The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-19

all Its vauntS of having mastered the
various arts, 1T has never reduced the
industry of kidnapping to such scien-
tiffc principles as has the Oriental.
The Fastener is willing to put cap
1tal into the business and conduct 1t
much as a WeSterner would COM
mercial enterprise He hires a big staff
of rascals. captures prince of blood
or or wealth, or perehance mission
ary, and waits for some prosperous ma
ton to raise the price OF a palace for
a ransen1 Indeed, kidnapping is too
mean word for the Oriental. Call him
rather by the title he has himself af-
fected, His Highness, the sDetainer."
The bFigandS of Moroee0, like their
cousins in eastern Europe, have waxed
wealthy in many exploits closely re-
Sembling their last achievement.
Raisuli has long record. Some years
ago he became so bold as to attempt
to capture the sultan himself, and he
stationed his men at certain turn OF
the chief boulevard of Fez5 where the
ruler was wont to take evening tours
in hts newly imported automobile. All
would have gone well had his retainers
known more about gasoline engines. At
the given signal they leaped into the
roadway, Ieveled their guns at the
chauffeur. who fnvoluntari1y brought
the machine to stop. But the engine
still kept pounding away with an oeca-
sional spit and sputter, till some caitiff,
overcome with terror, shouted out:
He's got the devil locked up in
there!"
Headlong the brigands fed from
what they actually believed was q
devil wagon"
Cannot Hasten Return
The unwisdom of hurrying Moslem
III haC I-fv tod 90 in
and again, and often tragically. AS
soon as Mr.. Dickinson, the United
| States consul at Constantinople,
| learned where Miss Stone was secreted
after she had been kidnapped, and Bull
garian troops were dispatched to rescue
| her. the brigands decided to slay the
| two women. Finally milder sentiments
prevailed and, instead, the prisoners
were hurried away through a bitter
| snow storm to new rendezvous.
| Overhaste did cause the death of sew
| eral English tourists in Greece not
many years ago. While visiting the
ancient battlefield Of Marathon Lord
| Muncaster. Mr.. Vyner and several
other Britishers were held up and taken
prisoners by brigands. Knowing the
character of the men. with whom they
had to deal, the Greek government Off
eials wanted to parley with them, learn
! what ransom they demanded and carry
out the stipulations to the letter. The
British minister at Athens, however,
could not abide such a policy of pro-
crastination, and insisted that an army
be at once dispatched to the front. AS
| a consequence the heads of the Eng
| lishmen were promptly cut off.
/ For much the same reason, there
| fore, the sultan of Morocco the other
! day, as soon as he was warned to do
| so by Raisuh, withdrew his soldiers
| from the territory where the brigands
concealed Mr.. Perdicaris.
/ Despite all the Italian government
| is doing to. restore law and order in
| Sicily, there are many parts of that
| island in which the kidnaper has su-
| preme sway. Now and then one of
4 these kidnapers will venture near q
| large city and by means of grotesque
ruse he will generally succeed in
wrestling ransom from some rich land
| owner.
The Ruses Employed
A Sicilian woman, for instance. who
owns a large estate near Palermo, fell
| victim to such plot not long ago.
| She awoke in the middle Of the night
| to hear some one calling her name. 1t
was the voice of her husband, she
thought, who had told her that MORN
/ ing he intended to stay overnight in
| town. In the belief that he had changed
| his mind and had returned home to
| find the outer door locked, she ven
| tured down to the porch herself. where
she was suddenly caught, gagged and
carried off. The husband promptly de-
| posted 100000 In an urn I'm the garden
as the brigands had requested. With
i out mOlestatiOn the kidnapers returned
the captive.
One Of the most famous Sicilian ban
dts is Menfchetti whose feats OF
strength are the themes of ballads
which may be heard amy pleasant might