THE END OF A BANDIT CHIEF

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 197, 17 February 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE END OF A BANDIT CHIEF

DEATH OF FAMOUS BRIGAND, THE LAST DESPERATE STRUGGLE. "TREMBLED AT HIS NAME." The famous, terror-inspiring brigaud Tchakirdjali, "the King of the Anatolian Mountains," the ferocious, bloodthirsty Fra Biavolo of Asia Miaor, lias recently ceased to exist. Se fell, with a few of his faithful, in a desperate struggle with a large military detachment headed by Captain Itushdi Bey. This struggle was fought; writes the, Constantinople correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, on very unequal terms—four brigands against more than a hundred wellarmed soldiers soldiers. Tchakirdjali's career, which has exercised over many a myterious facination, was full of thrilling incidents. It was a career of sword and fire, of blood and murder, of unspeakable cruelty and boundless recklessness, coupled with chivalrous hardihood. Tcharkirdjali was very often exceedingly compasionate and generous. His death was encompassed in a thrilling manner. There is a custom among the brigands of the Near East either to kill themselves or to be killed by a fel-low-brigand rather than fall into the hands of the authorities alive. Tchakirdjali had a special bosom friend, Mehmod by name, who followed him in all his dangerous, bloody exploits like a slave. When both were captured by Captain Rushdi the Ottoman Fra Diavolo reminded Mehimed of the custom, sanctioned by tradition and usage, and of the mutual vows. Mehmod did not hesitate one! moment, and, with a sturdy, well-balan-ced blow of his Damascus blade, CUT OFF THE HEAD OF HIS LEADER. whom he had loved more than his own self, and then pierced his own heart with a-dagger. The dead bodies of the brigands were brought in triumph , with song and. dancing, to the Governor of Symarna. Young Mehmed (Tchakirdjali'c "Christian" name) had a father of extraordinary piety, named Ahmed, whom he loved with the passionate devotion of a violent impetuous father. Once upon a time Aimed qui»relled with an Ottoman official, an Albsniian by nationality, and was killed by him. This cruel loss filled the youth with an ardent thirst for revenge. Hie merciless arm of retribution was first o£ all directed against Albanians. He began to hate thopi with a fierce hatred. The mere sight of an Albanian was sufficient to put him into uncontrollable rage. His first victim was the murderer of his father. He saw now for the first time human blood upon his ' quivering hands. The scent of it begat ferocity, which knew no bounds, no restraints, no mercy. It was the beginning of atrocU ties that eclipsed all the previous terrible i records of brigandage by their unheard' of cruelty and recklessness, and this in Turkey, which is the country of brigandage par excellence. After his first murder he fled into the mountains, and soon began his regular, formidable highwayman career. At the time Kiamil Pasha was Governor of Smyrna, our brigand hero's birthplace. True to his vows, he shortly afterwards COMMENCED TO KILL, THE ALBANIANS Wherever and whenever he met them. More than 400 of them, it is said, fell victims to his ever-increasing bloodthirstiness at that time alone. Soon the news of the terrible exploits spread throughout the whole of the Ottoman Empire. People began to tremble at his name, and those in authority, who' had spurned his appeal to avenge his father, fled before the news of his approach. He was pious withal. All the brigaiids of the Near East are pious. Our Fra Diavolo never omitted to visit his mosque to perform every day the five ablutions prescribed by the Koran, and to pray with all the fervor of a true believing Islamite. On one ocasion he worshipped with clots of human blood clinging to his brigand cloak, which he had had no time to wash off in his eager desire to please Allah. The Creator of the world, the brigand thought, would disregard the spilt blood of a hateful enemy but would never forgive the omission of prayer. His attitude towards women was of an exquisitely chivalrous character. He is said never to have in any way molested representatives of the fair sex. His politeness and gallantry towards them were genuine, and were supposed to have been due to the influence of his sister, a quiet, gentle countrywoman. In all quarters of the Near East he had women who were devoted to him in the highest degree, and were always ready to serve him, however dangerous might be the task. It was mostly due to these self-sacrificing services of momen that Tchakirdjali was able to elude, for many years, all the attempts of the authorities to capture him.

WOMEN USED TO HIDE HIM FOR WEEKS in their houses, supply him with food, keep him well informed of all the movements of his numerous persecutors, and guide him through secret paths near dangerous neighborhoods. He always repaid them royally. Many a peasant girl owes her rich dowery exclusively to his generosity, and many, a Turkish rake lies prematurely buried in forlorn places of the Anatolian forests, death being due to the brigand's indignation at their outrages committed dn innocent women. A man who knew the Ottoman Fra Diavolo personally describes him as an individual of very small stature, but with a powerful chest and arm muscles, the sight of which would have greatly delighted Sandow. He played golf, and enjoyed a game of football. He had small, piercing eyes and a wonderful memory. He always carried a Martini rifle, which he held between his legs when taking his meals. He spoke very little. Always on the move, he suddenly appeared in places where he was least expected. Once he aimed at anyone with his gun death was sure to follow. He never missed. He used to visit in disguise the most populated thoroughfares of Smyrna. On several occasions he managed to with the officers who had been seft out with large detachments to capture him, so skilled was he in concealing his identity.