Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-04-10
BANDITS OF BULGARIA.
Conditions of Miss Stones Cap
tivity T old by w. E. Curtis.
POLITICAL ASPECTS OF TIE CASE

u 0EAGy
and Bulgaria May BE Fastened by
the Kidnapping Incident Similar
AtrOcit1e Caused T-urko-RussIan
Wharf.-The Macedonian Problem.
The Chicago Record-Herald prints a
special cable from it's well known staff
correspondent. William e. Curtis, now
In Bulgaria, which clearly and most
admirably sets forth all the compllcat-
ed conditions underlying the remarka-
BILE case Of Miss Stone, the American
missionary now In the hands Of Bull
garian or Macedonian brigands. Mr..
Curtis statement, written from Sofia,
La as follows:
The war which is threatened be-
tween Bulgaria and Turkey may be
FASTENED by the Stone incident. Mace
donia, OF Roumelia, now a Turkish
province, formerly was a part Of Bull
garia. Its Inhabitants, who are Chris
tians, are descended from the same
stock and AVE largely intermarried
with the Bulgarians- They are now
suffering from the prosecutions Of the
Turks.
Similar Bulgarian atrocities caused
the Turko-Russian war of 1877. By
peace treaty the sultan granted to the
Macedonians independence similar to
that enjoyed by the Bulgarians, but a
conference of European powers held
at Berlin restored the province to Tur-
key upon guarantees Of the appoint
ment Of a Christian governor and re
lief from persecution and excessive
taxation
AS usual the sultan's promises remain
| u~nfuldIled. The prosecutions are grow
ing worse, and murder, robbery and ra-
| pine are continual. The exasperated
| Christians are preparing for retaliation,
and a revolution will take place as soon
as conditions are favorable.
| The so called Macedonian committee
Of Bulgaria was organized for the pur-
pose of providing money and arms and
assisting IN the preparations for an out
break.
The M~acedonians are now well organ
lied. The peasants ave guns conceal
| ed n drill at night In the forests I'M
| der Bulgarian officers. Almost every
citizen of Bulgaria belongs to the or
g%anization and contributes literally to
the cause.
! The government of Bulgaria encour-
ages the movement and has organized
q large army to assist the Macedon1ans
when the revolution begins. Indirect en-
couragement and sympathy are extend
ed by Russia, which practically con-
! trolls the Bulgarian government
Any unusual provocation is likely to
cause an outbreak. The Macedonian
committee Is anxious to involve Turkey
and the United States by means Of the
Stone incident. It needs the ransom
money to buy ammunition.
The Macedonian committee Is a part
OF the national existence. Both support
ers and opponents Of the government
, unite in tbs movement, hence the gov
eminent is ~powerless to control or pun
ish the bandits. The Turks are equally
| powerless, as the captors are Bulga-
riAns. The payment of the ansom
therefore, is absolutely necessary.
The former officers of the committee
were deposed last summer because Of
r~ascaIity. The president, Boris Saraof,
disappeared two days after the kidnap-
ing Of the missionary. His whereabouts
In not known, but he Is believed to be
with Miss Stone.
Saraoh Is a notorious desperado. he
was recently acquitted Of murder, al
though undoubtedly guilty. and has
been engaged IN a general system Of
blackmail to raise funds for the pro-
posed revolution
He has extorted money from high
government officials and wealthy cit-
Eens by means Of anonymous letters
threatening to abduct their children
The government Is afraid to arrest him
because the common people consider
him a great patriot
The present officials of the Macedo-
MAN revolutionary committee. who are
honorable men. abhor ths kidnapping c4
Miss Stone and publicly dissvow Gyn-
patty with the ~brieands-
gtoyan AikhaHovsky. the new presa-
dent, Is a highly respected literary man
and poet He recently published IN
article denouncing the act and xpress
ing regret lest it prejudice h Europe
an public against the movement fer
Macedonian independence.
All the communications h a have
been received from Miss Stone have
been written in the Bulgarian Lam
guage, which proves that her captors
are BuIgarianA- II the latter were o.
binary bandits, they would be satisfied
with a small ransom, but the revoau-
t1onary committee L. In need OF q con-
siderable sum Of money.
The last case Of the KIDNAPPING OF q
foreigner occurred near the same place.
J The victim was an agent Of the Brit
ish Bible society, and no politics was
{ involved in the affair. He was detain-
ed for three months and then ransom
ed for $4,000.
The Macedonian sympathizers believe
that II the full amount Is paid they car
communicate with the captors easily
The local organ Of the Macedonian com
mittee published the news Of the cap
ture and named the amount Of the ran