RUSSIAN SENSATION.

Mataura Ensign, 26 December 1913, Page 5

RUSSIAN SENSATION.

HOW A BRIGAND WAS CAUGHT. st ULJtCTKIC rELnUitAPB COPIHIQHX. I'liH UNITED PJJiSSS ASSOCIATION. Received December 26, 10.50 a.m. ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 25. Lieutenant Kibiroff is in a hospital in St. Peterburg and is closely guarded to prevent revenge by the relatives of Zelim Khan, the famous Caucasus brigand. Lieutenant Kibiroff, disguised as in escaped Siberian convict, went to Zelim's camp and obtained' information enabling his party months later to surround; Zelim's hut in the forest. After an all-night fight the brigands were killed. It is now believed that Zelim's sons are preparing a vendetta. ROBIN HOOD OF THE CAUCASUS. Zelim Khan, the "Robin Hood of the Caucasus Mountains," who has defied. l Russian) authorities for over 20 years, has just duped a special detective sent from Moscow to catch him (Stated a recent English paper). When changing horses between Tyflis and Erivan the detective was accosted by a decrepit old man, who begged for a lift home, some miles up the mountains. The detective agreed. The old man., so weak that every jolt over the stones made him groan, siaid he had once been rich, but was ruined by Zelim Khan, who robbed him of all his money. I As he left the carriage, he handed j the detective a note. "Give this to the tribesman who lives at the top of the next hill—he will help you," he said, and tottered into a hut close by. As the detective could not find the tribesman he opened the note, which ran: ' 'Next time you travel with Zelinu Khan be sure you arrest him." He hurried back to the hut, but found only the ragsi with which Zelim had disguised himself. Last autumn, disguised' as am orthodox priest, Zelim got another detective to carry his portmanteau, filled with cartridges, into a train._ Four days later he was robbing rich merchants neaT t>he spot. He always sides with the poor, who adore himi and refuse to be tempted by the large sums set upon his head. Once, meeting a Tartar who had bought a poor Circassian girl of her parents, he ransomed her and sent her home with a roll of notes.

Zelim Khan comes of ancient stock, and is a Mahometan. He claims that his forefathers ruled from Kutais to Baku centuries before the Russians invaded the Caucasus. He is about 50, they say, andi the last of his race, his three sons having been killed in lights with Russian gendarmes and troops. A few days ago he swooped down into Baku andi 'kidnapped young ski, an oil king, shaved his head, dressed him in sheepskins, and entertained him in princely style in a, mountain hut hung with priceless rugs and carpets. Rylski refused to eat. "It is not .poisoned,'' rerparked Zelim; "I always play fair. I have never drowned men in oil, like you." "I know all Baku secrets. Yon grew rich by cheating a Tartar, digging a caml between his claim and yours, so that all his oil went into yours. When he complained you had him drowned \d oil. You must pay for it. You do not leave this hut till your family have given his widow and children enough to live on. Once some of Zelim's band captured a young officer, and brought him to Zelim, thinking he would be glad to have a Russian in hand l . But the chief was angry and: said: "Set him free at once. He is doing his duty, and is kind to his men." The hillsmen tell wonderful tales of Zelim's wealth, hidden in the caves and mountains. ' His talent for quick changes is almost uncanny. When all the troops in the Caucasrus were hunting him for robbing the post of one-half million dollars he was in Tyflis, playir-g at being a street barber, shaving Tartars andi soldiers as if he had done nothing else all his life. An officer, knowing that Zelim had lost a finger, and learning that the barber had one missing, sent down a strong detachment to arrest li.m. But the bird had flown. Zelim had walked out of the town, playing bagpipes, like one of the many minstrels in those parts.

Not one of hie band, consisting of Kabardinsti, has been caught alive. Each has a dose of poison in his dagger hilt, and swallows' it the moment the game is up. Once only did the police get the better of Zelim. Three Armenians, his accomplices, were captured 1 as they carried notes worth £SOO for him 1 to Tyflis. where he is said to have a large banking account, under a feigned name. The policeman in oharge noticed that they refused solid food. He mixed' a strong drug with their tea, and found they t had swallowed notes - worth Smother £SOOO. | Zolim took the defeat in good part, ' writing to the policeman : "Come 'and work with me. You are too clever to be a policeman." _ j Many persons believe that Zelim has a charmed life.