New Britain herald., 1916-01-06
"BABOUNSKY" BIG
 FIGURE IN WAR
Seeks to Release Turkish Part Of
 Serbia From Ottoman Yoke

Correspondence of the Associated PressI Gevlheli, Serbia, Nov. 22-One of the most picturesque figures of the European war is the Serbian "ko- mitadji or guerilla Ivan Stikovitch, known to fame as "Babounsky'' The name is drawn from the famous Ba- bouna pass, where recently the Serbs so long held the invading Bulgarlans at bay. Ivan Stoikovitch comes from that part of Serbia and is therefore known to his followers and to the Serbian population at large by a nickname indicating the fact. A slight man. tall, with honest gray-blue eyes and the pale features of a student, he impresses the strang- CT with anything but the terror which his name inspires. Nor do his looks belle his real profession. For the redoubtable "Babounsky'' was a school teacher until fired by an ar dent patriotism he gave up his class es to gather about him a band of ln- trepid spirits in the fight for the re- lease of the Turkish part of Serbia from the Ottoman yoke.
 Refuge in Mountains.
 Ever since the first Balkan war he and his followers have been un- der arms. Unrecognized by the laws of war, they have taken their own risks of capture and instant execu- tion. Their refuge is in the Serbian mountains, and they have been will ing to trust their security to their own astuteness and the inpregnability of their numerous hiding places.
 During the brief periods separating the first Balkan war from the second
  present European struggle, the inter- nal administration of Serbia was in such state of disorder that it seem ed to "Babounsky'' better to retain his band under arms and to assist in the administration of a rough and ready justice than to send his fol- lowers to their own firesides. In this capacity even in the short in- tervals of peace he kept his name as kind of modern Robin Hood the friend of the weak and the ter TOT of the evil doer.
 Town After Town Evacuated.
 Especially since the complete break down of the Serbian adminis- tration following the flight of the government to Scutari, has "Baboun- sky'' become a parsonage of prime importance in Serbia. Before the advancing German and Bulgarian ar mics, town after town was evacuated. Sometimes the inhabitants were able to take few of their belongings with them; more often they were forced to leave with the clothes they wore as their only possessions. But especially in the southern part of Serbia, where the greater part of the inhabitants are really of Turkish or Bulgarian extraction, only the Serbs fled and the Turks and the Bulgarians remained. While awaiting for the arrival of the armies of their compatriots, they were not averse to going through the deserted Serbian dwellings and acquiring a few useful articles.
 "Babounsky'' did not approve of this. Naturally the deserted dwell ings and all in them would fall into the hands of the conquerors That was all right-the chance of war. But that former neighbors should do the footing was not in "Babounsky's" code. And those who tried it were dealt with in a most summary man. ner.
 Received Short Thrift. Whoever among the Bulgarians was suspected of giving information to the advancing Bulgar armies also re- ! celved short thrift. A story is told l of the first Balkan war when cer- 1 tain pseudo-Serb known as "Kechko' 1 was suspected of treason to the Ser l olan cause. 'Babounsky's'' band ap- peared upon the scene one night and l kechko' and four others were ar rested tried Tn secret by the band at midnight and sentenced to be "sent l hot ic banks of the Vardar river, stabbed
 and thrown in, their bodies to drift down with the current to SaloniIi. All five were lined up on the bank. l "Babounsky" gave the signal for the l fatal blows to be struck Blunt un- 1 fortunately 'rKechko's'' executioner. l a lawyer from Belgrade, had never killed a man before and his hand 1 slipped. The five bodies were thrust into the Vardar, but "Kechko' was still alive
 l A week later the Serbian consul at l Saloniki was called to the hospital. l "Kechko' told him the story of his | escape from death, but begged that it be kept secret until after his de- parture for the United States Ul- | timately recovered from the unskill- l ful stab Of the Belgrade lawyer,
 "Kechko' quietly departed for Amer
 ica where he lives still, unterritied by 1 the famous guerilla
 Keeps No Commission. l Whenever the allied troops hayn l need of fresh meat or wood or mules 1 one of the officer acquaints a Serbian
 with what is required. The next day
 twenty sheep two cord of wood or
 a hundred mules are brought into
 
 may be by a Serbian peasant The
 peasant collects an equitable sum l for the goods delivered and in time l each Serbian who has been invoIur