Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-08-26
AIexanoria 6azette.
Entered at the Postofice Of Alexandria, Vir
ginia, as second-class matter.l
BORRoRs OF BALKAN WAR.

heap of ruins. The women ana GILL
dren are homeless, exposed to the
weather and famine. rhe town is
rendered uninhabitable by the odor OF
corpses, which are being gnawed by
dogs and pigs, the Turkish authorities
refusing to allow them to be removed
under the pretense that an inquest will
be held. w
Kruschevo is situated on the summit
of hill, eight hours distant and to the
northwest of Monastir. 1t contained
2. 900 houses and 1000 inhabitants,
mostly Ylachs, calling themselves
Greeks. There were only 100 poor
Bulgarian houses. The Vlachs are
prosperous merchants who travel abroad
on business, leaving their families in
Kruscheyo. After making fortunes
abroad by their diligence and economy,
they return to spend their wealth in
Kruschevo, where they own fine houses,
furniture and jewels. The Turkish in
habitants of the surrounding villages
have long envied the prosperity OF
Kruscheyo.
The Macedonian Committee, in con
cert with Bulgarian bands, has been
completing arrangements during. several
months with view to occupying the
town. In July last the authorities OF
Kruschevo, observing the threatening
movement, begged the vail of Monastir to
send reinforcements, as the garrison OF
30 soldiers was insufficient to cope with
an insurgent attack. These warnings
were ignored.
On August 2, the day fixed for the
Bulgarian attack on Kruscheyo, while
four marriages we're being celebrated in
the Greek Church, number OF Koml-
tails, by prearrangement remained hid
den in the church and were locked in by
the sacristan on the conclusion Of the
ceremonies. At 10 O'Clock at night
they sounded an alarm by ringing the
church bells. simultaneously band OF
800 hundred insurgents, headed by
Petroff, entered the town, discharging
their rifles.
The terrified inhabitants remained in
doors, The band first burned the resi-
dence of the Mudir and massacred the
garrison of Turkish soldiers and the
officials of the town, but the invaders
spared the Turkish harems.
On the following morning the Komit-
ais established a provisional government
and instituted a new police and munich
pality. They killed 10 Christians, who
they believed had betrayed the plans OF
the committee. The notables of the
town were compelled to contribute Sl0,-
900 to the revolutionary fund. The
Bulgarian villagers in the neighbOrhood,
hearing that Kruschevo was in the hands
of the insurgents, entered the town and
demanded ammunition, which, however,
was unobtainable.
The provisional government construct
ed rampant inclosing the town, and
the inhabitants were ordered to melt
down their spoons to make bullets.
The Turks, informed of the capture of
the town, sent from Perlepe three squad
rons of cavalry, which were attacked en-
route and compelled TO retire with a loss
of 100 killed.
On August l3 the Turks concentrated
seven battalions and one battery on
Kruschevo. They made an offer to the
Konlitajis to allow the women and child
rem to leave the town.
This proposal was declined, and the
bombardment began The Komitajis
quickly abandoned the town and escaped
to the neighboring forest, where pursuit
was impossible.
The Turks entered the town, and guild
ed by Turkish villagers from the neigh
borhood attacked the houses of the Greek
notables and ordered the inmates to be
searched and stripped. They seized the
money and jewels and ravished the wo-
men, those who resisted being immedi-
ately killed. A Greek priest who sought
to protect his daughter, was killed. The
girls earrings we're torn out and hel
hands was chopped off to secure the
bracelet.
When the houses had been pillagec
the Turkish peasants loaded their horses
with whatever the soldiers left, and th'
residences were burned. The sack o
Kruschev lasted three days, during whicl
time the women and children remained
without food and shelter and at the mere.
of the soldiers and the beshi bazOuks.
A revolutionary band has appeared a
the village of Tcherkeskoi, betweel
Adrianople and Constantinople, withil
six hours of the Sultan capital. Th
insurgents and Turks fought and after
wards the Circassian inhabitants of tn
village pillaged and destroyed three Bul
garian villages in the neighborhOod, Kill
ing all the men, women and children eS
cept few who escaped 10 the mountains
/. THE ZIONIST CONGRESS AT yestel
days' session of the Zionist Congre'
at Basel, Switzerland, DR.. Herr
the president, submitted to tn
3 delegates letter which he had receive
from the Russian minister of the interio
Won Plehwe, apparently pledging th
support of the Russian government
;, the Zionists in their movement 10 e.
; tablish an independent State in Pale
> tine. The Minister in the letter referre
to said his government was quite favo
q ahle In the oripinal DroOramme of ZiOnisI