A NOTORIOUS BRIGAND.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1226, 7 September 1911, Page 5

A NOTORIOUS BRIGAND.

KILLS SEVERAL PEASANTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Constantinople, September 5. A notorious Anatolian brigand named Tchakirdi. operating in the neighbour-hood-of Mimarico (? Smyrna), assassinated several peasants whom he suspected of divulging his movements. The Government has sent a 'Circassian officer and a hundred volunteers to kill or capture him. ROBIN HOOD UP-TO-DATE. Tchakirdji is a bandit by . heredity, for "to succcoded his father, who was killed in in encounter with the troops. The peasants of the Smyrna vilayet both fear and love him. His vengeance upon those who, under the influence of the tortures or the v bribes of Government officials, aid the expeditions sent after him with information, is ample and inevitable. On the other hand, ho' never robs the poor, he pays double for all provisions that he buys, and his gifts are sometimes almost princely. Only last year report crcdita him with having sent to a beautiful but dcwerless girl, whose poverty prevented her marriage,- a dot of ,£2OO. Tchakirdji lives by blackmail, varied with plunder. Last year ho took iITUOO in specie from a Government mail in the Smyrna vilayet, _ but his more usual resource is to write, courteously enough, to. local personages of means, requesting the dispatch to places of rendezvous iiithe mountains of sums varying from .£IOO to' ,£'soo. He uses the same method, too, to interest his patrons in works of public utility. A village bridge badly required Tepair. Tchakirdji pointed out by letter to a wealthy Turk of the neighbourhood that the benefit of an entirely new bridge could be conferred on the locality at a cost of £1000. Three times this message was repeated without effect. Then one evening, as the rich, man was gathered with the rest of the village in tho mosque at the time of the sunset prayer, Tchakirdji, with a dozen armed men, appeared at the door. Waiting quietly until the rich man's prayer was finished, Tchakirdji then tapped hini on tho shoulder, and in a few moments the tardy public benefactor was or. horseback on the way to an unknown destination in the mountains. He returned thinner in a few weeks' time, when his friends had sent in gold to a socludcd meeting-place. Let ,T. J. Curtis and Co., Shipping, Forwarding and Customhouse Agents, Customhouse Quay, move your Furniture. They've had years of experience in this kind of work, and will do it to your satisfaction.. No careless packing or rough landling. Moderate Charges.—Advt.