The Topeka state journal., 1902-12-24
Formerly Lived in Topeka and
Won Topeka Wife.
HE TELLS HIS STORY.
For First Tine Relates Exper-
ience for Publication.
Newspaper Men and officers
Thrown OFF the Scent.

QdnlDIz EdLLlEu Fl-tuDl Al 6-+N- ----N-
sonalIy delivered it TO the brigands as
ransom, for Miss stone the missionary.
was in Topeka today visiting his
brother-in-lavv. E. T. Cartilage. tax
commissioner Of the Santa Fe-
Mr. Peet arrived in Topeka Tuesday
afternoon, ard left today for Cove. kas.
where he will remain a Few days ana
then will proceed to Boston to take ship
on January for Constantinople. He IS
the treasurer Of the American Board of
Foreign Missions, and Constantlnopie IS
his headquarters.
In 1881 Mr. Peet married Miss Matte
Cartilage OF this city. They left on tie
day of their marriage for Turkey, and
with the exception of three trips to this
country, have been there ever since MI
Peet lived in Topeka for two years dur
ing the last illness of his wife's father.
Mr.. Peet's trip to Kansas is purely for
the purpose Of visiting his relatives He
was the guest at an informal reception
last night at the home of Mr. and Mrs
L. D WhittemOre-
Mr.. Peet has never published an ac-
count Of his thrilling experiences as
bearer of the ransom money for Miss
Stone but he ought to. The trouble
seems to be that he is too modest to
give 20 the world a story in which he
himself occupies such a central position
IT there Is anyone who can give mora
graphic story of that historic affair than
Miss Stone herself it is Mr.. Peet- In
many ways Mr.. Peet is in a position TO
better Know the inside history OF tE1-
affair than is Miss Stone While she WAS
close prisoner in the mountain retreat
Mr. Peet was waging a battle of diplOm-
acy with tie Sublime Porte. Of courage
with the Turkish outlaws, and of STRAIT
egy with every body, newspaper men In
Guided.
From what Mr.. Peet says, it appears
that brigandage is not an uncommon
thing on the Turkish and Bulgarian
frontier It has happened that prior to
Miss Stone no Americans have been ia
keE captive and held for ransom. But
Frenchmen. Germans and Englishmen
have frequently been captured The
brigands demand usually E25 900 sterling
as ransom, bat are willing to reduce this
sum. 4 handled a la David Harum. l.
has become so customary for French
men to be kidnapped that the French
embassy has a regular system for man
aging such cases. 1t first instructs the
Turkish troops to keep their hands of.
and not chase the brigands. 1t then en-
tiers into negOtia tiOns with the brigands.
gets their lowest figure on ransom.
and pays the ransom out of government
FUNDS II then makes a demand on the
Turkish government for the return of
the money. and when IL is returned. and
the captive is relieved. allows the Turk
ish troops to be turned loose TO pursue
the brigands to their hearts content.
The United States was severely criti-
cised by other foreign powers for tha
policy which it pursued in the matter.
It first attempted to chase the brfgands
and capture them with their prisoner.
This plan falling utterly, the American
missionaries offered to deliver to the
brigands the ransom money which WAS
being raised in the United States The
brigands were kept constantly informed
as to the growth of the ransom fund
in this country The missionaries who
understood the situation knew that
much less than -e25 coo would satisfy
the brigands. but they had great diff
Guilty 10 stop the growth of the ransom
fund. and also to stop the publication
Of the daily growth of the fund
The next Duzzle was to locate the
briga nds. and this wss the task which
was undertaken by Mr.. Peet, assisted
by the interpreter of the American le-
airy
The brigands had given it out that
Miss Stone. Madame Tsilka and the lat
ter's baby were all dead. This was fol
the purpose of giving the ransom fund
more time to grow. The falsity of this
report was first proved by Mr.. Peet and
his associates.
Meantime the brizands had beer
bounded about by troops until it was
exceedingly difficult to locate them
When at last Mr.. Peet overcame tn
most obstinate difficulties of both nat
ural and Diplomatic nature, he secured
a meeting with the representa- tives of ths
bTiSands- Turkish gold coin to the value
Of 1850 pounds was in the possession
of Mr. Peet. The weight Of the COLI
was go pounds. So the ransom paid fol
the women was literally their weight it
gold.
II was necessary to arrange for tn.
meeting with the brigands in the mos
secret manner Mr.. Peet says Of thai
memorable meeting:
The leader OF the brigands was
young man and very handsome Thre.
other young men came with him to III.
meeting place. which was al a certain
house in The outskirts Of the town They
said there were other brigands in tn,
barn outside We told them that W,
had made an appeal for money and hae
received 4,soo pounds We offered then
that sum. They accepted it. and we de-
nYered the money I asked the Leader
what guarantee We had that the prison
ers would be released. and he saie
proudly. The word o. brigand' Z
was q desperate chance bur the hrt.,
ands had letters from Miss Stone savi1e
that Whatever they promised TO do the,
would DO. and We decided to take tn.
risk The hriga nds agreed to ceIiya
the captiFes within ten DAYS It wa.
really about twenty days till they weri
released because the Turkish troote
were 50 aggressive
In order to deceive the Turks and tn
nelVF-'s yer men. Mr.. Peet and his tsv,
associates placed lead in the pacla ge
which had contained the money. an.
sem me packages under heavy guar.
back To the bank at Consta ntfnople Civ
ing II cut that the mission had ea5le,
because they were unable to get int
communication with the brigands.
Asked as to whether the Unite
states has yet made demand fer tn
return ef tire $4,000. Mr. Peet said
That matter Is still under eonsidera
tio=--"
Death of Mrs. Lewes.