Mr. Eddy to Mr. Hay.
Constantinople, October 2, 1902.
Sir: In continuation of Mr. Leishman’s dispatches, Nos. 73, 75, and 79, regarding the abduction of Miss Stone by brigands, I have now the honor to inform you of what has taken place since the date of the minister’s departure, September 25.
On the morning of September 27, Mr. Peet, the treasurer of the Bible House, appeared at this legation, bringing with him Dr. Haskell, a missionary, who resides and carries on his work at Samakow. Dr. Haskell had arrived in Constantinople the evening before, bringing with him a letter from Miss Stone (a copy of which is herewith inclosed), which had been delivered at his house two days previously [Page 1005] by an agent of the brigands. The amount of ransom demanded in this letter was an inordinate sum, 25,000 Turkish pounds, and the brigands gave until the 8th of October for its payment, at the end of which time, if the ransom were not paid, Miss Stone would be killed.
From previous incidents of this nature which have taken place in Turkey and in the East, I felt sure that the threat would be carried out, and the opinion of all whom I consulted in the matter coincided with this view. But, at the same time, the sum demanded was so enormous that it was out of the question for the missionary societies to get the money together.
Mr. Peet and Dr. Haskell, by using every effort, succeeded in getting together evidence sufficient to warrant the belief that the brigands were men hired by the Bulgarian central or secret committee to abduct Miss Stone. The missionaries have always refused to contribute toward the support of this political faction in Bulgaria, and threats had been openly made that they (the missionaries) would be forced to pay in some way or another. One preacher was informed anonymously that if he did not contribute toward the fund his barn would be burned. As he failed to comply with the demand, the threat was carried out. The missions would seem to be very unpopular with the revolutionary party in Bulgaria, and this party appears to support itself by contributions from this part of the country, which contributions are paid on account of fear for the result should they fail to comply with the demand. Furthermore, the armed men who surrounded Miss Stone’s party were not speaking Turkish, but Bulgarian, though they attempted to pass themselves off for Turks. In addition to this evidence, one of the students at Robert College, at Roumelie Hissar, was in a café at Samakow shortly after the abduction, and there overheard a conversation between two known members of the revolutionary party, in the course of which conversation it was said that the abduction had not been planned and carried out primarily for the sake of obtaining money, but rather to cause all the trouble and annoyance possible to foreigners, and to make it appear that this trouble was caused by Turks. Moreover, they said that the sum demanded for Miss Stone’s release was of course absurd, but that should they obtain 2,000 or 3,000 pounds it would be very convenient, and they would thus have been able to compel the missionaries to contribute to their fund.
As the consul-general, Mr. Peet, Dr. Haskell, and Dr. Washburn were also convinced that it was a case of “political brigandage,” caused and directed by the Bulgarian central committee, I cabled to the Department asking that Mr. Dickinson be directed to proceed at once to Sofia, and thus be in a position to lay the matter before the minister for foreign affairs. It seemed to me that if the matter were brought properly before the Bulgarian government pressure would be brought to bear on the leaders of the central committee, which, it is said, has at least one of two members in the cabinet. I learned from one of the ambassadors now stationed in Constantinople that the Bulgarian government had the hopes of being assisted financially by the United States in the not far distant future, and it seemed to me that, with our representative on the ground, our influence might be strong enough to cause Miss Stone’s release without any payment whatever.
The Department in its reply to my telegram said nothing about Mr. Dickinson’s departure for Sofia, but in a telegram of instruction [Page 1006] to the consul-general he was granted permission to go if he saw fit. Last night he decided to start, and this evening he will leave Constantinople.
I regret that the forty-eight hours have been lost, as it is absolutely necessary to begin negotiating in a definite manner with the brigands inside of the next three days; and should negotiations be opened with them from us in Constantinople for the payment of a ransom it would cause the efforts of Mr. Dickinson to be less valuable at Sofia, for the secret committee would certainly prefer to settle the matter on a monetary than on a diplomatic basis. But I do not dare to wait any longer before replying in some way to the agent of the party which is secreting Miss Stone. Her safety seems to me to be the first thing which must be considered.
I obtained an interview with the minister for foreign affairs at his house this morning, and in the course of this interview I pointed out to him that whatever sum was ultimately agreed upon between the brigands and ourselves would have to be paid by the Turkish Government.
After some conversation he agreed that precedent warranted the demanding of this money from the Forte. He furthermore agreed that in three days’ time he would appoint some Turkish official in the vilayet of Salonica to act in conjunction with our representative in treating with Miss Stone’s captors.
Should anything further of importance come to light within the next few days I shall not fail to keep in touch with the Department by cable, but I feel that we have the matter pretty well in hand and that everything possible is being done. Mr. Peet, treasurer of the Bible House, has proved himself invaluable on account of his knowledge of the country and the people, and has been indefatigable in his efforts to be of assistance.
I have, etc.,