Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-19

SALONIk1, Macedonia, May IL, 1910.
AS was intimated in yesterdays letter,
the Rev. John H. House, D. D., who has
been a missionary of the
MlSSlOuarV'S American board in Mace
Ahl..x: donia for thirty-five
nouuctlon years, was largely instru-
mental in the rescue of Miss Ellen NJ.
Stone of Chelsea, Mass, also q mission
airy of the American board in Mace
donia for many years. and, at the time
she was kidnapped, the principal of a
school for young women at Samarkov. 1t
will be remembered that Miss Stone had
been attending a convention Of teachers
and had started home on horseback with
Nine. Tsilka, also a teacher and wife Of
a Protestant preacher in Albania, when
they were surrounded by a company of
armed men, who led them into the wild
est part of the Balkan mountains, and
kept them there for several weeks. Dur
ing their captivity both women were
treated with the greatest kindness. They
were made as comfortable as possible,
and Nine. Tsilka gave birth to a child
before her rescue.
1t was believed at the time, and the
evidence was confirmed afterward, that
Miss Stones capture was the result of
a conspiracy on the part of the Mace
DOMAIN committee, an organization of pa
triots in Bulgaria, with headquarters at
Sofia, where they have open Offices. a
newspaper organ and an organization to
which almost every citizen of the coun-
try belongs.
The motive for kidnapping Miss Stone
was to secure money to buy guns and
ammunition for an uprising against the
Turkish authorities. and the reason she
was selected was the popular belief that
the people of America, who are all very
rich and generous, would not hesitate to
pay a large sum Of money as ransom
incidentally. the members of the Mace
DOMAIN committee were indignant at Miss
Stone and other members of the Amer
lean missionary colony because they had
funds. Notwithstanding the popular i'm
preston that America is land of lib
erty, and that all Americans do, or should,
sympathize with every effort made by
the people of other countries to obtain
that same blessing.
unusual opportunities for learning the
truth, l was convinced
Abductors that the kidnapping of
Miss Stone was planned
AnVWA. and carried out by people
who knew her we'll: not only neighbors,
but those who had been associated with
her school, This accounts for the kind
ness with which she was treated through
out her captivity and the mysterious
silence which both she and Nine. Tsllka
have since maintained concerning the
personnel of their captors. There Is rea-
son to believe tina. Miss Stone knew them
personally, but is bound by solemn oath
h4iv
However this may be, DR.. House. who
was selected by the br1gands as the man
whom they preferred to deal with in ar
ranging for the payment OF the ransom.
frankly admits that the men who received
the money from his hands were members
of the Macedonian committee, and when
asked him the direct question whether
any Of them had formerly been his stu
dents, he smiled and made no reply. When
asked him if any Of Miss Stones cap
again, and replied:
II have heard so"
DIR. House has prepared a detailed &C
count of his extraordinary adventures In
not wish to have it published while he is
living: nevertheless he told me briefly, in
a casual undramatic way, one OF the most
thrilling stories Of adventure that has
ever come within the experience OF
Congregational clergyman at least
Missionaries have strange adventures
often in heather lands. Their lives are
by no means monotonOus, but DR.. House,
believe, is the only American mission
airy who ever paid $4,000 in gold coin to
alleged brigands in an open field, at mid
night, upon their bare promise that they
would release a woman whom they were
holding prisoner in the neighboring
mountains.
The fact that these men would deal
with no other agent. and the extraordi-
nary faith in them which
Confidence he showed by paying
Displayed. vance mon their mere
promise that Miss Stone would be re-
leased, is sufficient evidence that they