ZELIM KHAN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1894, 31 October 1913, Page 9

ZELIM KHAN.

ROBIN HOOD OF THE CAUCASUS GENEROUS TO' THE I'OOR. Zelim Khan, the "Robin Hood of th» Caucasus Mountains/' who has defied Russian authorities l'or over 20 years, has just duped a special dotoctivo sent from Mascow to catch him. When changing horses between Tyflis .and.•JSrivan the detective* vaa accosted 1 tby'.a. decrepit old man, who begged -fop.a 'Iffb.-u homo, some miles up the mountains. The dotectiyo agreed. Tho old man, so weak that every jolt over the stones made him groan, Said lie had once hoeu rich, hut waia ruined by Zelim Khan, who robbed him of all Ins money. As he loft t'ho carriage, ho handed tho detectivG a note. "Give this to.the tribesman who lives at tho top of the next lull—ho will help you," lio said, and tottered into a hut close by. As tho detective could not find the tribesman ho opened the note, which ran: "iNoxt timo you travel with Zksliru Khan bo sttre you arrest hinj." He hurried back to tho hut, but found only tho rags with which Zelim bad di*'' guised himself. • ! Last_ autumn, disguised I 'as an oriho-' dox priest, Zelim got another detectiva . to carry his portmanteau, fiilod with cartridges, into a train. Four days later ho was robbing 'rich merchants' near the spot. ' 1 ' Ho always sides with the poor, who' adore liim and refuse to bs tempted by tho largo sums set upon his head. Once, meeting a Tartar who had bought a poor Circassian girl of her parents, he ransomed her and sont her homo with a, roll of notes. Zelim Khan conies of ancient stack, and is a Mahometan. He claims thas, his forefathers ruled from Kutaio to i. Baku centuries beforo the Russians iliVaded tho Caucasus. He is about CO, t'hey say, and tho last of his race, hiß three sous having been killed in fight* with Russian gendarmes and troops. IA fow years ago ho swooped dowu.' ! into Baku and kidnapped young Rylski, an oil king, shaved rig head, dressed ' liim in sheepskins, and eiitertainod him in princely style in a mountain liut liung with priceless rugs and carpets.-' Rylski refused to oat. , "It is hot poisoned," remarked Zeliin; "I always play fair. I havo never drowned men in oil, like you." "I know all Baku soexots. Yon grew; rich by cheating a Tartar, digging * canal between his claim and yours, eo that all his oil went into yours. When ho cmplaincd you had him drowned in oil. You must pay for it. You do not leavo thus hut till your family liavo given his fridow and children enough to' livo ,in ■ comfort. Write home at once. One of my, men will , take tho lotter." 110 was set free when the Tartar widow came to say she had been paid enough to live on. Once some l of Zelim's band captured a young officer and brought him to Zoiim, thinking he would bo glad to liavo a Russian iii hand. But tho chief was angry, and said: "Sot bin) free at 01100. Ho is but. doing his duty, and is kind to his men." Tho liillsrnen toll wonderful talcs of Zelim's wealth, hidden in tho caves and mountains. ' M His talent for quirk changes is almost i uncanny. When all the troops in the Caucasus V°ro hunting liim for fobbing the post of one-half Million dollars ho was in Tyflis, playing at being a street harbor, shaving Tartars and soldiers as if ho had done nothing el so all his lifo. j An officer, knowing that Zelim had lost! • a finger, and learning that the barber • had one missing, sent down a strop; detachment to arrest liim. But tho bird had flowii. Zelim had walked out of tho town, playing bagpipes, like ono of tho many niiitstrois in those parts. Not one of his band, consisting of Kabardinsti, lias been caiiglit alive. ■ Each has a dose of poison in his dagger hilt, mid swallows it'tho moment tlw game is up. Onco only did tho polico got the letter of Zelim. Three Armenians, his accomplices, were captured as they car-' ried notes worth £500 for him to T'vflis, whefo ho is said to havo a large bank account, under a- feigned name. The policeman in charge noticed that they refused solid food. Ho mixed a strong drug Willi their tea, olid found (hey had swallowed Botos worth another £5000. Zelim took the deefat in good part, writing to tho policeman; "Como and work with inc. You are too clevor to ho a jioiicorann.**" Many personajbeliovo-thai-Zfllim. ha» ja»,charmoJ'lif«« ! S'r" "