THE MASSACRE OF ENGLISH TOURISTS IN GREECE.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 708, 2 August 1870, Page 4

THE MASSACRE OF ENGLISH TOURISTS IN GREECE.

[GOURESrONDENT OF ARGUS.] After detailing the capture and the preliminary negotiations as to the ransom, he continues : — On the night of the capture they moved round the southern and eastern slopes of Pentilicus, and thence proceeded to establish themselves at Keramioli, which is only 13 miles from Athens, and where they waited for two days to ascertain the result of Lord Muucaster's mission. It was while there that they received the answer that the sum of L 25,000 would bepaid ; and also a writing from Mr Erskine, "which they considered as a passport from the English Minister, to the effect that with the consent of the King and his Ministry they were at liberty to take up their quarters in houses so long as they treated their prisoners well." From this point they moved to Oropos, which is near the sea coast, and convenient for negotiatior. "On the road to Oropos they are said to have met a party of soldiers. The brigands called out to the troops, ' We know your orders ; we are all brothers, and yoii must not molest us.'" Here they remained from Sunday, April 37, to Thursday, the 21st. "On Easter Sunday," says the Times correspondent, " which was this year Palm Sunday according to the Creek calendar, the brigands tool: their prisoners with them to hear service at the Church of the Holy Apostles, and they pointed out to Mr Herbert, who spoke Greek, some antiquities in the church and its vicinity." On the Thursday, the brigands becoming more suspicious, crossed the swollen stream of the Oropos, with their captives on horseback, and proceeded over undulating ground towards JSykarninos. Then followed the catastrophe, for here they perceived that the troops, both infantry and cavalry, were in considerable numbers before them. "They sent Alexandras," says the Times correspondent from Athens, who give the most intelligible account of the transaction, " the courier who had accompanied the travellers from the Hotel d'Angleteri-e, with either a written or a verbal, message to demand why the troops impeded their progress to Sykaminos, and repeating their threat to murder their prisoners if they were attacked. The courier Alexandras never returned, and no message came from the troops. They then made their arrangements for escape, and divided the band into two parties. The one, under Chrestos Arvanitaki, was to pass through the troops before them on the road to Sykaminos, guarding Mr Lloyd and Mr Herbert ; the other, under the chief brigand, Takos Arvanitaki, with Count de Boyl and Mr Vyner, was to move round the left of the troops, seeking to evade notice, and taking the direction of Skoimatari. The soldiers opposed the passage of the party under Chrestos ; an engagement commenced, and the brigands, seeing that each must provide for himself, and that they could not carry off their prisoners, murdered Herbert and Lloyd. Herbert fell by the yatagan of a brigand, and Mr Lloyd was shot. The soldiers did their duty well. The chief, Chrestos, and six of his followers were killed, and their heads were exposed at Athens on Sunday last with their names written above them, and the others were taken ; the party of Takos succeeded in getting ronud the troops and carrying off Count de Boyl and Mr Vyner for some distance. They were soon pursued, and Count de Boyl was shot"; but Mr Vyner being of a vigorous frame, kept up with them a long way on the road to Skoimatori, where, either from fear that he might escape or in an attempt to escape, he was shot through the heart." Later despatches informs us that the Greek troops were not sent from Athens with instructions to attack the brigands, but to prevent their escape into Thessaly ; and that the latter were warned by Colonel Theagenis, the envoy of the Greek Government, that if they attempted to leave the country "they might meet detachments which might not altogether respect the. inviolability which they enjoyed at Oropos." They replied — " We see it very well ; snares are laid for us ; but we will kill the prisoners." Mr Erskine says he considers that the collision between the troops and the brigands was provoked, if not commenced, by the former attempting to prevent the escape of the latter to a part of the country where they " might have held out for any conditions they thought fit to impose.'' "From this statement, I infer," he adds, "that if Alexandras (the dragoman) had been in earnest, and had hastened to rejoin the brigands, they might possibly have been induced to retrace their steps to Sykaminon, and to believe in the assurances of Colonel Theagenis that the terms originally offered were still open to their acceptance." Colonel Theagenis states that had time permitted Cropos would have been completely invested, and that in that case the deliverance of the captives would not have been doubtful. The brigands, however, took to flight, and then, in compliance with the orders of the Government, the soldiei'3 pursued them. Mr Herbert and Mr Lloyd were found lying dead about five or six miles from Oropos ; Count Boyl and Mr Vyner some distance beyond. The former gentleman had been repeatedly stabbed in the back, and Mr Herbert, had also been cut wiih a sabre, besides receiving three gunshot wounds. Mr Lloyd, in addition to three wounds in the back, was shot in the neck, and must have died instantly. Mr Vyner is supposed to have been shot while running. He had only one wound, and death would bo instantaneous and painless. Count Boyl had two gunshot wounds, and was not disfigured. The bodies were brought. into Athens, and interred with the Protestant rites, the King, who throughout had shown the most active sympathy, himself officiating as chief mourner. They have since been brought home to England. Lord and L-aiJy Mnncaster have also arrived in this country, and have been received at Windsor, as has also Mrs Lloyd, for whose bereavement there is general sorrow. Several members of the Greek community in England have combined in a subscription on her behalf. King I George — who at the first had expressed his wish that he could place himself as a hostage in the hands of the biigauds — gave her LIOOO from his private purse ; butj[itj will be the least of the duties

of the Greek Government to make full provision for her. The heads of the slain brigands have been exposed in Athens ; they were photographed, and their hideous visages aye now to be seen in our shop-windows, scanned by eager crowds. The pursuit has been continued, and thirteen of the band are now reported killed. The greatest agitation prevails in Athens. General Soutzo, the Minister of War, immediately resigned office. But the question now has passed beyond all personal considerations. The protecting powers are agreed that the condition of Greece is a disgrace.