Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-21
SKYsfPAYlTHE RANSOM
DR. Henry. Otis Dwight's Views
VI ! on the Stone Case.
LOOK TO TURKEY FOR REPAYMENT

Was n Missionary For Ten Years In
the Levant-Brigands, He Declares
VIII Keep Their Word and Return
the Captive Safely After All De-
mands Are Met.
Rev. Henry Otis Dwight. IL. d..
who was for thirty-two years a mis-
sionary in Turkey, and who has writ
ten much about the Turk and his
faith, believes that Miss Stone, whom
he knew well in the orient. is safe, and
that she will be promptly returned up
| on payment of the ransom.
DIR. Dwight believes that the ransom
Should be paid and that the Turkish
| government should later he looked to
| for restitution. DIR. Dwight was one
| of the pioneer missionaries in Turkey
| He was born in Constantinople. enter
ed Wesleyan university. but left il to
| go into the army and served with dis
| tinctiOn during the civil war. He de-
clined commission to enter the mis-
sionary field.
"What l cannot understand" said
Stone has not already talked her way
out of captivity. Miss Stone is not
only known. but greatly loved by the
villagers in the district where she was
taken. The villagers have great infiu-
ence with the briGandS. who depend
upon them not only for information
about the dOings of the officials, but
also for food.
81 feel sure that those villagers
would not under ordinary circum-
stances stand for such an outrage as
the abduction of Miss Stone. and until
the last few days expected every day
10 find in the papers the announcement
that she had been set free.
This is the first case within my
knowledge where a missionary has
been held for ransom. Up to this time
the natives have always felt that mis-
sionaries had back of them some great
political power. OF course that is not
so, but that belief among the natives
went far to protect us. That is what
worries me now.
THE abduction of Miss Stone would
indicate that the lawless elements of
the orient had begun to realize that
than merchants. A precedent has been
made, and it is a precedent that l great
ly regret
1T does not seem probable that the
Macedonian committee sanctioned this
deed. This body is always glad TO TO-
ment internal troubles. but it does not
want to antagOniZe any foreign power
and would naturally try TO steer clear
of the international quarrel that must
result from this affair.
THE brigands OF Bulgaria may be
likened to anarchists. They are re-
cruited from the villagers who are dis
gusted with the government, and they
are openly opposed To law and order.
The ma jority of them fear the sight of
blood, and when they resort to murder
it is usually with the sandbag.
Their word is good. When they Of
fer to return a captive upon payment
of n sum of money they will do as they
say.
1.-The abduction of Miss Stone could
not have been by Turks. The Turks
are not long headed enough to put up
any such plot.
"In this case l believe the United
States government should first see that
the ransom is paid and then get indem-
nifty from the Turkish government.
'Cnder the treaty OF eXtraterritorial-
ity. made by Turkey i'm 1910 and into
which the United States entered ia
1890 the Turkish government guaran-
tees protection to all foreigners within
its territory The Turkish government
will not for a minute admit that Bull
garia is not under its contrOl-hence it
must furnish the protection guaranteed
by its treaty.
Twenty years ago Colonel Synge.
an Englishman, who was chief of the
Turkish police. was taken captive and |
to the southern part of Mace
donna. The brigands demanded $1,000 1
ransom and the British government !
made a demand upon Turkey for his |
release. The Turkish government de- |
clared that it had no money and could |
not meet the demand. Great Britain |
paid the ransom and again demanded |
the money from Turkey. This demand |
was made in n manner that left no ,
room for discussion and the money |
was promptly repaid. That is the way |
TO do now.
II remember in 1898 a young man
named Corpi, son of millionaire Ital-
ian banker of Smyrna, was kidnapped
by brigands and S250.000 ransom was
demanded The Turkish government
wanted to send troops. but the father
begged it to desist. The young man.
who had smooth tongue, convinced
the bandits that he was not the son
Of the rich banker, but only a poor re-
ation, and tried to compromise for
$1,000.
After much parleying he finally Sc
cured his release upon the payment of
s.. 900, out of which the brigands re-
paid him $50 that he had lent them to
buy food.
THAT Just goes to show what queer
,ersons these brigands are"