The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-02
MISS STONE is SAFE
THE MISSIONARY IS NOW AT CON-
STANTINOPLE.
WILL SOON SAIL FOR HOME.
rrRKEY MAY HAVE TO ANSWER
FOR HER CAPTURE.

For six Months She Has Lived n Life
Of constant Danger and Hardship.
rho story of Her Wanderings Sc
cured in Part by the Associated
Press From AccOmpIices of Bril-
e,nds-T,vice She Was Near Res
cue when Brigands Became
frightened and Fled.
Constantinople, March Miss Ellen
NJ Stone. the American missionary, UNI
IN recently held captive by brigands,
orrived here to-day from Salonica and
proceeded to the United States lega-
ton.
The following account of the captiv-
nv of Miss Stone has been obtained
nv the Associated Press from reliable
sources. some of the information hav-
ing been secured from accomplices of
The brigands. After the capture of
tbe missionaries near Banksko Sept.
& last the brigands fastened across
the boundary and Established them
selves on the mountain of Gueltepe
in the Elledere district, where the
whole population were in sympathy
with the enterprise, this fact enabling
the band to live comfortably and safe
". and to keep in touch with the out
side world. While awaiting the results
of their efforts to secure the ransom,
the brigands drew their supplies 1tom
the adjacent village of Ledjuma. Feel
ing perfectly secure the members of
the band used to show themselves
openly in Kamenicia and neighbOring
villages until they were warned by
their local adherents to be more care
full The prisoners, however, were zeal
ously secluded.
When Mr. c. M. Dickinson, United
States consul at Constantinople, ar
rived in Sofia early in October last
and disclosed to the authorities the
Whereabouts of Miss Stones captOrs
the result was nearly disastrous to
the prisoners. The Bulgarian govern
ment ill-advisedly pushed troops to
the vicinity of Gueltepe, forcing the
brigands to break off negotiations and
the band changed its quarters to XII
10. The weather made travel in the
mountains a dreadful ordeal for Miss
Stone and Madame Tsilka, cucumber
ed as they were with the latter's in
FAINT Every change of camp occurred
frequently slmost impossible, being
often deep in snow.
The brigands treated their captives as
kindly as the circumstances permitted,
but the food supply was necessarily
precarious, though the ladies were
given the best the inhoSpitable region
afforded. The strain and suspense
equaled the physical hardships.
The captiyes at no time knew their
Whereabouts, the brigands always tell
ing them that they were not in Bull
garia and they were in constant fear
OF an attack by the troops, when the
friendship Of the natives was not al
ways able to prevent coming close upon
the trail of the band.
An equal cause of anxiety was the
baby, which it was frequently feared
would die from exposure.
Not until Nov. 2 did the American
emissaries come in touch with the
band. which was then established in
cave near Dubitza; but fe II of the
troops forced the brigands TO another
hight. This was made in a bli ld.ng
SnoWstorni, which covered the tracks
Oh the outlaws, but caused bitter suf-
ferings to the captives. After this the
ongands succeeded in completely elnd-
ing the authorities and toward the end
OIL November, by a long circuit they
succeeded in returning to their old
hunts in the Elledere district. They
men caused to be circulated a report
lfat the caDtives were dead and from
mat time managed to keep Miss Stone
and Madame Tsilka safely under cover
until the actual release of tae caVtives
took place.