The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-12

MYSTERY SHROUDS
EVENTS IN ALBANIA
italian War Office Refuses to
Give Any Information Of
Campaigns Progress.
RELIGIOUS STRIFE on
Special Corresponde~ee to TINS srx.

Special Correspondence to TRs SrS.
ROME, Feb. 15.-Events in Albania.
whether ludicrous or tragic, have always
been more or less yelled In mystery. so.
called full and complete accounts OF any
thing that happened In that country
within sight OF Italy. and yet less
known than the interior Of South Amer
lea" have never been available.
Tho periodical revolutions Of the
tribesmen when Albania was a Turkish
province. the adventures Of the Prince
OF WED during his short reign a. Mpret
of Shkuperia. those Of his self-appointed
successor. Essad Pasha: massacres.
blood feuds and famines. the recent rec
treat OF the Serbian army across Al.
bania and the %treachery Of Montenegro.
have been insufficiently ~chronicled. Now,
when Cettinjc Is connected BY wire with
Vienna and regular wireless communlca-
ton Is established between Rome and
.Avlona. news from Albania continues TO
he scarce and what little Is available
Is always contradictory and often mis-
leading.
The story OF Montcnegro's treachery
has not yet been told n the explana-
lions that have been attempted are FAR
from convincing. What really happened
il still a mystery. The Montenegrin
Premier. who is with the King and the
royal family In France. insists that the
negotiations with Austria toward a sep
arate peace were only a stratagem and
tina King Nicholas's hurried departure.
which very much resembled a flight. was
"a spontaneous decision to leave Mon
tenegro after having fully and Loyalty
lone his duty
Mirko Left Behind.
The Montenegrin Premier admits that
Prince Mirko, the Kings second son. and
three Ministers were lief, In Montenegro
in order to encourage the resistance OF
the army. but he hastens to add that
this Government ~ irregular. as the reg
ula- one. consisting Of only himself. Is
with the King in France The orders
lef. by the King with Gen. Janko Vuco-
itch. commander in chief Of the Monte
negrin forces, were 10 oppose the
enemy energetically. to retire with the
army on Durazzo. not 10 negotiate with
the enemy. TO carry the Prince and the
irregular Government along with him
and 10 avail himself. OF the transport
and other facilities offered by the
French"
Naturally enough the conclusion
reached by Premier M!uchkovich is Chat
the King and the regular Government X
Montenegro, now In France. are RESPONSE
BILE only for the carrying out OF these
orders and not for what happened after
they left the country IN January 20.
since subsequent events happened un-
der the influence OF the authority OF the
invaders"
The fate OF Prince M.rko and the three
member of the irregular Montenegro
Government T. unknown. No mention
has ever been made OF them In the Aus
TRAN war bullottns.
AS regards Montenegro and events
there subsequent TO the Austrian occupa-
ton of Cettinje. the accounts available
here are incomplete and belated. II Is
known that the AustIians began their
occupation OF Montenegro by erecting
callows In every city. town n village
and hanging all the deserters and poIiti-
cal refugees who were found in Monte
negro. Danilo Gattala. formerly an Aus
TRAN citizen. who was In charge o. the
M~onteneGr!n comm!ssarlat corps ana
an Austrian spy as well, earned a great
deal OF money by supplying TO the Aus
;rian 'roons the food supplies he Mad
withheld rom the Montenesrins.
Evidently the Austiians did not eN-
pcriehce any serious difficulty in disarm-
ing the Montenegrln army, and If any re-
sis,ance was opposed by some detach-
ments 4; was easily overcome. Gen. Becir
and Major I.a'nper. VINO signed the
armist!ce with the Austrians. were MUIR
dered. This seems 20 he the only at
tempt at resistance made b. the Monte
neerins. who. judging b. the fact that
Gen. Nucot!ch. the commander in chief.
peacefully surrendered with all his men
at Podgoritza. were disinclincd TO fight.
SeaPch for Copper.
TIE .Aus,rians were in complete
possession Of Montenegro in less thar
a week. Insead OF fighting the soldiers
were employed in Systematically search
Ing for copper utensils from house -
house in every town and village. which
hey roquisitioned or looted and handed
over 10 tho Army Service Corps, Since
Janua'H % all the munl'ion and supply
trains sent out from Ca;taro to Monte
regro return loaded with copper articles
Of every description. and IL Is NJ xag
aeration to say thar there is not a single
ounce of copper left in Montenegro az
the present day. TIE search for coppes
has been extended 10 Albania and even
the brass buttons that are the character
istic ornament on che coat of every AL
haniun have been requ!sitioned and SEN
TO Austrian muni'.on factories.
When the Prince OF WED became
Mpret tire country was invaded by AUS
trian agents, mostly army officers. dis
Guised as archTologists. commercial
! travellers and even priests. who sue
cceded in establishing friendly relations
with most of the tribes. including those
iuhabiting the highlands, These agents
were well supplied with money which
they generously distributed and II was
comparatively easy for them TO gain
over the chiefs and rulers. Considerable
supplies of firearms and ammunition
were M ggled into Albania and stored
or hidden in safe places. especially
churches. n be used when needed.
Baron Nopsa. with the help of the
Austrian Consul at SCutari and the
Catholic Bishop. Mgr, Sereggi. succeeded
in enrolling the tribesmen in a sort of
army with special uniforms which were
kept hidden M worn only when the
Baron returned to Scu,ari with the Aus
irian army of invasion. Austria's work
was considerably facilitated when about
fifteen Albanian chiefs, including Rib
Doda. Kara laid Pasha. Issa Bolijet-
inatg and others who were taken pris-
mars and kent us hDstoHps bv tho N,n.