
tingushed until Bulgaria and Macedonia are
free. Many people have strange ideas concern.
ing the Macedonian committee and the Mace
don.an Society The committee In compos ed
Of ,in men M ,',r With headanar,ers & a, Sonia the
hegs all over the worlt and II Is under the
direction OF the committee. The open and
avowed purpose OF the committee is for free
dom from Turkey. and In this IL has the sym
pathy OF the Bulgarian Government.
Madolef says that he has been In Amer
lea for three years. He ard II. p. Kalan-
con are working in this country under
the Macedonian committee. raising funds
and doing whatever else is possible 20 aid
their countrymen. That Madoleff Is in
direct communication with the Macedo-
niaL committee Is certain. as he receives
registered mail from that body. He
makes secret OF this and shows his
papers TO prove his identity. He carries
many receipts and other papers bearing
the seal of the Macedonian Society OF
the United States of America" The seal
consists OF a red skull and crossbones
surrounded by the name of the society
and a leather belt. Below the crossbones
l. the name OF LevskI. a Macedonian pat
inl