A BRUSH WITH BRIGANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 37, 12 February 1910, Page 17

A BRUSH WITH BRIGANDS.

■STRENUOUS FIGHT NEAJB SMZBTTA.

There Is In London at the present time a young Englishman who has had an adventure near Smyrna which suggests that, In spite of the new regime In Turkey, some of the Sultan's subjects are not Inclined to abandon their old pursuits.

Mr. Eric Peterson, has lived for years with Ms parents on tihe outskirts of a village called Bournaliat, some five miles north of Smyrna. Some two or three months ago ihe received a warning that brigands were' In the neighbourhood, and had singled him ant as being a good ' catch." Therefore he never went abroad without arms, or unaccompanied by one of his father's male servants.

On the night of November 3rd, Mr. Paterson paid a visit to hla club. AH went well ou the way there. When he was returning home, accompanied by his servant All, and a friend named Joly, Mr. Paterson became aware of the fact that he was being followed, and turning, saw half a dozen armed men approaching. What followed can best be told In Mr. Paterson's own words:—

" I called upon them, first In Turkish, and then in Greek, to stop. One replied In Greek:

' You had better stop. It Is you we want.' I Immediately realised our dang;er, for the road nlong which -we were going is only ahout 10ft. wide, with an Bft. stone wall on either side.

" Id the meantime I was covering them with my pistol, and told the servant to flre. I flred two shots myself. Then I heard some more men dropping over the wall between mc and my home. I faced round and standing with my back to the servant, fired at the new assailants. As they closed round us, the servant said In Turkish: 'Run, Mt. Eric, I'm done for. , I made a dash to gpt away, but was seized by three men, one of whom I shot through the chest. Another 1 fired at, and the third let go his hold. I was taking to my heels, when I caught sight of Joly, standing against the wall, covered by another man's rifle. I had shot at this man, at the same time shouting to Joly to run for it. While running I was hit from behind by the butt of a rifle, which knocked mc down, and as I recovered the man got hold of mc by the arm. By a lucky shot, however, I hit my assailant In the hip and got away. We Sad a clear run for about 100 yards before na to get to our gate, followed by tbe bullets of tho men from whom we had escaped."

At the main gate Mr. Paterson and his companion discovered a guard of four brigands, stationed to Intercept them. These, however, they dodged, and gained safety. Neither Mr. Paterson nor his friend suffered hurt, though the former had a bullet through his hat, and another smashed his vlgarette case, but the faithful All was mortally wounded, and died next day.

Of the brigand band nine were eventually captured, five being executed, and the rest sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.