The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30
BULGARIAN
MURDERERS
Convicted
Close of One of the Most
Dramatic Trials
- Ever Held.
CAPTAIN BOITSCHEFF's
CRIME.
Aided by Police Officials, He
Strangled a Girl Whom He
Had Betrayed.
PRINCE FERDIN AND'S NAME
USED IN THE PLOT.
One OF the AccompIlces Had a
Hand in the Assassination Of
Ex- Premier Stambuioff.
Aided by Police Officials, He
Strangled a Girl Whom He
Had Betrayed.
PRINCE FERDIN AND'S NAME
USED IN THE PLOT.
One OF the AccompIlces Had a
Hand in the Assassination Of
Ex- Premier Stambuioff.

PH1LIPPOPOLIS, BULGARIA, July %
Late last evening there was concluded
here one of the most dramatic trials ever
held in court of law. Ii was the trial OF
Captain Boitscheff formerly aid-de-cemp
: TO Prince Ferdinand. and his accomplice
in the tragic death of young girl named
Anna Szimon. The girl was exceptionally
: handsome and a public singer She went
! from Buda-Pesth in 1894 to Sofia, where
she met Detscho Boitscheff. The girl
became his mistress, and later the mother
. of mis- child.
Burdened with debts, Boitscheff en-
ga ged himself to marry a wealthy heiress,
pudiating his promise to marry Anna
whom he had sent to Buda- Pesth with
:: or.ters not to return. She returned, and
in her efforts to see Boitscheff caused a
scandal within the environments of the
palace
Boitscheff became enraged and de-
termined TO get rid of the girl by murder
ing her He summoned her to meet him
in Philippopolis, protesting love. Having
completed plans to lure the girl to her
death, he called to his aid Noveltc, prefect
OF. police. and a eendarme named Wassa-
. lief. The tryst was appointed at Marilza
bridge. Novelc, Wassalieff and another
seized the girl and stupefed her with
chloroforni in a carriage. Botscheff then
mounted the box of the vehicle and drove
. a'short distance, when with the assistance
of NUVelIc, he dragged the insenslble girl
out of the carriage with his own hands
Boitscheff placed the girl on the ground
and strangIed her to death, after which he
weighted the body with stones and cast it
into the river.
Novelic and Wassalieff were soon after
ward arrested. From their statements
GoitscleT and number of others
were accused of the murder, and the whole
tragic story was unfolded in court. Bolts
cheft's wife was present at the trial ele-
gantly dressed. Boitscheff himself wore a
mum Der Of medals and insignia OF orders
He was gay and witty, and frequently in
dulged in laughter. He denied all knowl-
edge of the girls whereabout Novelic and
'Wassalieff confessed, and adhered to their
statements. Boitscheff alone strangled
The girl. Wassalieff declared that Bolts-
chef had said: The Prince knows all.
Anna made scandal at the palace and
the Prince cannot allow 1T.
A'OfCAAS odAh 4)O4NcCnCll AdO sum ONoQ
him to the palace and said: "She must
be killed. 1t is the Princes command"
WHAT was most horrible in the proceed
ings was the calm obedience of police
officials in the commission of cold -blooded
murder when told it was the Prince's
orders.
The jury found Boitscheff and Novellc
guilty OF murder, convicting Wassalieff as
an accom- plice. Novelic is supposed to
. have had a hand in the murder OF ex-
Premier StambuIoff in 1895.
BOitscheff and NoveHc was each
sentenced to death, but 1t was immedi-
ately announced that the sentence in each
case would be commuted to life imprison.
.ment with the deprivation OF civil rights.
Each of the prisoners was also condemned
to pay 5000 francs to defrav the expenses
.of rearing the victims child. Was
ealiff was sentenced to six years and
eight months imprisonment. 10 be fol-
lowed by the deprivation of civil rights.
Boitscheff collapsed when sentence was
pronounced, sobbing convulsiveIy. His
wife rushed to the dock. EN- braced and
kissed him, exclaiming that he was inno-