The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-07
Held For Ransom
IcOpyrisht, isOl. by e. D. Lewis.l

At Kastrl. Greece. which is an old town situated about thirty miles south east of Mount farnassus and only a few miles from the gulf of Corlnth, the party of us who had been travelling together for several weeks broke up. That Is, Major Loftus. an Englishman aud an officer on leave of absence, de- rlded to remain there with friends for a few weeks, while the rest of us went on to Marathon and Athens. The major had very pronounced ideas re- gardlng brlgandage The subject had often been under discussion with our party, as we were all foreigners and fair game, and the major had sworn by the beard of his father that If ever captured by brlgands he would let them cut him up plecemeal before he would pay cent of ransom or permit any of hls friends to. He was fairly wealthy man. but he objected to pay ment on principle. He was so deter mined and outspoken In this matter that believe 1t finally led to his cap ture. one day. a week after our depar- ture. he went out from Kastrl on horse back attended by a servant and the servant returned alone and in a great funk to say that his master had been attacked. oyerpowered and carried on toward the mountain.
 It was the first case of brlgandage around Kastrl for ten years, and au- thorities were so slow to act that the fellows got clear away with their cap tive. The major had told his friends how he felt on the subject of ransom and that lf he were ever captured to refuse to pay shilling, but as soon as they heard of his being taken they made preparations to meet any moder- ate demand on the part of the brig ands. What followed the capture was told afterward by one of the band who left lt and was pardoned by the gov crnment. There were five in the gang when the attack was made. The major shot one dead in his tracks and badly wounded a second before he was over rome. They tied him to the back Of a donkey and made no stop until they reached a mountain retreat Within half an hour Of his being freed from the donkey hc bad done for another Of the hand by pushing hlm over a cliff. This
 ft but two men of the i've but next day they were joined by four others They may have thirsted for the majors fife. but hrisands hold to the one ob. lrct of ransom as long as possible. Tue uajor was ordered to write a letter to ms friends in kaStri and Inform them that his ransom had been fixed at what wou!l he Sil.OOO tn American money. lIr dcnautly refused Co do so. More
 han that. be told the leader to his face hat not one penny should be paid by anybody. no matter what the results might bc. To discipline" him they
 Heed or the lobe of his right ear and
 ent lt down to Kastrl with note Of
 heir own composing. The miSSive had
 ar,,ly gone when the major got hls luuds free and killed one of the brig iuds outright by hurlng a rock against I.s head. They had had him only forty lours. and yet lu that time be bad kill ,d three Of the band and laid up a fourth. Tue amount Of ransom was raised Co Sl5OOO and the captive was treated like some savage animal. He constantly rcviled and dared and dehed them. and when they shifted their quarters from day to day they had to carry him Ike log.
 Tue people at KaStrl could only raise about SJ.OOO in tue time given, and so 1t was extended five days, but the whole of the majors left ear was sent ln as a warning that they must hustle around. They got SS,OOO together be- fore the time elapsed. but the brigands refused this and sent In the majors forefnger and a further extension Of two days The money could not be raised. It was well known that the --t"~t ronvou'. hut a"'~