Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-01-08
BRIGANDS OF TURKEY
AMERICAN MISSIONARIES KILLED BY
BULGARIAN ROBBERS.

Forty Years Ago.
There have been suggestions that
the abduction of Miss Ellen NJ, Stone
by Bulgarian brigapds was In reality
prompted by the Turkish Government,
and that the arch conspirator was to
be found in the Ylldiz Kiosk In Con-
stantinopie. That, however, is not at
all likely.
OF course the Sublime Porte hates
all missionaries, because, through their
schools particularly, they educate the
people too much. But 1t fears the Eu-
ropean powers too much to resort to
any openly violent acts, and contents
itself with petty persecution, which
can be construed as coming under the
laws of the country, such as they are.
Even in the great massacre of 1860,
In the Lebanon, which was practically
prompted by the Government, the mis-
sionaries were left und!sturbed as far
as their lives and property went There
have been numerous cases, neverthe-
less, where American missionaries
have been killed by robbers, and two
Of them are Of particular interest.
They occurred nearly forty years ago,
and the first crime appeals especially
Just now because 1t was committed in
the region where Miss stone was kid
naped.
On July 8, 1862, Rev. William W.
Merriam, a missionary Of the American
Board, stationed at Philipopolis, was
returning to that city from Constanti-
nople, where he had been to attend the
annual meeting Of the mission. He was
in a wagon, there being no railroads
in those days, and was accompanied
by his wife and family, and two OF
three native attendants.
At noon of that day Mr.. Merriam
reached the town of Hermanli, where
he lunched. and then set out on his
journey. The country was infested
with hrigands, but Mr.. Merriam had Of
ten traversed 1t In safety and had no
fear, Notwithstanding the fact that
bands of robbers had been seen in
the vicinity.
The September issue of the Mission
ary Herald of 1862 has a graphic ac-
count OF what followed, written by Mr..
Crane, of Adrlanople. Mr.. Crane says:
''They were informed OF danger. Sew
eral suspicious persons-armed horse
men-had just passed through the
place. The villagers, alarmed at the
sight of the horsemen, endeavored to
dissuade Mr.. Merriam from proceeding,
but as others were willing to start
they apprehended no danger, They
had gone but few miles when five
mounted brigands attacked them.
"Thc Government guards ran on the
first appearance of the robbers. This
left them defenseless, except so far as
they might hope by their numbers or
any demonstration of resistance to in
timidate the bandits. One OF the rob-
bers, dismounting, seized the horses of
Mr.. Meriam's wagon, which was in the
van. Mr.. Merriam drew his revolver
and warned the man, who instantly
dropped the bride, while the driver, an
energetic Mussulman, whipped up his
horses to escape. They sprang forward,
and Mr.. Merriam, thinking escape GER
tain, turned and remarked to his wife,
THANK God, my pistol has saved US
The robbers, however, soon COM
menced firing In quick succession at
the wagon. A ball at length struck
one of the horses ard he reeled and
fell.
"The brigands still firing, Mr.. Mer-
lam, fearing for his wife and family,
got up and was in the act of alightine
when he fell pierced by two balls in
his right side. One Of the two robbers
then sprang forward and stamped on
his face and head"
This brutal murder aroused great
commotion, and the entire machinery
of diplomatic influence was moved to
avenge it. The Turkish Government
acted with what, for it. was prompt
ness and arrested a number of men.
Although Mr.. Crane, in his report to
the Missionary Herald, mentions only
two robbers, yet three were sentenced
to death in October 1862. Their
names were Balsam, Ramizan and
Khaleem, and their execution eXpiated
the death of Mr. Merriam.
In March of the same year Jackson
G. Coffing, missionary at Adana, in
Asia Minor. was killed by robbers near
AleXandretta. On March "a Mr.. Cof-
fing was journeying from Adana to
Aleppo when he was set upon by high
waymen in the mountains above Alex
andretta and shot in the side. Two
days later he died in Alexandretta,
where he was taken by his servants,
the robbers having escaped.
A rather picturesque incident is con
nected with this murder. 1t Glanced
that at the time there were one Ameri-
can and two Italian gunboats in the
harbor of AleXandretta. The Ameri-
can commander was intensely aroused
over the affair, and sent Il peremptory
demand to the local officials that the
murderers be caught and punished.
He did not get much satisfaction out
of them, and decided on more STRINGENT
measures.
The Italian commander sympathizeG
with him entirely, and the two laid
.1....