A. Desperate Fight with Brigands in Asia minor.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 43, 29 March 1884, Page 5

A. Desperate Fight with Brigands in Asia minor.

A correspondent, writing from Smyrna on Dec. 29, gives some interesting particulars relating to brigandage in that neighbourhood, and an account of the break-up of a gang of these desperadoes who had given the authorities considerable trouble. After making repeated raids on small towns and levying black mail on villages, several isolated groups of Turkish mountaineer brigands combined their forces, and, marching down to the sea, some time last summer, lay in wait near the little town of Kuluk for the arrival of one of the coasting steamers that plies for passengers between Smyrna and the towns on the sea coast. Thirty unsuspecting travellers, all or mostly bent on business with the interior, walked into the net which the Zeibecs had spread, and were marched off to the mountains and held to ransom. This piece of effrontery roused up even the central Government to action : a whole battalion of soldiers were sent down from Constan tinople and launched in pursuit, and the brigands, hard pressed on every side, released their prisoners, but not before most of them had paid their ransoms amounting in all to some 2,000 lira. The GovernorGeneral was recalled, a Cabinet Minister sent down to administer provisionally the affairs of the province, with special instructions to extirpate brigandage, and special plans were elaborated to carry out these special instructions. The brigands, who were well posted by thoir spies in what was going on, sent emissaries to treat with he Government, and after much parleying it was arranged that the brigands should surrender, but be pardoned and enrolled in the gendarmerie, and that they should show their zeal in the new cause by capturing any remaining bands, or inducing them to join the ranksofthebrigand-hunters. Yurook Osman and Dijirid-oughlou, the two most renowned chiefs, with their bands, came down by train to Smyrna, marched in possession to the konnk, delivered up their swords to the Governor, craved the aman, or pardon, and were each given the title of Kir-Sirdar and the command of a body of Zaptiehs, most of whom had already served under the same chiefs in another capacity. The new venture for some months seemed to work well, but at last it began to be complained openly that the new gendarmes, so exemplary at first, were beginning to becomo even less bearable in their new clothes than when they -wore the short breeches and high head dresses of the Zeibecs. The evil grew ; the exactions became more general, aud bi'igands that were at length caught by bona fide Zaptiehs had to be liberated by the Caimakams at the suggestions and covered threats of the Kir-Sirdars. At length the Gaimakam of Thyra wrote a detailed report of the unpleasant facts, and sent it to the Vala of Smyrna. The Gover-nor-General, in reply, requested the Caimakam to endeavour to send down the obnoxious gang to Smyrna, and the Caimakam used one of those ruses so common in Turkish affairs 'Some evil-disposed person," said the Caimakam, "has given a bad report abou tyou to the Vala. I advise you to go down in a body to Smyrna and explain how unfounded are all the aspersions oi your enemies." The bait was snapped at. On the 27th Dec, dressed in their finest and armed to the teeth with Martinis and revolvers that had been given them in addition to their bellyfuls of native weapons, 15 of these shepherds of the people impaired in a body to the railway and. took their departure for Smyrna. The good news was telegraphed to the authorities, who took measures for disarming and arresting the delinquents. The Zaptieh brigands on arriving, requested at once to be admitted into the presence of the Vali. They were told that they must first deposit their rifles, as armed men could not be received. This they consented to do, but secretly retained their revolvers, and thus accoutcred, they were ushered into the apartments of the Governor-General. He enumerated some of the charges against them, and then dismissed them with the promise that he would attend to their business next day. On descending the stairs of the palace, they were met by Osman Pasha, the militaiy commandant, who said sternly, "Tealim olun " (surrender). Yurook Osman replied that they had long since surrendered, but on the summons being repeated, he turned to his companions, and exclaiming, " Who will die with me ?" drew a revolver, and discharged it at Osman Pasha, whom it missed, but struck down one of the soldiers. This was the signal for a general fight. The soldiers were ordered to fire ; the brigands replied with their revolvers, and sword in hand closed with their assailants, who drove them at the point of the bayonet step by step up the staircase of the palace. One man who had reached the top was cut down by a Turkish officer. Yurook Osman, with three bullet wounds in his body, rushed up towards the Governor's apartments, but fell dead on the landing, and not until five brigands were killed and several wounded the remainder captured and taken to gaol.