The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-08-03
CAPTURED BY BRIGANDS.

Reuters correspondent at Usi.ua
gives some additional particulars
with reference to the recent kidnap-
ing Of Mr.. Robert Abbott, a British
subject. in Salonika. When return
ing home at about 10 O'Clock in the
evening Of March 21 he had just en-
tered the garden and was within a
few steps of his fathers door when
he was attacked by five or six men.
One of these he partially stunned
with a blow on the side of the head;
another he put hors du combat" by
kick in the stomach: while a third
Of the assailants had one of his fin
ers severely bitten while trying to
force gag into Mr.. Abbott's mouth.
But the victim was speedily over
powered; one OF the brigands sat
upon his head, and at this moment
they seem to have administered chic
reform, as Mr.. Abbott lost conscious
ness, and continued in a half-dazed
condition, suffering from nausea for
two days afterward
He recollects being half carried
and half walking, gagged and blind
folded. for some distance, two men
supporting him under the armpits,
after which he was thrown into a
house, where he Immediately fell
into deep sleep. The following
night he was removed to another
house. Here the bandage was re-
moved from his eyes, and lie could
see that he was in a room the floor
and walls of which were concealed
by rush mating, as If to render iden-
LITIGATION difficult, while the windows
were Theoretically closed, the only
light coming from a lamp which was
kept burning day and night. In this
room he remained for thirty-six days
and nights, constantly watched b.;
two of the band His guards were
quite kind to him, and, except for
retaining him as their prisoner, did
all they could to meet his wishes.
Immediately after the capture Mr..
Alfred Abbott, the father of the VIC
tim, sent trusty servant to scour all
the villages in the neighborhood of
Salonika; the Vail of Saionika also
sent out four secret agents to try to
get on the track of the brigands. But
these measures were without effect,
and communication with the band was
at last opened by letter found on
April s in Mr.. Abbott's garden at Sa-
lonika. In this letter Mr.. Robert
Abbott informed his father that he
was in the hands of brigand band.
who demanded for him ransom of
ELS 900 Turkish. A postscript.
which the brigand chief added in
pencil and in an evidently disguised
handwriting, threatened that the
death or mutilation of the prisoner
would be the consequence of any re-
tusal to pay or of any attempt to
play false with the band by putting
the authorities on their track. The
letter also named a rendezvous where
an agent of Mr.. Abbott's might meet
with representatives of the band to
arrange details.
sus-.- 41l2G money was sent from Salonika
on the evening of April % under an
escort of four armed men, and was
handed over to the brigands at a
point among the hills four or five
miles from Salonika. More than
twenty brigands were seen on this oc-
casion. In conversation with Mr..
Abbott's messenger, the brigand chief
said that the money would in no
sense be thrown away, as it would in
Sure lifelong happiness to a score of
honest families London Standard.