Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-04-26
MISS STONES OWN STORY.
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Miss Ellen NJ. Stone, the missionary
who was held captive by Bulgarian brig
ands for nearly six months until her
heavy ransom was paid, who arrived on
the steamer Deutschland, talked freely
about her exciting experiences, says the
New York Sun. Her brother, Charles
A. Stone OF Boston, and Dr. II. o.
Dwight Of New Jersey went down on
the revenue cutter to Quarantine and
there boarded the Deutschland.
Or. Dwight was for 20 years engaged
in missionary work in Turkey having
his headquarters In Constantinople'
where he was engaged in the pubhca-
ton department Of the work. He Is an
old friend OF Miss Stones. Charles a.
Stone came to meet his sister and take
her to the home OF their mother IN
Chelsea, Mass.
Miss stone suffered a good deal from
seaslckness on the way over and Kept
pretty closely to her room, so her fell
low passengers did not see very mueh
OF her during the passage She was on
deck, however, when the revenue cut
ter came within halllng distance OF the
Deutschland She stood close to the
rail and the starboard side of the yes
sci and waved her handkerchief ylgor-
ously 10 Der brother and Mr.. Dwight,
whom she recognized from afar as they
stood on the cutters deck.
Both OF them greeted her warmly on
the deck after they had scaled the tow
erlng side OF the big steamer by the
wabbllng ladder that was put up from
the cutter. Then she conducted them TO
her room 10 escape the curious gaze OF
the passengers.
Mr.. Dwight came away after short
time and brother and sister were left
alone until the Deutschland had got up
well abreast OF the battery. Then they
Joined Mr.. Dwight In the saloon and
all three went to the ladies' waiting
room on the upper deck where Miss
Stone was presented TO dozen or more
newspaper reporters who were waiting
10 talk 10 her.
She laughed a little nervously as she
took her seat between her brother and
Mr.. Dwight and waited for the ques-
ti0ning 10 begin She wore travelling
dress OF dark blue cloth and over her
shoulders was thrown a heavy, warm
cloak Of dark outer material and
plaid lining. On her head was small
English hat, with Just suggestion OF
dark blue trimming.
She looked quite a different woman
from the one represented in the best |
pictures OF her that have been pub |
lished. You never would have recog- |
nized her from the pictures They |
show q woman OF full, matronly figure |
and full round, placid face. The face |
Of the real Miss Stone has only gem
eral suggestion OF the roundness that |
II once evidently had. II Is drawn and |
careworn, but Withal very animated |
when In conversation. The lines Of
anxiety and nervous tension are plainly
stamped upon II. probably never to be
entirely obllterated.
Her manner Is frank and decidedly
engaging, and In her voice and choice
of language there IL the strong Impress
OF education and refinement
II was In answer 20 running fire OF
questions from the reporters that she
told her story, meeting every query
freely and frankly. She said.
"The Turkish authorities have said,
as ! am told. that we should not have
travelled as we did without guard.
That Is hardly reasonable. II we had
had q guard II would have been the
same. The guard furnished would not
have been more than four or five men.
THE brigands who captured us were
some 30 In number. They swarmed all
about us In the road and every man
Of them was heavily armed. Had we
had guard there might have been a
skirmish and several persons shot. but
we would have been carried of Just the
same.
There were ten In our party and we
travelled AT a time when II was the
safest. II was the day before q market
lay. when there were plenty of people
going and coming on the highway Be-
sides, II was In broad daylight, early In
he afternoon when we were captured.
We would have had plenty OF time to
ret TO the village which was our des-
ination, before II got dark People
here do not travel In the night and we
lid not.
THE descent OF the brigands upon ,
IS was sudden, oh. very sudden. The I
Irst thing We knew they came swarm ,
ng from both sides Of the wood and
urrounded us. The only thing heard s
hem say was 'Dourl Dourp | heard I
hat word all around me. II means
stop or perhaps hold up would be I
carer II. Resistance was utterly out /
I the question. We were entirely at n
heir mercy. /
III was not their original intention
capture Nine. Tsilka. They had ! O
tanned 10 take Mime, Oosheva and my |
Pr. Nine. Oosheya Is N Bulgarian lady, | 4
widow, well on in years. But she was | O
ute III or our journey and when the ! 4
rigands saw her feeble condition they N
oandoned the idea OF making her a n
risoner. That is contrary TO their way a