Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-11-21

SOFIA, Oct. 28.-William f. Curti.
in the Chicago Record-Herald.-Mis
Stone is well known in Sofia, and il
fact throughout all the Balkan prov
inces. She has been engaged in mis-
sionary work in this region evel
since the independence of Bulgaria
was established at the close of the
Turko-Russian war. Her headquar
ters have been at Salonica, a Turk
ish port on the Mediterranean, which
was formerly known as Thessalonica
st. Paul addressed his Epistle to the
Thessalonicas to its inhabitants, and
the city is otherwise Unidentified with
important events in the history OF
Christianity. Rev. John II. House oi
Painesville. Ohio, whose influence
and usefulness extend beyond the
borders OF Bulgaria. where he was i
pioneer in missionary work has
e.large of the headquarters at Sa
lonica. and Miss Stone has been asso
ciated with him for many years. Her
|. especial duties have been to super.
wise the educational work, and it has
been her habit to travel on horseback
throughout the country, opening
schools, establishing native teachers
and lookin after their work In this
way she has acquired wide ac.
qnaintance and is universally respect
ed and beloved not only by the Pro
testants converts. but by all classes.
1t Is affecting to witness the demon
strations of sympathy and anxiety IL
her behalf by the people of Sofia
Nine. Backmiteff, wife of the Rus
sian minister, who is the most in.
fluential parsonage in Bulgaria. is be
sieged by the women of this city. en-.
treating her to use her influence to
secure the intervention of her hus-
band in Miss Stones behalf Mrs
Blackmiteff was a Washington girl.
a daughter of the General Edward F.
Beale. formerly of California, and
General Grants most intimate friend.
She is a sister of Mrs. John Mclean.
and hre brother was the husband of
Harriet Blaine. Mrs. Backmiteff is
deeply concerned for Miss Stone. but
1t was not necessary to exercise any
influence upon her husband, for he
also has the greatest respect for her
and has done everything in his power
to secure her release. Unfortunate
ly. Mr.. Backsmiteff was absent from
Bulgaria. until few days ago, or
Miss Stone might have been rescued
promptly. His thorough knowledge
of the Bulgarian character and local
affairs and his six years experience
here have given him unusaI qualifica-
tions for meeting emergencies of this
kind.
| am writing of the situation as it
appears today, although before this
letter is published it may have been
completely changed by events. Never
theless. the history of Miss Stones
case will have permanent value and
interest
When she was captured by the bri-
gands on the I'd of September Miss
Stone was on her way from the little
town of Bansko in Bulgaria to Din
mania. Turkey, and had crossed the
border. She was accompanied by
Rev. Stefano Tsilka. pastor of the
Protestant Church at Monastir, and
his wife, Katrina Tsilka, Mr.. Dimi-
troff, her father; four theological stu
dents from the missionary school at
Zamakoff. and three young Bulgarian
women, who had been educated at
the same school and We're on their
way to take charge of schools in
Macedonia belonging to the missions
of the Americans board, where Miss
Stone intended to locate them per
a Tho hnrS n
the Earty were two Bulgarians, sent
from Bansko to look after the ami
mails and act as guides. One or two
of the men were armed, but when
they were stopped by the brigands
they saw that they were out number
ed and that it would be folly to make
use of them. The recollection of diff
ferent members of the party varies
as to the number Of the brigands.
Some think there were only eight
or ten others insist that there were
as many as twenty. All agree that
they were dressed in Turkish uni
forms and wore the red fez. which is
the distinguishing badge of a Mos
lem.
Miss Stones party were in mar
row pass. riding single file, when
overtaken and commanded in Turk
ish to halt. 1t was near nightfail.
AS soon as a convenient place was
reached the brigands instructed the
party to go into camp and repeated
ly assured them that they need fear
no harm. No threats of violence
were made and no insults offered, as
is customary when Turks encounter
Christians. No Christian woman can
expect to escape insult and seldom in
jury If she meets Turkish soldier
in Macedonia. but Miss Stone, being
an American of strong character and
past middle age, has usually been
treated with respect. If her captors
had been Turks the proceedings
would have been entirely different
from what actually occurred. and the
three young women teachers. especi-
n'ly, would have had an entirely diff.
lerent experience This circum-
stance is the strongest kind of evi-