The Washington herald., 1907-12-29
MURDER HALTS RIOTS
Sultan Breathes Easier with
SarafOff Dead.
PLOTTED GREAT REVOLUTION
Sought 10 Gain Full Power I'm Mace
donia-Possessed Fascinating Man
ners, Though His Inhumanity Was
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Against ia
pan-HOrrOrS OF Siberia.

foff's assassination at Sofia, Bulgaria
December Ii. there would have been fresh
fighting in Macedonia in the spring
Sarafoff was organizing the campaign
at the time he was killed. and his plans
for rebellion against the Sultan never
failed What he cost Turkey in money
and lives would almost have paid for the
territory he sought to wrest from Abdul
Hands hands.
More than once as many as 10000 Tur-
kish soldiers secured the province for
him. He carried a price Of $500 on his
head for years. and there is no doubt the
Sultan would gladly have doubled the re-
ward had he believed that by doing so he
could have caught the "Uncrowned Mace
DOMAIN King" as the rebel chieftain was
called
The story is current in Constantinople
that Panitza. the assassin, was paid by
the Turkish government to kill Sarafon
The arch-rebers enemies-and he had
them even among his own cOUntrymen-
say he was slain for appropriating to his
own use 100000 contributed 10 the Mace
DOMAIN war fund. His friends reply that
the money was honestly expended in
preparations for next springs uprising,
and that friends and foes alike knew ex-
actly how it had been used.
Though only thirty years old,
Sarafoff had been in the field or plotting
Instructions against Turkey for twelve
years He was more than mere
guerilla AS a student in the military
school at Sofia, he was we'll trained and
rose from the ranks 10 a lieutenant in
the Bulgarian army. Even then he spent
all his spare time travelling in Macedonia
planning future campaigns.
He was not only an ideal leader In his
own country. but so we'll liked in Bull
garia that the popular outcry compelled
Prince Ferdinand TO release him on one
occasion. when he had been arrested in
Sofia.
The mercilessness Of his methods of
warfare created a kind OF horror OF him
in the conservative element in Macedonia.
and three years ago he was rejected
from the revolutionary committee on
the ground that he was too brutal for
his time
SarafOffs only answer was 10 organize
new committee Of his own and continue
his warfare as fercely as before. With
out his leadership. the old committee soon
went TO pieces.
The recent riot in the Indian National
Congress at Surat. Bombay. over the
question OF Indian home rule, has sud
denly aroused England to a realization
of political conditions in India
Warnings have been sounded from time
10 time for several years, but not even
in the East have Europeans regarded
them as worthy OF very grave considera-
ton. The Home Rule partys violence at
Surat was not, in itself. particularly i'm
portant. but 1t served TO call attention TO
the activity with which agiators have
long been stirring the people to revolt
throughout the entire country. VicerOy
Lord Mimic Is one of the few who have
been pointing out to the government that
trouble Is ahead.
1T is impossible he told the legisIa-
tive council Of Inlia. on the adoption last
month Of a bill TO prevent seditous gath
erings. TO ignore the warnings Of recent
events, the riots at Lahore, Pindi, and
elsewhere. the insults 10 Europeans, and
the seditious attempts to influence racial
feeling and temper with the loyalty of
the Indian army"
One step for which an early effort is
likely, is suppression OF the national vol
unteers, a native organization which adj
mits training recruits throughout the
country In workmanship and archery
rifle pradtice being prohibited-and is
strongly suspected Of participation in
numerous lawless outbreaks.
That Japan has been active in stirring
up native feeling against the British is
openly charged by the alarmist The
opinion Is rapidly growing that Count
Okuma intended, in his recent speech. al |
most openly 10 give notice that the Japa-
nese would be glad TO see India rise
against English rule
Australian sentiment, which has long
been violently an japanese. and Cana |
dian opinion, now shifting in the same
direction, are also beginning TO produce
an effect at home.
The Russ publishes a letter from an
exile, man Of culture recently sent TO
Siberia and condemned to work with !
other political prisoners on the new Ko- |
lessnaya wheel road.
eve landed from our barge at 6 |
O'Clock" says the writer. "and set off in
the morning for the camp, twenty miles |
distant. As soon as the village was out
of sight the escort got to work with |
rife butts. urging us on with blows and |
curses. Two of US fell swooning.
AT the camp we met acquaintances |
who only SAID We are all beaten It is /
hard They were terribly stung by mos |
quitoes. unclean and clad in rags.
Our way TO work lay across marsh. /
We had toscross it twice daily. stripped l
to the skin and carrying our shovels. We /
worked from a. m. to or 6 D. m
I'VE toll knee deep in mire, and after a |
fortnight rheumatism sets in and the legs /
begin to swell There is no respite Sun /
days, but We are compelled to sing I
Thanksgiving hymn in the evening.
The labor is hard. but still harder are |
the beatings- We are beaten on the way
TO work, AT work. and on the way back, 1
beaten for unwillingness 20 give up our |
bedding 20 the Cossacks, beaten for ask /
ing for clean clothing. beaten for wear
ing spectacles. beaten for no reason at |
all. beaten always and everywhere.
- "A prisoner named Abdicheff had two
ribs broken by a Cossack's rifle because
he was too weary TO hurry from work
Another, named KostrovsIy. was so
cruelty mauled that his lungs and liver
are injured. A third, named Gutkin,
complained because he was i'll. so the
inspector kicked him out of his tent,
and beat in his face with his revolver
butt
1 know two men who have cut the
fingers from their right hands that they
might be no longer able to work on the
road know another who put his hand
beneath cart Wheel that it might be
crushed Many drink tobacco juice that
they may be sent to the hospital
1 know men whose fondest dream is