Mr. Eddy to Mr. Hay.

No. 112.]

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith for your information the copy of a letter from Sir Alfred Billiotti, British consul-general at Salonica, to Mr. Young, third secretary of the British embassy at Constantinople. I also have the honor to transmit a copy of the inclo sure which was contained in Sir Alfred’s letter. This inclosure is the statement of one of the cavasses of the British consulate at Salonica, and is an account of the methods pursued in the release of Colonel Singe, who fell into the hands of brigands in the year 1878.

I have, etc.,

Spencer Eddy.
[Inclosure.]

Sir Alfred Billiotti to Mr. Young.

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.,

Alfred Billiotti.
[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.