BRIGANDS IN TURKEY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1234, 27 May 1880, Page 3

BRIGANDS IN TURKEY.

Consular reports from Salonica declare that, with the exception of the towns and the immediate vicinity, the countiy is in the hands of the Brigands Thirteen distinct bands are enumerated, containing in all about 100 men of various ciecds and nationalities — Greek, Lufczo, Wallachs, Bulgarians, Albanian-!, and Turkish deserteis, At a certain time £>onie of the bands lecpived subsidies from Athens, and professed to be tho representatives of Hellenic aspirations, but of late they have diverted themselves of this semi-politic il character, and phyed the part of simple brigand*, levying black mail from Mussulmans and Christians indiscriminately. Theio seems to be a certain tacit understanding that no band should poach on the other's preserves, for there is no instance of the same individu il being kidnapped a second time after he had been once ransomed. Their system is to support themselves by levying contributions on the peasantry, who are forced to supply them with, food, shelter, and money, and who are so afraid of vengeance that they rarely report the matter to the authorities. When opportunity offers they kidnap rich proprietors or merchants for the purpose of getting their ransom. The sums demanded vary from £1500 to £4000. Several proprietors of farms within thirty miles of Salonica hive not dared to visit their properties for the last two years from fear of being * captured. Occasionally a demand for money is made from men known to be wealthy without any attempt being made to kidnap them, and there is so little faith in the official means of protection, that such demands are generally complied with. The brigands avoid as much as possible all conflict with the military forces, but they have no fear of the local police or civil authorities, who are too often, it is said, in league with the chiefs. Certainly, when a well known chief comes into a village or town he lives openly at free quarters, and no attempt is made to capture him. One of the best known and most feared of the chiefs is Niko, who has carried off Colonel Synge. Whether he is a pure Greek or a Helleuized Lutzo-Wallach is not certain, but there is little or no doubt that he is a native of Lamia, a Greek town near the Turkish frontier, and that several of his near relatives having been convicted of brigandage, are already in prison. His name inspires terror throughout a large part of Thesselay. Not long ago he kidnapped two children and caused one of them to be murdered because the £50 which he demanded as a ransom was not ■ forthcoming. In a petition recently presented tQ the Bishop by the peasants of the neighbourhood of Aliakmon it is said that there are in the district a large number of brigands who not only rob and

murder but carry off young girls and married women and keep them prisoners in the mountains. From Veria it is reported that the viiliage of Tranitza has been attacked by a band of sixty brigands, and twenty-three peasants have been carried off.