Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1901. MISS STONE’S CAPTIVITY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 November 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1901. MISS STONE’S CAPTIVITY.

Papers to hand by last mail throw a little more light upon the capture of Miss Stone, the American philantrophist, by brigands. Like many such occurrence in that portion of the Turkish control, the seizure of Miss Stone and a Bulgarian lady had in addition to the desire for ransom money a political significance, and intent to still further complicate matters between theßulgarians and Macedonians. Miss Stone is an accomplished lady who nearly thirty years ago abandoned an excellent literary position in America to take part in humanitarian work among the Bulgarians in Southern Bulgaria and Macedonia When she was captured she was on the Macedonian side of the dividing line between Bulgaria and Macedonia, "he was accompanied by several Bulgarians. All were released by the brigands except Miss Stone and a Bulgarian lady. As to the captors, very little was known for a certainty. In the troubled condition of Macedonia many Bulgarians have been driven by misgovernment to take to the mountains. It must be added also that the Macedonian Committees working in Bulgaria have been in constant communication with their fel-low-countrymen in Macedonia, have sympathised with them, and have undoubtedly done much to keep alive a national sentiment. For this reason it was suggested that the capture of Miss Stone might have been due to the suggestion of the Macedonian Committee, with the object of secur- ; ing the amount which would have to be paid at ransom, and with desire to : bring down on the Bulgarians, whom i they cordially hate, still further per- . secution by the Turks. That the 1 capture was effected by a policial 1

rather than a purely professional band of brigands, is born out by a report from Sofia which stated that there was every reason to believe the chief of the band which carried the ladies oft to the mountains was Bous Sarafou, former president of the Macedonia Committee at Sofia. Sarafou organised a complete scheme of counteraction against the Government, and has formed numerous bands of brigands. The American mission at Saraakou received a demand for the ransom of the .two ladies, the sum mentioned being £125,000. So far the soldiers sent in pursuit have failed to trace the captors, but this is scarcely to be wondered at, seeing that they are all more or less secretly in league with the Sarafou and his organisation, and therefore more likely to cover his retreat than anything else. Several letters have been received from Miss Stone, asking that the robbers may not be pursued, as when hunted they dragged her from place to place. As a consequence of these interminable marches Miss Stone stated that she was so fatigued as to be unable to walk any longer. Of course it is not very likely that the captors will murder their prisoner, but all the same it is not very satisfactory for America to find one of her subjects treated in such a manner. The incident will, along with a good many other misdemeanors committed under the corrupt rule of Turkey, aid in hastening the end of a government that has been a standing disgrace to civilisation, but which, nevertheless, has been kept in place owing to the distrust and rivalry of nations.