The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-08-27
ONCE BEAUTIFUL CITY FIRED
AND PILLAGED BY BULGA-
RAMS AND TURKS.
DEAD STILL LEFT UNBURIED
THE DECAYING BODIES OF THE
SLAIN BEING GNAWED BY
DOGS AND PIGS.

Monasttr, European Turkey, Aug.
26.-The once beautiful city Of Kru-
schevo is heap of ruins. The women
and children are homeless, exposed to
the weather and famine. The town
is rendered uninhabitable by the odor
OF corpses, which are being gnawed
by dogs and pigs, the Turkish au-
thorities refusing to allow them to be
removed, under the pretext that an in
quest will be held.
Kruschevo is situated on the sum-
NIT of a hill eight hours distant and to
the west of Monastir. It contained
1000 houses and 1000 inhabitants,
mostly Vlachs. calling themselves
Greeks. There were only 100 poor
Bulgarian houses. The Vlachs are
prosperous merchants who travel
abroad on business, leaving their fami-
lies at hor,e.
After making fortunes abroad by
their diligence and economy they re-
turn to spend their wealth ir Kru-
schevO, where they own fine houses,
furniture and jewels. The Turkish
inhabitants of the surrounding vii
lagos have long envied the prosperity
of Kruschevo.
Warnings Were Ignored.
The Macedonian committee in con.
nection with Bulgarian bands, have
been completing arrangements during
several months with a view to occupy
ing the town. In July last the au-
thorities of Kruschevo, observing the
NJ ho
vail of Monastir to send reinforce
ments, as the garrison of thirty SOL
diers could not cope with an insurgent
attack. These warnings were ig-
nored
On Aug 2, the day fixed for the
Bulgarian attack on Kruschevo, while
five marriages we're being celebrated
In the Greek church, a number of Ko-
mltajis, by prearrangement, remained
hidden in the church and we're locked
IN by the sacristan on conclusion of
the ceremonies. At 10 o'clock at night
they sounded an alarm by ringing the
church bells. simultaneously a band
of 300 insurgents, headed by Petroff,
entered the town, discharging their
rifles.
The terrified inhabitants remained
indoors. The band first burned the
residence of the mudir and massa-
cred the garrison Of Turkish soldiers
and the officials of the town, but the
invaders spared the Turkish harems
On the following morning the Ko.
m!tajis established provisional gov.
eminent and instituted a new police
and municipality. They killed the
Albanians. who they believed had be-
ho v1lo of M
notables of the town we're compelled
to contribute 10000 to the revolution
airy fund
Relief Force Repulseu.
The Bulgarian villagers in the
neighborhood. hearing that Krusche-
vO was in the hands of the insurgents,
entered the town and demanded am
munition, which, however, was unob-
tainable. The provisional government
constructed a rampant enclosing the
town, and the inhabitants were order
ed to melt down their spoons to make
bullets. The Turks, informed of the
capture of the town. sent from Perlep
three squadrons of cavalry, which
were attacked en- route and compelled
to retire with a loss of 100 killed. On
Aug 10, the Turks concentrated seven
battalions and one battery on Kru.
schevo. They made an offer to the
Komitajis to allow the women and
children to leave the town. This pro-
posal was declined and the lombard
ment began.
The Komitajis quickly abandoned
the town and escaped to the neighbor~
ing forest, where pursuit was imposs!-
bic. The Turks entered the town,
and guided by Turkish villagers from
the neighborhood, attacked the houses
of the Greek notables and ordered tbs
inmates to be searched and stripped.
They seized the money and jewels and
ravaged the women, those who resist.
ed being killed. A Greek priest who
sought to protect his dau ghter was
killed. The girls earrings were torn
out and her hand was chopped off to
secure a bracelet When the houses
had been pillaged, the Turkish peas.
ants loaded their horses with what.
ever the soldiers left and the resi-
dences were burned. The sack Of
Kruschevo lasted three days, during
which time the woman and children
remained without food and shelter
and at the mercy Of the soldiers and
the Bashi-bazouks.