Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-27
ONCE PROUD CITY DEVASTATED
BY MAcEDoNIANs.
STORY OF ITS AWFUL DOWNFALL
komitajis Hide in Church After a
Triple Wedding and Give Signal at
Night for Attack On the city-Dogs
Gnaw Bodies of Dead.

,Monastlr, European Turkey, Aug.
26.-The once beautiful city of Krush-
evo is heap or ruins. The women and
children are homeless, exposed to
weather and famine. The town is rem
dered uninhabitable by the odor of
corpses, which are being gnawed by
dogs and pigs, the Turkish authorities
refusing to allow them to removed
under the pretext that als 'Aquest will
be held.
Krushevo is situated on the summit
of hill eight hours distant to the
northwest of Monastir. 1t contained
1000 houses and 10000 inhabi-
tants, mostly Vlachs. calling them
selves Greeks. There were only 100
poor Bulgarian houses. The Vlachs
were prosperous merchants who travel
ed abroad on business leaving their
families in Krushevo.
krushevo Long Envied.
After making fortunes abroad by
their diligence and economy, they re-
turned to spend their wealth in Krush-
nowhere they own fine houses, furni-
ture and jewels. The Turkish inhabi-
tants of the surrounding villages have
long envied the prosperity of Krush-
evo.
The Macedonian committee in con-
cert with Bulgarian bands has been
completing arrangements during sever.
al months with view to occupying the
town. In July last, the authorities of
Krushevo observing the threatened
movement, begged the vail of Monas-
tir to send reinforcements as the gar
rison of thirty soldiers was insufficient
to cope with an insurgent attack. The
warnings were ignored.
Attack Upon Town.
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 Komita-
jis by Encouragement 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 300 insurgents. headed by Petroff
entered the town, discharging their
rifles.
Garrison Is Massacred.
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 the komi-
tails established a provisional govern
ment and instituted new police and
municipality. They killed ten Chris
tians who they believed had betrayed
the plans of the commission. The no.
tables of the town were compelled to
contribute $4,000 to the revolutionary
fund.
The Bulgarian villagers in the neigh
borhood hearing that Krushevo was
in the hands of the insurgents entered
the town and demanded ammunition,
which, however, was unobtainable.
The provisional government con.
structed a rampant inclosing the town,
and the inhabitants were ordered to
melt down their spoons to make bull
lets.
Turks Seek to Take Town.
The Turks, informed of the capture
of the town, sent from Perlep three
squadrons of cavalry, which were at
tackled enroute and compelled to re-
liz Will d lOSo VI lUO hlllSu.
On Aug. IS the Turks concentrated
seven battalions and one battery at
Krushevo. They made an offer to the
Komitajis to allow the women and
children to leave the town. The pro-
posal was declined, and the lombard
ment began. The Komitajis quickly
abandoned the town and escaped to
the neighboring forest, where pursuit
was impossible.
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
ravished the women, those who resist
ed being killed. A Greek priest who
sought to protect his daughter was
killed. The girls earrings were torn
out and her hand was chopped off to
secure a bracelet.
Sack for Three Days.
When the houses had been pillaged
the Turkish peasants loaded their
horses with whatever the soldiers left,
and the residences were burned. The
sacking of Krushevo lasted three days,
during which time the women and chill
dren remained without food and shell
ter and at the mercy Of the soldiers
and bashi-bazouks
Plan Appeal to Gar.
Sofia, Aug. 26.-The Macedonian
fugitives in Bulgaria are preparing to
send deputation to st. Petersburg
to inform the czar of the pitiable CON
dition of Macedonia and to beg for his
Intervention.
The Bulgarian archbishop of Varna
has promised to head the deputation,
which is now awaiting the permission
of the holy synod to enter Russia, such
permission being necessary when a
foreign prelate desires to visit the
Russian empire.
ATTENDANCE NEARs RECORD.