Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-27

Ellen NJ. Stone, the American woman
who was captured by Macedonian brig
ands while travelling from Raslog to Dju
mabala in the Turkish empire, September
3. 1901, will be in Washington for week
beginning Monday. January %, as one Of
the conferees at the w. c. T. U. legisla-
tive convocation. Miss Stone. despite
her unpleasant experiences with Mace
DOMAIN mountain bandits. has remained
in that part Of the world ever since she
was ransomed, barring few trips to
friends In America. and at present is the
president Of the W. C. T. U. Of Mace
donna
Miss Stone is to speak at the meetings
OF state presidents and national and for
eign officers to be held Tuesday evening.
January 30. at First Congregational
Church: Wednesday evening, January 81
at w. c. T. U. building. 500 9th street
northwest; January 30. at 2 pm, at Wes-
will also probably take par in the gen.
eral advance on Congress which the dele
gates to the convocation have planned In
the interest OF the existing proposed
dry" legislation.
News stirs the Country.
When the news that an American wom-
an had been captured in the Turkish en-
pire and hidden away in the fast
nesses Of Bulgarian mountains was
made public the entire United States
was stirred. Nothing like it had ever
been heard Of in this country, and news
papers devoted columns Of first page
space to the stories. The State Depart
ment was in a quandary until something
definite could be learned Of the exact To-
cation Of Miss Stones captors. as there
was no way to find out what government
was responsible, nor whose subjects the
bandits were. 1t was evident from the
first that the American woman had been
captured for ransom. The sultan's troops
meanwhile were trying to surround the
brigands, and all sorts OF surmiSes as
to Miss Stones fate were in the air.
Negotiations were opened with the ban
from Miss Stone asking that the 5000
demanded be paid and that the sultan S
troops be called off the pursuit.
Statutory prohibitions made 1t impos-
sible for the United States government
to advance the ransom or to guarantee
its payment. but the State Department
promised to urge repayment to Miss
Stones friends If they raised a ransom
fund.
Private Fund Raised.
BY private means. therefore. citizen
the CUltcu SldtcS WAS TcoCucu AlOul d
lot of half-wild Macedonian mountain
GERS. who finally were induced to reduce
their price to $4,000. United States Min
lister Leishman arranged for a payment
of this money at a point near Bansko,
Macedonia, the Turkish authorities agree
ing to withhold their troops from the
place in order that the negotiations
might have a successful termination.
Miss Stones release was obtained Feb
ruary %, 1902.
Other women who will be in Washing
ton to attend the convention are Mrs. LII
liam M. n. Stevens. president of the w.
C. T. u. throughout America, and vice
president of the worlds w. C. r. u;
Mrs. Chauncey Goodrich. national presi-
dent Of the W. c. T. u. of China, and
Mrs. Margaret Dye Ellis, who for sixteen
years has been lobbyist before the
Senate and House Of Representatives,
and an active foe Of the liquor interest
legislation.
These women and scores OF others
prominent will attend the hearing Tues
day morning before the Senate subcom-
mittee of the judiciary on the merits of
the Sheppard bill which. IL enacted, will
render it impossible for liquor to be ship
ped to privte consumers in states or COM
munities already ''gone dry