FIGHT WITH BRIGANDS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 241, 4 July 1908, Page 10

FIGHT WITH BRIGANDS.

STRUCCLE IN A BALKAN VILLACE. ■BRITISH OFFICER'S EXCITING EXPERIENCE: " v . : , • Tho official x publications of tho Foreign Ofßco have seldom contained a moro thrilling document than Colonel G. S. Ellibt'ii account ,of his attempted,.oapturo,by, Bulgarian villagers, which.is included iii a Blue. Book on Soaitli-East-orn Europ«, issued recently.

' Colonel Elliot-.waa-the British atafE-ofßeor iri charge of the gendarmerie reorganisation in tho Drama district of Macedonia. While making a tour of the district last year ho was attacked on July 31, . in tho villago of Gyuredjik, by armed Bulgarians who, intended to hold him for ransom., .

In his report to Sir Nicholas O'Conor, the late Britisu Ambassader at Constantinople, Colonol Elliot says. "I was strolling-slowly up a side street'(in Gyuredjik) about soven o'clock in the morning, whin I. suddenly found myself seized by both arms from behind and hurried along. I found,l was in the grasp of men dressed in a sort of khaki uniform, armed with Mannlicher carbines and bayonets; and carrying slung' to their waists in felt ..bags,; what I subsequently found were hand' grenades. "Men..similarly dressed were hurrying out from the .houses;-:: Some of-there posted themselves at corners: and started, firing, down the streets.

"I struggled ;and:shoutedj r ;but so well had the attack been managed that, but for tho fortunate circumstance of an Armenian lady in ; the-house I '-h'ad jus't left witnessing the occurrence from' the window, I believe it would have remained unknown until too late to help me. --J . ' "In tho meanwhilo I was being hurried, strnggling, through the village , and . towards 'the forest-covered mountain on.the south side of the A man who ajppeared to bo the ohief of tho band kept assuring mo that they meant to treat me well: .they were merely going to tako me to the Nevrokop Mountain, and ke6p me thero till they got money for' my ranson out of the Ottoman Government. He appeared to think that this was an arrangement which would' ho pleasant and agreeablo to both of us. . "I had a loaded pistol in my poekot, which I determined to uso- : at any cost, but my hands-were so firmly held :that I. could riot reach it.; The sleeves were torn off :my coat- . . . . :and at.last a cord was : ma,de fastto.my -left arm. : "Our progress was as sjow'as I could make .it,- my captors kept-urging mo to' lnirry, and' pointed- out that we were already under fire. ... "We enterojl a small meadow, surrounded by - forest -and! gardens. Tho leader' walked beside mo, and entreated- me'--to hurry, pointing as ho did so ivhoro tho bullets were falling. (Two gondarmes had followed tho party, and were firing on tlio brigands.) Suddenly somo of the group threw themsolves down, and told me'to do the samOj or 1 would .get hit. "1 refused, and, turning, saw -the,gendarmerie Chaoush, Ferrad; Ismail, kneeling at the , bottom of tho meadow, and- firing at my . group. A desperate attempt was now .made to.force me to tho ground, - and, in tho _ struggle, I freed both hands, drew my pistol,: and shot - all three men, holding mo ,ono after, tho other point-hlnnk in tho body; feJ-'As their .grasp .relaxed, I broke away. Within a few..foot was the innn-I took to bo tho_ leader of tlio band lying down, .and taking aim at"the gallant old Chaoush. Ho turned as I came - up,- with surprise in his eyes, and swung' his riflo' round on to mo. "I leaned over him as I, passed, ..and fired intoibis.-sidejV-and lib:sank- baokwardsi ■ "I ran down tho meadow.dragging the cord attached to my left arm. -, There :wero Bulgarians dotted about it, sovoral quito close,-.and I felt mysolf, shot- in the tliigli,. and saw by the mud spurting, in front of mo that I .was. bmng fired at. . , - ■ -.

"I called to tho Chamishtocomo ba<;kas I passed, shot, and' killed, with, tho last cart,ridgo.i^iiiy..,pistol' another, : man lying on .the ground Svh'o-.turned r out to.Lave.,been- previously . wounded,, .biit. in., tho. hurry of the moment, I. could not'.be sure, and if' I had left hinrbohind ino ho might have shot moj and then I got back to tho hous'o I had slept at." . ■- Soven' brigands : were! aftonrards capturcd and sentenced to terms of imprisonment for their complicity in. tho affair..

Colonel- Elliot was decorated- by the Sultan for distinguished service in tho field. .