DUMB MAN’S TESTIMONY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2081, 16 May 1907, Page 4

DUMB MAN’S TESTIMONY.

GREEK TELLS OF BULGARIAN BUTCHERY.

A young Greek named Stephen Alemos, who has arrived in London, bears witness, by his own wounds, to the bloodthirsty strugglo over raging between the Greeks and tho Bulgarians. Ho and two littlo sisters arc all that are loft of a family of six. One night a Bulgarian band raided his village, murdered his father, mother and brother, and left him for dead after cutting out his tongue. Today he is a fine young fellow, tweu four years old, but scarred and terribly maimed. He is unable to speak; but, fortunatoly-he knows the use of a pen, and through this medium all his thoughts are communicated with the further assistance of sad but expressive gestures. Here is his story: “Aly village was called Larnicovo, in North Macedonia. My father being a largo farmer, was one of the notables of tho place, and, as things go’ there, very prosperous. In all Alacedonia I don’t suppose it would have been possible to have found a happier or more progressive community. Yet, a single night’s work, and it was wiped out of existence.

“We had no reason to believe that any special danger was imminent, and all the greater was our ruin because the raid was made whilst we were at' church. AVithout the slightest warning, a bomb crashed through the roof, and killed soveral people on the spot. The rest of the terrified worshippers rushed headlong into tho street, where a fate oven more dreadful awaited them. As they rushed from the church door they were cut down or shot by a Bulgarian band, who had already strewed the street with corpses. My father and brother wore shot, and my mother was stabbed to death.

“Taking my two little sisters by the hand I fled, pursued by two Bulgarians. As I was hampered by the children, we wore soon overtaken. I was seized and thrown to the ground. Clutching at my throat one of the villinns cut out' my tonguo. I think they must have beon too busy thinking aboqt mo, for they seem to have lost sight of my sisters, who fled and hid in some bushes. Cut and maimed T lay for three hours, enduring horrible agony, until a Greeolr came by with a cart. After placing me in the vehicle, he searched for and found my sisters. AVe were taken to Salonika, and thence by boat to tlie hospital at Odessa, wborc I lay for six months.”

Alemos lias come to London ip order to give to the British public, which lie counts among tile friepds of his country, an account of the sad state of affairs in Alacodonia. His sisters are now in Helsingfors. AVith them he hopes to find ultimately an abiding place of shelter in Athens.