[Inclosure.]
Sir Alfred
Billiotti to Mr. Young.
Salonica, November 18,
1901.
My Dear Mr. Young: It had struck me that it
might be interesting and perhaps instructive in connection with Miss
Stone to get the details of the procedure in the case of Colonel
Singe, who was the first prisoner taken by brigands, nearly
twenty-three
[Page 1012]
years ago.
I inclose the statements as taken down word by word by Mr. Falanga
from our old cavass Hussein. My opinion is that it will be most
difficult, if not impossible, to come to terms as to the manner of
payment of the ransom and rescuing the prisoners without running the
risk of putting faith in the word of the captors. My experience of
Turkish brigands in Anatolia, and what I have heard in the cases of
Colonel Singe, Mr. Suter, and Mr. Chevalier, is that reliance can be
placed in their promises. They have a certain code of honor, and I
suppose that Bulgarians will be as faithful as Turks and Greeks in
their word.
I heard here from a Bulgarian source that according to all
probabilities Miss Stone is on Bulgarian soil, in the house of a
Pomak, and that she never moved since her capture nor that she has
been kidnapped by Pomaks, but as their houses can not be entered by
the Bulgarians (on account of their harems) the Bulgarian brigands
may have arranged with some Bulgarian Turks to keep her in
concealment. I give the” information for what it is worth.
I have seen lately in newspapers a report to the effect that Miss
Stone was in the house of a bey in Serres. Although I do not place
the slightest value to such a rumor I have, however, written to our
agent to make inquiries.
In the last telegram which I received through the embassy (November
5) I was directed to keep the messenger within reach. I have kept
him here. This messenger has already been away from his house
exactly three weeks to-day. His traveling expenses have been 1 pound
Turkish and 3 medjids (silver) his maintenance about P. 10 per diem;
in addition to which I suppose he will get some slight remuneration
for loss of time. I mention these details in order to enable the
United States legation to have an idea of what their outlays may be
if the man is retained longer. My dragoman tells me that the
messenger has been already asked by his countrymen what he was doing
here so long.
I remain, etc.,
[Subinclosure.—Translation.]
Details concerning the release of Colonel Singe,
captured more than twenty years ago by the Greek band of Captain
Nico in the district of Caterini, Salonica.
A villager named Tcharghi who, as was later shown, formed part of the
same band, presented himself as intermediary between the British
consulate and the brigands. After prolonged negotiation it was
arranged that 12,000 Turkish pounds should be carried to the
brigands at a place fixed by them upon a steep and wooded mountain
traversed by paths known to the brigands alone; that if troops were
summoned to accompany the ransom they should halt at a point
indicated at the base of the mountain, and from there the
intermediary, Tcharghi, should accompany the bearers of the money to
a point higher up where the brigands would attend him; and, lastly,
that the soldiers should give no sign of pursuing the brigands
before twenty-four hours had elapsed from the reception of the
ransom.
This programme was followed to the letter. One hundred horsemen
(soldiers) under the command of Col. Rachid Bey (now general) set
out from Caterini with the consul, Mr. Blunt, the dragoman of the
consulate, Mr. Brizzo, the cavass Hussein Aga, the intermediary, and
four armed men who accompanied tlie horse which bore the money. At
the foot of the mountain, in a small opening, Tcharghi told the
soldiers to halt, and with the dragoman, the cavass, the mulazim
Hassan Agha, the four men and the horse bearing the money went on
foot toward the summit of the mountain, and after half an hour of
very difficult climbing he stopped the caravan anew. The brigands
had placed sentinels upon the trees a little way above this place of
rendezvous in order to be able to spy the movements of the soldiers.
After a quarter of an hour of waiting ten brigands came, one after
another, from different parts of the forest and surrounded the
caravan. Six of them leveled their guns at the troop, and the other
four, of whom one was. Captain Nico, came nearer to converse. Mr.
Brizzo having informed Nico that he was the bearer of the ransom
agreed upon, the chief sent a man of his band, who returned a
quarter of an hour later with Colonel Singe, escorted by two other
brigands. His hands were bound by a cord and he was so overcome with
emotion that he recognized nobody and could not speak a word. It was
not until after drinking several swallows of cognac that he came to
himself.
After verifying the contents of each of the bags containing the
12,000 pounds, which was done by Nico himself, aided by four
companions, one of the coins was found with a hole in it and Nico
demanded that it should be exchanged, which was done.
During the count the bags which were found correct were carried off
one by one by a brigand who disappeared in the forest and reappeared
ten minutes afterwards.
[Page 1013]
This operation lasted about two hours, and when it was ended one of
the brigands, having taken Colonel Singe aside, shaved his beard.
After which Captain Nico returned to the colonel his gold watch,
which he had taken from him, and 250 piastres in money which he had
upon him the day of his capture; besides which Captain Nico counted
out to him 50 Turkish pounds saying to him that it was the
commission which rightfully belonged to him from the ransom.
After this ceremony Captain Nico brought forward two women and a
child all muffled up. They were the wife of the intermediary
Tcharghi, his married daughter, and a child of the latter, captured
a few days before. He said to Mr. Brizzo and his companions:
“Give good heed to what I say. If we perceive within twenty-four
hours from now that troops are in pursuit of us these three persons
shall be decapitated.”
After this brief discourse all the brigands disappeared as by
enchantment. The caravan rejoined the soldiers, and all returned
together to Caterini. Nico, who did not return to his village until
two years later, was killed shortly after his return.
A similar procedure was followed in the case of Mr. Suter, who was
captured three years later by another Greek band at Isvoro; as also
in the case of Mr. Chevalier, captured about two and a half years
ago in the same locality.
