Mr. Leishman to Mr. Hay.
Constantinople, January 20, 1902.
Sir: After many weeks of patient waiting we have finally succeeded in getting into direct communication with the brigands holding Miss Stone captive, who, while agreeing to accept the amount of money at our disposal, insist, as I feared they would, on payment being made in advance. This method of payment, as I have already written you, is not unusual, except the matter of time demanded in this case being much longer, viz, ten days instead of twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
I have already cabled you that the committee were unanimous in recommending the acceptance of the conditions demanded by the brigands; and as it has been my constant endeavor to keep the legation as free as possible from any official connection with the matter of ransom, leaving the settlement entirely in the hands of the committee, who, being familiar with all the details and in direct touch with the brigands, are in much better position to judge whether the brigands will faithfully carry out their agreement, I immediately advised them to lose no time in concluding the best arrangement possible. This action has met with the approval of my colleagues and such men as Dr. Washburn and Dr. Herrick, and I can only trust that it will also meet with yours, and live in hope that the brigands will faithfully carry out their part of the contract.
The money, 14,500 liras, in gold coin, is already on its way in charge of the United States marshal and a guard consisting of two cavasses, two Croats from the Ottoman Bank, and half a dozen soldiers furnished [Page 1019] by the Turkish Government. I provided them with a special car, which will be dropped off the train at a point beyond Serres, about twenty-four hours from Constantinople, where a mounted guard will meet them and escort them to a place selected near the Bulgarian frontier (about two days’ ride on horseback), where the money will be turned over to the committee, who in turn will pay it to the brigands in the manner agreed upon; but the exact manner in which this is to be done I am unable to inform you.
I inclose you copy of telegraphic correspondence which will place you more au courant of the matter. The word “regret” at having to pay the money in advance and trust the brigands to return the captives later fails to express my feelings, and I shall be on the anxious seat until such time as Miss Stone is actually back with her friends. But while I realize that it was assuming a great risk to approve the recommendation of the committee, I felt that it was the choice of two evils, and I deemed it a much greater risk to refuse, for to decline what I understand to have been practically an ultimatum would have been to practically seal the doom of the prisoners; and although I even deplore the thought, should the brigands fail to carry out their agreement, it would certainly kill the trade of brigandage, as it would be difficult for them to induce people to ever treat with them again. Of course, if precedent counts for anything, there is no great cause for uneasiness, as payment in advance has been conceded in nearly every case in the last twenty years, and even in the English case, while Colonel Singe was released at the time ransom was paid, it was only on condition of substitutes in the shape of the wife, daughter, and grandchild of the intermediary having been furnished, who were retained for forty-eight hours with the threat that if the brigands were pursued by troops or followed by any person, the three substitutes would be decapitated.
I am keeping in as close touch as possible and rendering every aid and assistance, Mr. Gargiulo still remaining with the committee and Mr. Lemmi having gone with the party conveying ransom to arrange all details en route, etc.
Trusting that I may be able to advise you by cable ere this reaches you of a successful termination of this affair,
I have, etc.,