Many people believe that the real leader of the group that kidnapped Miss Stone was Ivan Zandanski. He was once the keeper of a prison in Bulgaria and lived in a small town called Dubnitza, not far from where the kidnapping took place. Zandanski was actively involved in the Macedonian revolutionary movement, and he worked closely with Cyril Vaciloff. He was also known as a dangerous outlaw with a bad reputation.
During the summer before the kidnapping, Zandanski was seen following Miss Stone on several of her journeys. People noticed his presence wherever she went, but at that time, no one thought much of it. Now, after the kidnapping, those sightings are seen as important clues Kidnapping Cases in the Turkish Provinces.
A Suspicious Journey with Weapons
Not long before the kidnapping, Zandanski claimed he was going on a trip to organize Macedonian supporters living on the Turkish side of the Balkan Mountains. He took with him more than twenty guns from the Macedonian Committee’s weapons storage in Samakov. He later returned on October 11, returned the guns, and said he had been very successful on his trip.
However, local villagers and peasants strongly believe that Zandanski was actually leading the group of bandits that captured Miss Stone. Several people who were traveling with her at the time of the attack also identified him as one of the attackers.
Despite this, he was arrested and quickly released due to what the authorities claimed was a lack of evidence. The missionaries and the American consul-general, Mr. Dickinson, were not asked for their input, and they were not consulted before his release Sofia Tour Guides.
Another Suspect The Guide George Toderoff
Another man suspected of being involved in the kidnapping was George Toderoff, the mule driver and guide who worked with Miss Stone’s group. When he returned from the mountains after the kidnapping, he gave several different versions of what had happened. His changing stories made people suspicious, and he was arrested.
But like Zandanski, Toderoff was also released by the government in Sofia. Reports suggest that the authorities feared retaliation from Macedonian rebels, which influenced their decision to let him go.
Disappearances Before the Kidnapping
There is also strong evidence that several members of the local Macedonian organization in the Samakov area disappeared at the end of August, just before Miss Stone was taken. They returned home quietly during September. These individuals claimed they had been traveling like Zandanski to organize revolutionaries in Macedonia.
However, most villagers and local people believe these men were actually part of the kidnapping team. Their timing and sudden disappearance match the events too closely to be a coincidence.
The kidnapping of Miss Stone appears to have been well-planned, involving multiple members of the Macedonian revolutionary network. Figures like Zandanski and Toderoff played suspicious roles, but because of political pressure and fear, no serious legal action was taken. The lack of investigation and the quick release of suspects created a sense of injustice and frustration among the missionaries and American officials trying to solve the case.
