The age-herald., 1902-02-27
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF
 MISS STONES RELEASE
State Department Receives Cablesram From constantinopIe-Ex-captives
 Bound to Secrecy About captors.

Washington, February 26.-The State Department this morning received a cablegram from Mir. Leischman at Con- stantinop1e containing the first official announcement it had of Miss Stones re- lease.
 Salonics, Roumania, February 2&.- Miss Ellen M. Stone and Mime. Tsilka will start, without delay from Strumitza, Macedonia, for Constantinople. In the meanwhile the liberated missionaries are staying at the missionary headquarters. where they are receiving the oongratula- l tions of their colleagues.
 Miss Stone says the brigands swore both of their captives to absolute secrecy regarding any information calculated to establish the identity of the brigands, the location of the places where they were concealed or other facts likely to compromise their captors. As a matter of fact the prisoners themselves are very uncertain regarding many details of their wandcrings. They did not know when they were released in what section of the country they were. An arrangement had been made to release Miss Stone and her companion near Seres, Mace- donia, where Dragoman Garigulo and Mir. House were waiting them, but the brigands, owing to timidity or otherwise, declared 1t was difficult to carry out the plan brought their captives after a hard match with one and @ half hours journey of Strumitza The two women were left under the shelter of a tree at 330 in the morning of February 23. The l bandits pointed out the direction of the | village and ordered the captives to re- port themselves to the village elder, who, on learning of their identity, would pro- vide for them. The brigands then turned back and disappeared among the hills.
 Travelled On Horseback.
 Miss Stone and her party travelled on horseback from Strumltza to the near est railroad station, a journey lasting five hours. The local missionaries and many of the inhabitants of Strumitza ac- companied the party for some distance, singing hymns.
 Mme. Tsilkas baby was carried in a blanket by a servant, who dismounted from his horse at the most difficult DOT tions of the mountain road.
 At the request of M. Gargiulo, the Turkish governor at Strumitza returned to the ladies the cloaks and garments with which the brigands supplied them and which the governor took possession of last Sunday The ladies intend to keep these garments as mementos of their adventure.
 
 letters MT. House sent her during her captivity. Upon one occasion she sprained her knee by falling through a trap door in @ dark room. She was Mime. Tsilka' S only attendant at the birth of the latt CT s baby.
 Brigands Treated Them Well.
 Miss Stone also says that the brigands always treated them well. They built hut for the prisoners on the moun- tain, provided horses for them when they travelled and carried Mime. Tsilkas baby whenever they were allowed to do so. The brigands never came into contact with the troops, although when the party was obliged to halt a few times while on false alarms Miss Stones captors made preparation for action.
 The brigands especially asked the la dies to convey their congratulations to M. Garguilo. MT. Peat and others for their ingenuity in the payment of the ransom
 As the party from Strumitza reached the top of the Chipelli pass, nearing the railroad the travellers were surprised by l the sudden appearance of M. Tsilka, and there was an affecting meeting between husband and wife. M. Tsilka was then presented with his baby.