Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-01
MISS STONES RANSOM.

MISS STDNE'S NtNSOMs
A Turkish official Is accredited with
the statement that his government will
refuse TO pay any claims for damages
on account Of the famous abduction
case, first because Miss Stone went on
her journey, though warned Of It's dan
gers; second, because it was not known
that she intended 10 go and third, be-
cause the brigands were Bulgarians and
planned the plot In Bulgaria.
That Is not. ingenious. In countries
under Turkish dominion, travellers do
not go from one place to another With
out the knowledge OF the authorities,
for they always have to take passports,
and these cannot be secured without a
satisfactory account Of the details Of
the journey, the destination. its pur-
pose, etc. But lei that pass, The ques-
ton still remains, how does the Turk
ish government at this time know that
the brigands were Bulgarians and that
the plot was planned on Bulgarian soil7
That statement would seem to reveal
more knowledge OF the unfortunate ar
fair than prudence at present ought
to admit on the part Of the Turkish
government officials.
But the question of indemnity is not
yet up for discussion. The important
point now Is to find the captives I'M
harmed II possible. When that Is done,
the affair can be investigated and the
responsibility laid wherever 1t belongs.
So far. there seems TO have been more
quibbling about who did II, than efforts
at rescuIng the prisoners. The Turks
charge II TO the Bulgarlans who, they
claim, are anxious 10 stir up quarrel
between the United States and Turkey.
The Bulgarians say this is SANDER
and that II was the work of Turks who
hurried their victims into Bulgarian
territory in order to arouse Indignation
against the Macedonian committee
But this quarrel Is idle, as
long as the bandits have not been To-
Gated and called to account When
that is done. the bill win be presented 70
Turkey. and II will be paid 10 the last
dollar. Turkey can hardly refuse to
pay, as long as she claims suzeralnty
over Bulgaria. even II she afterwards
finds that the latter country is under
obligation to refund the money. That,
We fancy, Turkey and Bulgaria will
have to settle between themselves.
Miss Stone is described as cultured
lady from Chelsea, Mass Before she
went as missionary to Bulgaria TWEEN
ty-nve years ago. she was on the staff
OF the Congregationalist OF Boston, the
leading weekly paper Of the Congre-
gational denomination. She had charge
OF the Bible women in her field--women
who go about among the homes Of the
people in the villages. She had trav-
eled over most of Bulgaria and Mace
donia and was widely known and be-
loved. During the summer she held
her usual training school in Bansko. a
mountain village OF Macedonia, and on
September started with a party OF
twelve for Djumia. Late in the after
noon they were surrounded In noun
tain defile by thirty or forty armed
men. dressed in Turkish costume, with
faces masked or blackened. The rest
OF the party was robbed and Miss
Stone and Mrs. Tsilka were taken to
the mountains, whence letter was
sent to missionaries In Bulgaria de-
manding ransom.
These are the facts, as given In the
press dispatches she was not at the
time Of capture, travelling over an UNI
known road In a district scarcely ever
visited. Undoubtedly she had been
over that road time and again Her
capture was a deep laid plot. The mat
ter should be- probed to the bottom, and
the responsibility placed where It be.
longs And II the incident can be made
the starting point for reforms in Tur-
key, whereby life and property become
more secure than they are now, Il will
not be without benefit to mankind.