Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-10-11
RUMORS AND THEORIES.
CONCERNING THE ABDUCTION
OF MISS STONI

| of MlSS SIONE y,
But Nothing Definite Known OF Her Sit
uation-The u 3 Government viii
| Advance the Ransom Money and Day
of Reckoning w III Follow.
Mr. Haskell. the American mission
airy at Samakotf, Bulgaria, has opened
| negotiations with the brigands with
| the view of reducing the amount of
the ransom demanded for the release
of Miss Stone, the American m issioa-
airy held by Bulgarian brigands. The
American consul at Salonlca has re-
ceived orders to make the arrange
ments with the Vail or governor for
the payment of the ransom. The
United States will advance the mon
ey, afterward settling with Turkey.
The Turkish authorities have made
numerous arrests among the Bulgarian
population, without distinction of re-
ligion, and nearly all have been put
to torture in the hope of obtaining
in formation. n prison er named
Dimitri said an understanding existed
between toe Professionals and the Mac
edonian COMMITTEE. and that Miss
Stone was even acting in concert with
the view of obtaining funds for a
politico- religious propaganda. These
declarations, wrung from Dimitri un
der torture, are valueless. What Is
certain is that the captain of the band
designated place in proximity to
the Rum allan frontier for the paymant !
of the ransom, which indi ates that
he hopes to escape the Turkish police
and that the Bulgarian police do not
cause him anxiety.
DR. Mesropean, an Armeni phi, 81
clan Of Kar sas City, declares that the
abduction WAS the work of the sultan
Of Turkey: that he oroered her to be
taken across the Bulgarian border, so
and that the move is in retaliation
for the $50, 600 indemnity which the
United States eXtcted of Abdul
buildings.
Another rumor is that the rarsom
will be pait out of the sultan's Own
treasury. The irnDy of the situation
in this event would be that the sum
would form contribution to the Mae
edonian committee S secret fund and be
employed in carrying out the commit
tees revolutionary aims against TIr-
Key.
Oscar Straus, former U S minister
to Turkey, thinks that Miss Stone was
by Bulgarian Christians in
Bulgaria. He says:
The state religion of Bulgaria is
The Bulgarian branch Of the Greek
Orthodox church, and naturally there
s considerable enmity felt on the part
IF these Christians against mission
aries from any other church.
by far the largest portion of the
troubles that cane before me during
ny two terms as minister to CoLstan-
iinople were tracesble to the ennity
If other Christian sects against our
From the accounts | have read ii
loes not appear that either Mohamme
Ian ism or the sultan of Turkey is 10
my way chargeable with this unfortu
late incident In fact, l have never
,nowu the Turks to resort to bandittl
work. Such as has taken place 10
Turkey was usually, if not invariably,
lone by Greeks, as was the case IN
smyrna same two years ago, when the
On of resident English merchant
vas kidnapped and held for ransom.
Was the ransom paid?''
Indeed it was. =
Gen Zontscheff, president OF Mace
oman committee, denies that that
onmittee is in any way connected
With the abduction of Miss Stone. he
eclsres that it is self-evident that
ne committee, which wishes to Sc
ure the support of the cirIlizid world
or the Macedonian cause, would not
o any thing SO foolish. Turks did the
eed, he adds, ard Turkey alone is re-
possible.
The Bulgarian foreign minister is
uoted as Indignantly deny ing the sug-
estion that Bulgaria is not doing her
tnost to rescue Miss Stone. He says
hat 5000 truops are searching for her
At Sofa it is thought certain that
ISIS Stone is some where in the Rilo