The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-10-23
Brigandage and Ransom.

According to the subjoined authori-
tative statement the custom in respect
OF repayment Of ransoms has been as
fol ows:
Until ten years ago the Sublime Porte
was invariably forced TO refund 10 the
foreign embassies at Constantlnope
whatever ransons they had been called
upon 10 pay for the release or their
countrymen aud countrywom4 Cap
tured and held for ransom by Turkish
brlgands. Some readers may recall the
Sultan grumb ing at having to pay the
SUN o $4,000 for Count aud Countess
Bray berg, VINO had been subjected
to good deal Of Ill usag9 by their cap
tors, owing to their struggles. At the Sub
lime Porte il Was plaintively remarked
in this connection that $4,000 was a
very Rig sum to pay ''for dam ,ged Ger
mans" But when Major Both wick,
who held an appointment in the Tur-
kish gendsrmerie, called upon the Brit
lsh embassy TO ransom his wife and
children who had been carried off by
brigands, the British foreign office
called halt IN the affair, real zng that
in view OF the fact that the major was
in the employ of the Turkish govern
ment it would have difficulty in recov-
ering from the latter the repayment of
the money expended in the liberation
OF his family. 81 the major was in
formed that while the embassy won
use its friendly offices in his behalf
with the Turkish government, it could
neither itself pay the ransom nor would
the latfar hn Dnrfa 81
as police official, he must have known
better than any one else the risk to
which he was exposing his wife and
children when he brought them out to
live in that particular part of Turkey
where the outrage took place.
Since then foreign governments have
been more chary in either furnishing
the money themselves for the ransom
OF those captured by brigands or max.
ing any claims upon the Ottoman AL
thorities. OF course, if any foreign Of
fetal were to be thu kidnapped and
held for ransom, especially il he was
engaged at the time on official business,
his government would a. once pay for
his liberation, subsequently 70 ciug the
Porte to return the money. But tour
lists, merchants and missionaries who
insist on visiting and scjourning in
brgapd infested districts are now re-
garded as doing so at their own risk
and peril, and as having no claim upon
their own governments or upon the
Porte in the event of their capture and
detention for ransom.
Miss Stone and her companions in
captivity have had many predecessors.
The practice of selling people OF ia
mily or station and holding them for
ransom has long prevailed in Turkey,
Greece, the Balkan States, along the
north coast OF Africa and even in Italy
and Spain. In every instance, for the
past generation, the policy and princi-
| pie OF paying ransoms has been discuss
ed, but the ransoms have been paid
the impulses OF love or the promptings
OF humanity triumphing over the at
stractions OF policy or the morality of
affording encouragement to brigand-
age.
So the business has been perpet.
uated, and when finances have been
low lord or lady somebody, some for
eign official, some tourist of wealth or
wealthy connections, or some person,
like missionary, with a following to
be interested, has been seized unawares
and borne away to some inaccessible
retreat. The rulers of the regions in
which brgaDdage has prevailed have
not always been free from suspicion of
prohtIng by these enterprises of their
dieorderly subjects.
Among the notable victims Of Greek
brlgandage were Lord and Lady Nun
caster, in 1870 residing in Athens,
and with them large number of
Others, when picnic to the plains of
Marathon was arranged by members of