Branzian and the Ransom Agreement
Mme. Branzian, a French woman, was kidnapped in the year 1896. The people who took her demanded a ransom of £10,000. They also wanted three days to escape safely with the money. They made it clear that if anyone tried to stop them during this time, they would kill Mme. Branzian.
To save her life, $10,000 was paid to the kidnappers. The authorities followed all of the conditions. After the three days had passed, soldiers began to chase the kidnappers. Four of them were caught, and $8,000 of the ransom money was recovered. This case became an example for how future ransom situations were handled The Good News Reaches Miss Stone.
Mr. Leishman’s Decision to Follow the Same Strategy
In every other similar kidnapping case that Mr. Leishman heard about, the process followed the same pattern. So, based on advice from Dr. House, Mr. Leishman decided to do the same. He agreed to pay the ransom and followed the kidnappers’ demands.
At first, there was a small problem in deciding where and how to give the money. But just like in the earlier case, the committee had no choice but to accept all the conditions set by the kidnappers. They could not negotiate. They had to follow every instruction.
In the end, this strategy worked. Miss Ellen Stone and her companion, who had been kidnapped, were released as agreed. The payment of the ransom led to their safe return.
Communication with the Brigands
On October 25, two American missionaries, Dr. Haskell and Dr. Baird, who were working at the Congregational mission in Samakov, met one of the kidnappers. This man knew everything about what Consul-General Dickinson had done up to that point. He also knew the exact amount of the money that had been collected from people in the United States to pay the ransom Sofia Daily City Tours.
Later, on January 22, Dr. House had a meeting with three of the kidnappers. Two days after that, on January 24, Dr. House met again—this time with Mr. Peet and Mr. Gargiulo. They met several more of the kidnappers and discussed the ransom like businessmen discussing a regular deal. They finally agreed that the money would be paid the next day, on January 25.
These events show how carefully and patiently the negotiators had to act. The lives of the kidnapped women depended on making the right choices. By following the conditions and staying calm, the team was able to save Miss Stone and her companion without more violence.
