The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-19

I T. may be a distinction to be kid
Il naped by the banditti, but, never
theless, it is not the sort Of pleasure
the average American seeks on holi-
day, even if he is in Morocco. Ion
Perdicaris, the wealthy American, who
with his nephew, Cromwell Varley,
British subject, is held by Raisuh, the
greatest of the Moorish bandits, is by
no means the first person whose kid
naping has attracted the attention
of the whole world. Everybody still
remembers the case of Miss Stone, who
was taken and held for ransom by
Macedonian insurgents. Besides this
there have been scores of other cases.
AS Miss Stone was held for ransom
so that the depleted treasury of the
Macedonian insurgents might be re-
plenished, it is conjectured that the
bandit chief of northern Morocco is
holding his captives for ransom suffi-
GENTLY large to enable him to success
fully overthrow the present sultan and
usurp his throne.
Mr.. Perdicaris, who is wealthy man,
is now sixty-four years old, having
been born in the United States con-
sulate at Athens, April 1, 1910. His
father, Gregory A. Perdicaris, was a
naturalized American citizen, and held
the position of consul general. For a
while Mr.. Perdicaris Sr. was professor
of Greek in Harvard. Ion Perdicaris
was educated at Trenton academy, and
spent the first twenty-five years of his
life in Trenton, where the family was
famous for it's entertainments. During
the Civil war it gave literally to the
Southern cause. At one time Ion Per-
dicars seriously contemplated purchas-
ing the Bonaparte estate at Borden
town, but having spent years in Europe
and Africa he finally decided to make
Morocco his home. He bought the sui
tan's old palace, d few miles outside of
Tangier. and there he and his family
have since resided.
The Perdicaris Chateau
The chateau of Mr.. Perdicarfs is
built upon a hill, which it's owner has
named Mount Washington. 1t is a
magnificent place, and has been for
years one of the show places and the
center of the social life of Tangier
Flocks of peacocks disport themselves
upon his lawn, and the residence is
fitted with all the elegancies of Moor
1Sh art. 1t has a salon, in which Dip
1omats and prominent foreign residents
have often met and enjoyed the own
er's rare hospitality. There are all the
convenienceS of the finest houses in a
country devoid of them. Marble has
been used unsparingIy throughout tbs
building, and fine biIIiard-room is not
the least attractive apartment in the
palace.
Mr.. Perdicaris, who is president OF
the hygienic commission, is, of course
well known to all the diplomatic and
consular representatives in Tangier
Sir Arthur Nicholson, the British min
lister there, is his personal friend and
Mr.. Gummere, the American consul is
another, and both are doing all that Is
possible to secure his release. He il
not unknown to. the sultan. and the
poor of the Moorish city have every
reason to know him, for to them he
has been genuine benefactor Count
de Buisserat, the Belgian minister, is
his neighbor, occupying a villa adjoin-
ing Mr.. Perdfcaris.
Captive Is Genius
The captive has long been known as
q sculptor of ability, as a painter. an6
as a musician, and it is said that il
was his love for the beautiful that lee
him to make Fangier his home. for n
Is today the one place on the. borders
Of the Mediterranean which has no,
been Europeanized. 1t is still q very
foreign town, and years ago. when. as
young man, he saw it first. he was
captiEated with Its appearance. He
subsequently returned to it and D,Ir-
chased the palace FL Mlnzah, which