The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-05-30
with krix.n., C.pe.r..

with BrtK1MO CNpfOfA.
Miss Ellen NJ. Stone. the American
missionary, until recently held captive
by brigands. is now in Consrantinopie
Miss Stone and Nine. Tslika. her com
panion. are in excellent health.
I A. A. Gargiulo. the First Dragoman
of the United States" Legation. says the
brigands called Mme. Tsilka's baby
Kismetcha. or ''Lncl Child" alleging
that she brought them luck.
The following account OF the captiv-
ity OF Miss Stone has been obtained.
some, of The information having been
secured from accomplces of the bri
gands.
After the capture OF the missionaries
near Bansko. September 3 last. tue bri-
sands hastened across the boundary
and established themselves on the
mountain of Gueltepe. in the Elledere
district. Bulgaria. where the whole
population were In sympathy with The
enterprise. this fact enabling the band
to live comfortably aud safely and to
keep in touch with the outside world.
While awaiting the result of their eff
forts to secure the ransom the brigands
drew their supplies from the adjacent
village of Ledjuma. Feeling perfectly
secure the mem ners of the band used
90 show themselves openly in neighbor-
ing villages until they were warned by
full. The prisoners, however, We're jeal-
ously secluded.
When C. NJ. Dickinson, United States
Consul-General at COnstantinople. ar
rived in Sofia early in October last and
disclosed to the authorities the where
abouts of Miss Stones captors the re-
suit was nearly disastrous to the prts-
oners. The Bulgarian Government. ILL
advised, pushed troops to the vicinity
OF Gueltepe. forcing the brigands to
break Off negotiations. and the band
changed it's quarters TO Kilo.
The cold weather made travel III the
mountains IL dreadful ordeal for Miss
Stone and Nine. Tsilka. encountered
as they We're with the latrcr's infant.
Every change of camp occurred at
night. The mountain roads frequently
We're almost irnpasSnble. often being
deep in snow. The briSands treated
their captives as kindly as the circum.
stances permitted. but the food supply
WAS precariOus, though the ladies' re-
ceived rhe best Che inhospitabie region
afforded.
The strain and suspense rQIafed the
physical hardsiipS. The captivcs at
40 time knew their whereabouts. the
brigandS always telling them that they
were no; in Bulgaria.. and they were in
constauI fear OF IN attack by the
troops. WHO ut times We're close upon
the trail OF the band. Ala equal cause
of anxiety was the baby. which ii was
feared would die from exposure.
Not until Novemb er2 did the Amer
lean cmisSaries come III touch with the
band which then was established i'll Il
cave near Dubnitza, hut fear OF the
troops forced the brigands TO another
flight This was made in u binding
snow storm. which covered the tracks
Of the outlaws. hut caused bitter suf-
ferings to the captives.
After this the brtgandS succeeded in
completely Guiding the authorities. and
| toward the end of November, by Il long
circuit. they succeeded in returning TO
their old haunts i'll the Eledere dis
trict They then caused TO be circu-
lated report that the captives were
dead and from that time managed to
keep Miss Stone and Mime. Tsilka safe
ly under cover until the actual release
of the captives took place.