Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-17

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HISS ELLEN NJ. 9ToNE.
| yet the Chautauqua grounds were
thronged last night to see the res
cued woman who tips the financial
scales at a ransom exceeding the
Cudahy ransom by $4,000.
Miss Stone is n comely, motherly-
looking, quite fleshy parsonage.
whose hair is sparsely threaded with
silver. but whose face is deeply seam
ed with wrinkles. She is so years of
age and appeared upon the platform
clad in a polka dotted China silk
skirt and white waist.
When the management saw the
great. disappointed crowd. who had
Stone in the afternoon. and who
could not remain till evening, they
telephoned to her asking her to come
out to the grounds in the afternoon.
which she did She had some pic
lures which she would liked to have
shown. but there were no arrange
ments made.
In the evening she related the story
of her capture and the hardships suf
fered by her and her companion pend
ing the raising of the ransom de
manded by the brigands.
Devotes Life tn Religion.
Ellen NJ. Stone has devoted much
of her life to religious and mission
airy work. For many years she was
on the editorial staff of THE Con
gregationalist." and about 30 years
ago went to Turkey to represent the
American board of foreign missions
in that country. She worked for two
decades in Macedonia. doing much
good. and never coming i'm contact
with any of the brigands who infest
that part of the country but three
times prior to her capture. Once she
spent a night in the common room of
a khan or inn. with a brigand sleep
ing on the other side of the fire.
Another time two of the horses be-
longing to her party were stolen.
The third time her party was stopped
by the brigands on the road. but the
brigands hesitated as to what man
ner of people the party was and fin
ally let it pass.
Halted by Brigade Band.
1t was on the 3rd of last September
that. Miss Stone and her companion,
Mrs. Katherine Stephanova Tsilka,
were captured by brigands. Miss
Stone had gone from her home in Sa-
lonica three weeks before to Bansko.
in Macedonia. to conduct summer
training school, with supplemental
bible work. She had made the jour
ney to Bansko in safety, with only n
little party, spending four days and
three nights on the road. So she an
ticipated no trouble on the return
journey.
The work at Bansk0 completed,
she set off on Sept. 3 ON her return
journey to Salonica. There were -
i'm the party, which had not proceed
ed far on the first days journey UNI
til it was halted by large band of
brigands and Miss Stone and Mrs.
Tsill<a led away into captivity,
while the remainder of the party Tin
GLIDING Mr.. Tsilka) was kept under
guard that night that they might
not return to Bansko and give the
alarm.
Miss Stone and Mrs. TsilIla were
led by the brigands through the
mountains and after being kept in
captivity several days were informed
that they were being held for ran
som: that $4,000 pounds of silver,
(equal to $4,000 in English or Am
erican money! must be paid for their
release and ii must be paid within
OF days or both women would be put
to death. Letters were written as
ordered and then began the weary
wait and fight across the country.
SIX Months as Prisoners.
The 20 days elapsed and no money
was forthcoming and the brigands
EXTENDED the time. In all Miss Stone
and Mrs. Tsilka spent six months with
the brigands before the money was
paid (the brigands finally compro-
missed for $4,000. which was paid
over to them) and the women were
released. During their captivity a