Evening journal., 1897-07-30
ENDOF ANOTED TRIAL.
Ferdinand OF Bulgaria's Aid-de-
Camp Convicted of Murder.
BRUTAL KILLING OF A YOUNG WOMAN.
An appointment Was Made with the
Girl, Who Was Chioroformed, Then
strangled and Her Body, Weighted
With stones, sunk In the River.

With stones, Sunk In the River.
Philppopolls, Bulgaria, July so.-one
Of the most dramatic trials ever held in |
a court of law in Europe has just been |
concluded here. 1t was the trial Of |
Captain Boitscheff, formerly aid-de-
camp to Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, |
and his aecomplices for killing a girl !
named Anna Salmon. The girl, who
was exceptionally handsome, was a
public singer. She went from Budapest
in 1894 to Sofia where she met Detscho
Boitscheff. He was a fine looking man,
captain of the guards and aid-de-
camp to Prince Ferdinand. and the girl
was at once infatuated with him.
Burdened with debts, Boitscheff en-
gagged himself to marry wealthy heir
ess and repudiated his promise to
marry Anna Salmon, whom he sent to
Budapest with orders not to return to
Sofia. She returned. however, and in
her efforts to see Boitscheff caused a
scandal within the environments of the
palace of the Princess OF Bulgaria.
Boitscheff became enraged at this and
determined to get rid of the girl by
numbering her. He accordingly wrote
to his victim, summoning her to meet
him in Philppopolis. at the same time
protesting his love for her. Having
completed his plans to lure the girl TO
her death. he called to his aid NJ. No
velic. prefect Of police. and a gendarme
of the name Of Wassalieff.
Kidnapped and Killed the Girl.
A tryst was appointed at the Martha
bridge, to which place the murderers
drove I'm a carriage. Three men, No
velic, Wassalieff and another seized the
girl and stupefied her with chloroform
in the carriage. Boitscheff then mount
ed the box of the vehicle and drove a
short distance, when. with the assist
ance of Novelic. he dragged the insen-
sjble girl out of the carriage. Boitscheff
placed the girl on the ground and
strangled her to death, after which he
weighted the body with stones and cast
It into the river.
The friends Of the girl became sus-
picious at her failure to return and
raised an alarm. Novelic and Wassa-
lieff were soon afterward arrested, and
from their statements Boitschen and
a number Of others were accused OF
murder. and the whole story was un-
folded in court
Boitscheff's wife was present at the
trial elegantly dressed. Boitscheff him
self was dressed in the latest fashion
and wore number Of medals and in
sigma of orders. He was gay and wit
" and frequently INDUCED in laughter.
He denied all knowledge Of the girl or
her whereabouts, and II was not until
Mile Szimons landlord told how
Boitscheff had spent much time sue
ceedlng his marriage with the girl that
he ceased his gayety and appeared to
realize the gravity Of his position.
In the course Of the trial Novelic and
Wassalieff confessed and adhered to
their statements that Boitscheff alone
strangled the girl Wassalieff declared
that Boltscheff had said: THE prince
knows all. Anna made scandal at the
palace and the prince cannot allow II"
Novelic said that Boitscheff had sum-
moned him to the palace and said: "She
must be killed. 1t is the princes COM
mand."
The Cabman Testifes.
The cabman, Alexief, who drove the
party of murderers TO the trysting
place at the Martha bridge, was called
to the stand and testified that Bolt
scheff had approached him, saying that
Prince Ferdinand had ordered the muir
der of the girl upon the ground that she
was planning the princes assassination.
Alexleff refused to have anything to do
with the affair unless the prince per-
sonally ordered It, whereupon Boitscheff
threatened to shoot him unless he kept
silent about the matter.
Boitscheff was placed upon the stand
and denied every detail Of the testimo-
ny against him. He suggested that No
velic had murdered the girl. thinking
to do him a service. While Boitscheff
was making these statements Novelic
repeatedly made the sign of the cross
upon his breast.
What was most peculiar about the
proceedings In court was the calm
obedience Of police officers in the COM
mission Of a cold blooded murder when
told that it was by the princes orders
The jury returned verdict finding
Boitscheff and Novelic guilty of MUIR
der and convicting Wassalieff as an ac-
complice. The prisoners viii be SEN
tenced later. Novelic Is supposed to
have had a hand in the murder Of ex-
Premier Stambuloff in 1895.