Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-11-27
#isfeltaueuus 8eading.
ABDUCTION OF MISS STONE.
william E. Curtis Tells an Interest-
ing Story of the After.

william E. Curtis Tells an Interest-
ing Story of the After.
William E. Curtis, the well-known
correspondent Of the Chicago Record
Herald, writing from Sofia under date
of October 2Sth, furnishes his paper
with a complete and highly interesting
account Of the abduction of Miss Stone,
the American missionary, by Bulgarian
brigands. He also tells Of her great
popularity in Bulgaria and the great
anxiety that Is felt there for her safe.
ty. His letter, which Is published III
Tuesdays Record Is, in part,
as follows:
Miss Stone is well-known in Sofia,
and in fact throughout all the Balkan
provinces. She has been engaged In
missionary work in this region ever
since the independence Of Bulgaria was
established at the close Of the Turko-
Russian war. Her headquarters have
been at Salonica, Turkish port on
the Mediterranean, which was formerly
known as Thessalonica. st. Paul ad-
dressed his Epistle to the Thessal-
onians to its Inhabitants, and the city
Is otherwise identified with important
events in the history Of Christianity.
Rev. John H. House, of Painesville,
O., whose influence and usefulness ex-
tend beyond the borders Of Bulgaria,
where he was pioneer in missionary
work, has charge Of the headquarters
at Salonica, and Miss Stone has been
associated with him for many years.
Her especial duties have been to super
wise the educational work, and 1t has
been her habit to travel on horse
back throughout the country, opening
schools, establishing native teachers
and looking after their work. In this
way she has acquired a wide acquain-
tance and is universally respected and
beloved, not only by the Protestant
converts, but by all classes. 1t Is af-
fecting to witness the demonstrations
of sympathy and anxiety in her behalf
by the people OF soma.
When she was captured by the brig
ands, on the I'd Of September, Miss
Stone was on her way from the little
town of Bansko in Bulgaria to Dunn
ania, Turkey, and had crossed the bor-
der. She was accompanied by Rev.
Stefano Tsilka, pastor Of the Protes-
tant church at Monastir, and his wife,
Katrina Tsilka; Mr.. Dimitriff, her
father; four theological students from
the missionary school at Zamakof,
and three young Bulgarian women,
who had been educated at the same
school and were on their way to take
charge Of schools in Macedonia belong
ing to the missions Of the American
board, where Miss Stone intended to
locate them permanently. The other
members Of the party were two Bull
garians, sent from Bansko to look af-
ter the animals and act as guides. One
or two Of the men were armed; but
when they were stopped by the brig
ands they saw that they were out
numbered and that 1t would be folly
to make use Of them. The recollec-
ton Of different members Of the party
varies as to the number Of brigands.
Some think there were only eight or
ten; others insist that there were as
many as 20. All agree that they were
dressed in Turkish uniforms and wore
the red fez, which is the distinguishing
badge of a Moslem.
Miss Stones party was in narrow
pass, riding single file, when overtaken
and commanded in Turkish to halt. 1t
was near nightfall. AS soon as con-
venient place was reached the brig
ands instructed the party to go into
camp and repeatedly assured them that
they need fear no harm. No threats OF
violence were made and no insults Of
fered, as Is customary when Turks en-
courter Christians. No Christian wo-
man can expect to escape insult and
seldom injury II she meets a Turkish
soldier in Macedonia; but Miss Stone,
being an American Of strong charac-
ter and past middle age has usually
been treated with respect. If her cap
tors had been Turks the proceedings
would have been entirely different
from what actually occurred, and the
three young women teachers, especial
ly would have had an entirely differ
ent experience. This circumstance is
the strongest kind Of evidence that the
brigands were Bulgarians.
After a consultation Mr.. Tsilka, Mr..
Dimitroff and the two drivers made
careful examination Of the country
around them; but could find no trace
Of the women or the brigands except
their trail, which led over the noun
tains back toward Bulgaria. The en-
tire day was spent in the search. The
husband and the father of Mrs. Tsilka,
almost overcome with grief and con-
sternation, pursued their fruitless
search through the next night, and as
there were no further signs Of the brig
ands they decided to return to Bans
ko and give an alarm. Messengers
were sent to notify the missionary COL
ony at Samakoff, but, strange to say.
the news of Miss Stones capture pre-
ceded them and was whispered about
the streets by Vaciloff and other Mace
DOMAIN revolutionists, who appeared to
know all about it. They also predict
ed the amount of ransom that would
be demanded before anything had been
heard from the brigands. In fact,
there has been but one demand, which
| was contained in a letter written by