Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1916 — TERROR IN SERBIA [ARTICLE]

TERROR IN SERBIA

Guerrilla Chief Metes Out Stem Justice to Evildoers. »' -■■ - —.—— "Executed” Man Escapes and Is Now Safe In America After Being Stabbed and Thrown Into Vardar River. Glevgeli, Serbia. —One of the most picturesque figures of - the European war is the Serbian "komitadji” or guerrilla Ivan Stoikovitch, known to fame as “Babounsky.” The name.is drawn from the famous Babouna Pass, where recently the Serbs so long held the invading Bulgarians at bay. Ivan Stoikovitch comes from that part of Serbia and is therefore known to his followers and to the Serbian population at large by a nickname indicating the fact A slight man, tall, with honest grayblue eyes and the pale features of a student he Impresses the stranger with anything but the terror which his name inspires. Nor do his looks belie his real profession. For the redoubtable “Babounsky” was a schoolteacher until fired by an ardent patriotism he gave up his classes to gather about him a band of-intrepid spirits in the fight for the release of. the Turkish part of Serbia from the Ottoman yoke. Ever since the first Balkan war he and his followers have been under arms. Unrecognized by the laws of war, they have taken their own risks of capture and instant execution. Their refuge is in the Serbian mountains, and they have been willing to trust their security to their own astuteness and the Impregnability of their numerous hiding places. Especially since the complete breakdown of the Serbian administration, has "Babounsky” become a personage of prime importance in Serbia. Before the advancing German and Bulgarian armies town after town was evacuated, only the Turks and the Bulgarians remaining. While waiting for the arrival of the armies of their compatriots they were not averse to going through the deserted Serbian dwellings and acquiring a few useful articles. “Babounsky" did not approve of this. Naturally the deserted dwellings and all in them would fall into the hands of the conquerors. That was all right—-the chance of war. But that former neighbors should do the looting was not in “Babounsky’s” code. And those who tried it were dealt with in a most summary manner. Whoever among the Bulgarians was suspected of giving information to the advancing Bulgar armies also received short shrift. A story is told of the first Balkan war when a certain pseudo-Serb known as “Kechko” was suspected of treason to the Serbian cause. "Babounsky’s” band appeared upon the scene one night and “Kechko" and four others were arrested, tried in secret by the band at midnight and sentenced to be "sent to Saloniki” —that is, taken to the banks of the Vardar river, stabbed and thrown in, their bodies to drift down with the current to Saloniki. All five were lined up on the bank “Babounsky” gave the signal for the fatal blows to be struck. But unfortunately “Kechko’s” executioner, a lawyer from Belgrade, had never killed a man before and his hand slipped. The five bodies were thrust into the Vardar, but “Kechko" was still alive. A week later the Serbian constfl at Shlonikl was called to the hospital “Kechko” told him the story of hit escape from death, but begged that it be kept secret until after his departure for the United States. Ultimately recovered from the unskillful stab of the Belgrade lawyer, “Kechko” quietly departed for - America. Whenever the allied troops have need of fresh meat or wood or miues one of the officers acquaints a Serbian with what is required. The .next day 20 Sheep, two cords of -wood, or 100 mules are brought into Negotin or Kaphadar, as the case may be, by a Serbian peasant The peasant collects an equitable sum for the goods delivered, and in time each Serbian who-has been involuntarily levied upon for lamb or wood or mules receives his payment. “Babounsky” does not even keep a commission.