The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-08-29
BEAUTIFUL CITY
A HEAP OF RUINS
Awful Fate Of KrusheVo, in Eu.
ropean Turkey.

/ lV 25.-The once beautiful city of
Krushevo is heap of ruins. The
women and children are homeless, ex-
posed 10 the weather and famine. The
town is rendered uninhabitable by the
gnawed by dogs and pigs. the Turk
ish authorities refusing to allow them
! to be removed under the pretext that
an inquest will be held.
Krushevo is situated on hill south
west and eight hours distant from Mon
| astir. 1t contained $50 houses and 1000
inhabitants, mostly Vlacks. calling
themselves Greeks. There were also 100
poor Bulgarian houses. The Vlacks are
prosperous merchants who travel
abroad on business, leaving their fam
lilies in Krushevo
Objects of Envy,
After making fortunes abroad by
their diligence and economy they re-
turn to spend their wealth in Krushevo,
where they own fine houses, furniture
and jewels The Turkish inhabitants
of the surrounding villages have long
envied the prosperity of Krushevo.
The Macedonian committee, in con-
cert with Bulgarian bands, had been
completing arrangements during sew
erdl months with view to occupying
the town. In July last the authori-
ties of Krushevo, observing the threat
ening movement, begged the Vail of
Monastir to send reinforcements, as
the garrison of thirty soldiers was in
sufficient to cope with an insurgent at
tack. These warnings were ignored.
Taken by Insurgents.
On Aug. 2, the day fixed for the Bull
garian attack on KrushevO, while four
marriages were being celebrated in the
Greek church, a number of kOmitijas,
by prearrangement, remained hidden in
the church and were locked in by the
sacristan on the conclusion of the cere-
monies. At 10 o'clock at night they
sounded an alarm by ringing the
church bells. simultaneously band
of 300 insurgents, headed by Peteroff,
entered the town, dischaTging their
rifles.
The terrified inhabitants remained in
doors. The band first burned the res
idence of the mudir and massacred the
garrison of Turkish soldiers and Off
cials of the town, but the invaders
spared the Turkish harems.
Ten Christians Killed.
On the following morning the
IXomitiias stabished a provisional
government and instituted a new po-
lice and municipality. They killed ten
Christians who. they believed, had be-
trayed the plans of the commission.
The notables Of the town were com
PEELED TO contTifGIte $4,000 to the revo-
lutionary fund. The Bulgarian villag-
ers in the neighborhood, hearing that
Krushevo was in the hands of the in
sur2ents, entered the town and de-
ammunition which, however,
Walls unobtai1able.
The provisional government con-
rampant enclosing the town
and the inhabitants were ordered to
melt down their spoons to make bull
let's.
The Turks, informed of the capture
of the town, sent from Perlep three
squadrons of cavalry, which were at
tackled enroute and compelled TO retire
with a loss of 100 killed.
In Turkish Hands.
On Aug. 13 the Turks concentrated
seven battalions and one battery on
Krushevo. They made an offer to the
Komitijas to allow the women and
to leave town. This proposal !
was declined and the bombardment be
gan. The Komitijas quickly abandoned !
the town and escaped to the neighbor- |
ing forest, where pursuit was impos- |
sible,
The Turks entered the town and. |
guided by Turkish villagers from the |
attacked the houses of |
the Greek notables and ordered the in |
mates to be searched and stripped |
They seized the money and jewels, and !
ravished the women, those who resisted |
being killed. a Greek priest who |
sought to protect his daughter was |
killed. The girls earrings were torn /
put and her hand WAS chopped off to |
secure a bracelet.
When the houses had been pillaged |
the Turkish peasants loaded their |
horses with whatever was left and the |
were burned. The sack of |
krushevo lasted three days during !
which time the women and children
without food and. Shelter. and
at the mercy of the soldiers and the
BaShi- Bazouks.