Year: 1876

SO far above them would marry her now Things went
insarrecs,on in Bosnia anc Herassoyips. Raks
was eighteen, she had been teacher Tor two years,
and had nearly paid her debt. Then there were
signs OF approaching trouble Fresh upon the
news OF the war Herzegovina tho tax
gatherer with demands for the years aud those
OF the previous year, which had been remitted owing
TO the failure OF The crops Many were unable to
meet these unlocked for demands Their property
was instantly seized and sold at any price it would
bring. The cattle the agricultural implements of the
peasants were seized ana sold without the slightest
gard to future consequences. Some were even thrown
into prison when nobody offered to buy the poor sf-
ects that were offered Tor sale Naturally these acts
resulted IN great deal of misery and dissatisfaction


USBEARABfE TAXATION


The taxes upon the agricultural population heavy
nough, often amounting, they do to twenty and
hirty per cent according to the farmers capacity
or extortion, without being suddenly doubled at
moments notice Hard upon this followed the demand
for the taxes OF 1876 In advance which resulted in still
more forced sales, extortons, quarrels with the tax
collectors, misery and discomfort The young
men of the place began TO hold secret meetings
ana 70 TAX o. throwing on The yoke OF the turks ana
asserting their Independence, Ike their brothers OF
Bosnia, Herzegovina, Mont, negro and Servia.' may
as well state here that IL in this place that the in
surrecton, II such puny outbreak as occurred here
may be dignhed by that name. broke out
There was Il seems, an lnsurrcciional Com
mittee at Bucharest, composed OF young Bul.
garians IN the schools or in business there. They
natives OF villages this part OF the country
and not Russians, stated by the Turks we'll
diplomatists who see Russian in every bush. ''The
nsurrection wss fomented from Without in the sense
only that these Young Bulgarans had their headquar-





slightest evidence TO show that there were any
Russians or Servians in this part OF he country
as is stated by tho Turks, and believed byr Sir
Henry Elliot. II does not appear that Raike had any,
thing to do with iomentipg the nsurrection She says
tic first positive knowledge she had of anything brew
ing was IN ;he spring, about Easter time. -She was
summoned day to the house where the School
Committee were in the habit of meeting. She went,
supposing 1t for some business relating
TO tho school. but greatly surprised
find not the School Committee, but
number Of young OF the village, who listen
Garu hx n mad
urging them to revolt We have not been able to find
out who this Bankovsky vas nor what has become Of
him. II Is supposed that be was killed near Sophia,
but this Is by no. means certain We have only
been able to ascertain that his real name not
Baakovsky, and that he was Bulgarian. | be-
lievc that many OF the people know who he was
and where he wasrom, but nat they pretend to know
little about him in order not to be forced to tell what
they do know and compromise his friends. Raika
describes him TALL handsome man with blonde
musache, blue eyes, and very fiery eloquent man.
ncr OF speaking His words so worked upon
them that they decided unanimously to rise
as soon as servia should declare war;
which eventuahty was looked upon as
Tor carving this resolution into effect and 1t ap
peared that Of the first things they needed was
why the young school mistress was summoned to the
council Her skill with the needle was famed through
out the country far and wide and they had fixed upon
her


TO RMBRopER STANDARD REBELLIoN.


Understanding the danger she at hrst refused and
tried to dssulde them IRON their project but they
resolved upon their line of action, and insisted
upon her embrodering the flag for them. Urged.
partly oy threats partly ny Gy persuason % ana pernaps M
ihlnk ,ha. Der ski II nsedlswoIs. ,ha. most
womanly of accomplishments should have been
the cause OF so fearful a misfortune to her.
In order to not compromise her father and mother,
however, sho decided to do the work In the house Of
one the insurgents. A vain precautIoD. II did not
prevent her father from being slaughtered with hun
dreds OF Others IN the church where he officiating
We have the flag il Tell into the hands of The
Turks and now used in evidence on the trials that
going on here The poor rag bespatered and torn,
was pretiy worked, with ndire design showing
huge yellow lion, with his paw on crescent, with
which he seemed greatly displeased and tho inscrip
ton, ''Libcrty or Death,' in Bulgarian.


BY the first of May the day fixed upon for the rising
to take place, the banner was ready But Servia had
not declared war; and they had received almost Ger
tain Information hat they betrayed to the Turk
ish authorities. They determined TO 80 on, rs they
considered 1t now too late TO either abandon the at
tempt or postpone it, So having taken their arms
they formed IN body and marched TO the church,
sent for the priests one of whom was Raka's father,
declared their intention OF rising and asked them TO
bless The undertaking This the priests dd Although
several priests killed at the time OF the
several more hanged aerward 1t does not appear
that priest took moro active part in the nsur
recon than that OF giving his blessing In one or Two
Instances to The insurgents Having obtained the
blessing OF the Church. the Insurgents called for
Raka, and informed her that as she had made the flag
she through the village at the head Of
procession She refused, but they seized her, put her
upon a horse, put the flag in her hand, and
marched through the streets scouting and singing
IN tho most approved French manner. Having thus
declared they proceeded 10 act There was
Mudir Turkish Governor in the village at this time,
they had matters oil to themselves and nobody to
interfere with them. They Immediately proceeded TO
fortiy the place, and they do not seem TO have had
any other plan for the nsurrecton than that OF wait
ing quietly the village and defending IL agsinet all
comers This seems 10 have been the plan adopted IN
the three four villages where rising really took
place. and more ioosh one could hardly have been
imagined But the rest OF the population without lead
ers and without organization, renamed inactive and
allowed themselves TO be quietly slauehtered


There is little doubt, IN my mlnd, that the rising
had been general, properly organized and provided
with leaders that the Turks would have been obliged to
abandon the whole country north OF tho Balkans
and withdraw to Adranople They would
never have been able to fight Servia and Mon
tenegro and at the same time keep up their
commuucatons through hostile country that was up
in arms against them This 10, in my mind, the best
evidence that


throughout the country for there had been would
have succeeded


All the people of Pangurlsht seem TO have finally
engaged in the revolt Tor Ralka informed me that even
the women bad gone out and worked on the forinca-
tons, so great was the enthusiasm and That they
worked nj them nine or ten days


The ten days during which they were throwing up
this puny earthwork did not pass without some
incidcnts In the first place two tax collectors who
approached the place ordered deliver up their
arms and their refusal to do so were fired upon
and killed These tax collectors were not, properly
speaking officers OF the government, but rather agents
Of farmer, who had excited the hatred OF the
people by their extortions shortly aiterward seven
more Turks who approached the village were ordered
TO surrender, aud did so at once These were TWO
zaptiehs two tax-collectors ono clerk, and two
pomaks or Mohammedan Bugarians. they were all
lodged in Bulgarian house and well treated, except
one the zapiiehs mounted police OF the country,
who had committed such of cruelty and barbarty
that they decided he had merited death, and they
therefore


sEzTESCED AND SHOT HIN.


day or two later some people, ina close carriage
approaching along the road toward the Notifications,
were hailed and likewise ordered to surrender, aud,
upon their attempting to escape were fred upon. The
carriage captured and II was found there we're two
men and three women IN IT. The two men and one OF
the women had been killed by the hre; one OF the
remaining women seized sabre and struck at ono
OF insurgents whereupon she killed The other
captured and sent into the village, and
well treated until tho arrival OF the Turks, when she
set at liberty As far we have been able to learn
that have been killed by the insurgents and one
OF then, as have just related, was shot accidentally.
The Turkish authorities in Philippopos state that
there were twelve killed In all; but they have
been unab;e TO give Mr.. Schuyler either the
OF these women or tho names OF
Killed. and he therefore Will not accept the statement