Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-10

nal administration of Servfa was in such a state of disorder that 1t seem ed to Babounslxy better to retain his band under arms and to assist in the administration Of a rough and ready Justice than to send his followers to their own fresides. In this capacity even in the short intervals of peace he kept his name as a kind of modern Robin Hood-the friend of the weak and the terror of the evil doer.
 Especially since the complete break down of the Servian administration following the flight of the government to Scutari, has Babonsky become a parsonage of prime importance in Servia. Before the advancing German and Bulgarian armies, town after town was evacuated. Sometimes the inhabitants were able to take a few of their belongings with them;, more often they were forced to leave with the clothes they wore as their only southern part of Servia, where the greater part of the inhabitants are really of Turkish or Bulgarian extrac- tion, only the Serbs fled and the Turks and the Bulgarians remained. While waiting for the arrival of the armies of their compatriots they were not averse to going through the deserted Servian dwellings and acquiring a few useful articles.
 Babounsky did not approve of this. 1NdluTatty the QeSeTI6Q QW6lllnRS al1u 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 manner.
 Whoever among the Bulgarians was l suspected of giving information to the advancing Bulgar armies also received short. shrift. A story Is told of the first Balkan war when a certain pseudo-Serb known as Keehko was suspected of treason to the Servian cause. Babounsky's band appeared upon the scene one night and Kesiko and four others were arrested, tried in secret by the band at midnight and sentenced to be sent to Salonikf'- that is, taken to the banks of the Vardar river and thrown in, their bod les to drift down with the current to Saloniki. All five were lined up on the bank Babounsky gave the sig nal for the fatal blows to be struck. tioner, a lawyer from Belgrade, had never killed man before and his hand slipped. The five bodies were thrust into the Vardar, but Kechko was still alive.
 A week later the Servian consul at Saloniki was called to the hospital. Kech0o told him the story of h1s es-
 
 kept secret until after his departure for the United States. Ultimately re- covered from the unskillful stab of tce Belgrade lawyer, Kecfko quietly de- parted for America, wher he lives still, unterrif1ed by the famous guerilla. Whenever the allied troops nave need of fresh meat or wood or mules, one of the officers acquaints a Servian with what is required. The next cay 20 sheep, two cords of wood or a hun dred mules are brought into Negotin or Kaphadar, Ps the case may be, by Servian peasant. The peasant col lects an equitable sum for the goods delivered and in time each Servian who has been invountarily levied up- on for lamb or wood or mule receives his payment. Babounsky does not even keep a commission.
 When, too, either Serb or Bulgar in one of the towns occupied by the al- lied troops behaves in grasping or dtshonest way towards the French or the Fsitish 1t is not long before the punishment arrives. Tte punishment nay take various fc. ss, from death for treason to a dozen blJws with a stout sticl: for cheating one of sserv- ia's allies. The punishmenfs. however, are rsre BabounsFy's reputation is too we'll known. The magic phrasei Listen. my friend-I shat see that Babounsky hears of thisi" generally has it's effect.