The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-26
BEAUTIFUL CITY
OF kRUSCHEVO
IS LAID IN RUINS
BuIgarians Attack 1t and XIII
the Turkish Garrison and Al
banians, Whereupon the
Turks Capture the Place and
Commit Fearful Atrocities.

MONASTIR, European Turkey, Aug.
25-The once beautiful city of Krus-
cheyo is a 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, the Turkish authorities refus-
ing to allow them to be removed, under
the pretext that an inquest will be held.
Kruschevo is situated on the summit
of a hill eight hours distant and to the
west of Monastir. 1t contained 1000
houses and 10000 inhabitants, mostly
Vlachs, calling themselves Greeks.
There were only 100 poor Bulgarian
houses. The Vlachs are prosperous
mechants who travel abroad on BUSH
ness, leaving their families at home.
After making fortunes abroad they
return to spend their wealth in Krus-
chevo, where they own fine houses, fur
niture and jewels. The Turkish inhab-
itants of the surrounding villages have
long enyied the prosperity of Krus-
chevo.
Secreted in Church.
On Aug 2, the day fixed for the Bull
garian attack on Kruschevo, while five
marriages were being celebrated in the
Greek church, number of Komitajis
by Encouragement remained hidden in
the church and were locked in, hidden
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 a band
of 800 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 massacred
the garrison of Turkish soldiers and
the officials of the town. but the in
vaders spared the Turkish harems.
On the following morning Komitajis
established a provisional government
and instituted new police and munich
pality. They killed the Albanians, who
they believed had betrayed the plans OF
the committee. The notables of the
town were compelled to contribute
6 10000 to the revolutionary fund. The
Bulgarian villagers in the neighborhood
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 ordered
to melt down their spoons to make bull
let's The Turks informed of the cap
ture of the town, sent from Perlep three
squadrons of cavalry which were at
tackled en- route and compelled to retire
with a loss Of 100 killed.
The Turkish Bombardment.
On Aug. 13 the Turks concentrated
seven battalions and one battery on
Kruschevo. They made an offer to the
Komitajis to allow the-women and chill
dren to leave the town This proposal
was declined and the bombardment be-
gan. The Komitajis 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
neighborhood, attacked the houses Of
the Greek notables and ordered the in
mates to be searched and stripped.
They seized the money and jewels and
assaulted the women, those who re-
sisted being killed
A Greek priest who sought to pro-
tect his daughter was killed The girls
earrings were torn out and her hand
was chopped off to secure a bracelet.
The Turkish peasants loaded their
horses with whatever the soldiers left,
and the residences were burned. The
sack of Kruschevo lasted three days,
during which time the women and chill
dren remained without food and shelter,
at the mercy of the soldiers and the
BaShi- BaZoukS.