The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-08
Of THE k|DNAPPERS
incidents of Some Bulgarian
Brigands.
CANNOT BE FOOLED WITH
Always Destroy Any Traces of
Where They Camp.
The New York world says:

and her companion cannot be known until
the missionaries shall be in a position
to tell their story in detail. What these
men are ordinarily capable of, however,
in the way of greed. brutality and daring
is shown in the following remarkable mar
ratiyes of personal experiences told by
two men who have suffered capture at
the hands of the bandits in every shape.
The last person to undergo an adven-
ture of this sort was DR.. Megareus,
young Greek physician. who last year
barely escaped with his life from the
hands of some particularly daring ban
sits. The doctors capture, OF which he
gives the following vivid account, took
place in Macedonia.
Athens, Greece, Nov. 16.
My home has been for ten years in
Kirk Kilesse. Macendonia, where 1 have
acted as chief interpreter for the French
political agency of the town in addition
to practicing my profession.
Every afternoon about sunset it was
my practice, until a year ago. to take
short horseback ride into the country,
returning at nightfall. On July II. 1900,
I followed my usual custom and rode
toward the village sof Heraklitza. I had
ridden for about an hour and was not
more than a mile distant from the VII
lage when the dark figure Of a man came
from behind a rock and Selling my
horses bride with his left hand, pointed
the barrel of a revolver at me with his
right.
Before 1 could recover from the shock
five more savage loking ruffians, all IN
masked, pressed around me.
Get down" commanded the first man
in the Bulgarian tongue.
'Why?' asked.
For answer two of the men caught me
and pulled me off the saddle roughly. AS
I stepped on the ground I struck with my
fist a particularly ugly looking villain,
who fell to the ground. Taking advan-
tage Of the momentary confusion I gave
a great leap backward and getting clear
Of the group ran for my life, But
was closely chased for a few minutes
and recsptured by man who appeared
to be the leader of the party, beaten in
the face and kicked in the sides. Then
my hands were tied behind me and I
was ordered to move along slowly. In
this fashion was led at a low pace about
two and one half miles to the east of
HeralIitza when a rest was ordered.
Here the brigands formed circle and
talked animatedly to each other but in
low whispers.
A rev moments later the leader came
and told me that I was detained for ran
som, assuring me that I would undergo
no maltreatment if l kept quiet. He asked
me to write letter to my family. telling
them to get ready the sum of s2O.00O
I
nor all my relatives together could col
lect such a sum of money. and that the
most they could send would be $500
The brigands refused to believe me, how
ever and forced me to write the letter.
After it was placed in an envelope two
of the party took hold of my hands. One
Of them pricked me in the hand with a
small knife. With the blood thus OBJ
tanned the leader wrote in Bulgarian the
letters 'B. NJ" which may mean "Bul-
garia, Macedonia on the back of the
envelope. a shepherd left Immediately on
foot to deliver the letter.
Then 1 was made to walk in the group
they had formed. with my hands still
tied behind me. with a cord which passed
twice round the knot firmly held by one
Of the ruffians.
He walked brisl1ly during the whole OF
that night, and at dawn was told that
I might rest.
I noticed that two Of the party were
stationed at high points in order TO give
the alarm in case a pursuing party came
in sight. They were supplied with field
glasses and were instructed to discharge
their rifles once every half hour.
Meanwhile I lay on the the bare earth
to sleep, with a stone as substitute as
a pillow.
I slept at last, but awoke two hours Cr
so later, screaming with fear and burning
with fever. One of the brlgands offered
me some water and some pills OF COM
/ pressed cuinine. This had the effe"s OF
sending me OF to sleep again. I awolSe
few hours later slightly better but
utterly exhausted.
All that day until dusk we r. Gained NJ
that same place. We had something TO
eat st midday and about .. m. We Rad
some French coffee served from a single
big cup which we in turn filed and hand
ed around. The watch had been changed
every three hours The 6lscharging OF
the sentries' guns went on regularly
every half hour.
another nights journey.
The road led along beside the mountains
nearly always ascending. Our progress
was often impeded by huge rocks and
narrow paths on the edge Of crevasses.
All my companions were accomplished
mountaineers. as they guided my mex
perienced steps with great skill
We gained the outskirts OF a village
early the next morning. How we remain
ed in 2 hidden spot on the side Of n hiH
for three days ard nights, getting fresh
meat plentifuly and regularly. bur bow
do not know
On July q the brigands compelled me
to write q second letter 70 my people.
urging them 70 make haste about the
money as my eaptors Intended q hee5u
mutilating ne If they Old not receive
the ransom within q week In vain again
did / plead that they were delaying the
payment, as me sum asked was too large.
Nevsrtheless I was forced "a sisu the
letter. which was again seaiel. marked
and sent IL the sane WAY as t-e arst
As aftsrward learned. Immediately ap-
on receiving fhe second and more s1raaciy
worried letter ms relatives naaased ID
borrow Ssso They sent this 90 Zszrl
Valseni through the French agsnI Il
Kirk HSilisee. - whom i. oRe ga eternal
debt II gratitude for tae great interest
he took III the affair and fo~ his ener,-
in collecting the ausounf borrow ~. s. 49,
III which WAS given Is hiras--if
AT Zazara the bearers Il che rarssln
were met ~ q messenger ant caaaactasi
II e.. p -.fe--. --- rsre .rf-r- ~.