The Warwickshire Herald. — 1893-06-22 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SENSATIONAL MURDERS AT SOFIA.  The Daily NW! correspondent at Sofia sends an account of a sensational tragedy which took place recently in that city. The drama, is persome were a sergeant-major of the cavalry regiment atati ,ned at Sofia, his wife, and sister; a masseur in the public baths and his si-ter; two gendarmes: a Turk; and several gipsiee. It seems that some months ago the sergeant-major borrowed two thousand francs of the masseur, for which he gave him a "bon." For some time back the lender had been demanding his money, and at last one day the sergeant-major, ceding to his importunities, told him to come to his house next day with his sister to dinner, and they would settle the matter, The offer was accepted, and the next day, got up in their holiday attire, the masseur and his Sster started for the iIf,UBP of the sergeant-major. On the way they met the Turk, who lodged in their house, who asked where they were going. The man replied that they were going to the sergeant.. major to get their money. They did not return that night nor during the two days following, whereupon the Turk gave information the police, who set a watch on the sergeant-major's house and that of the masseur. At last, after careful inquiries, they arrested the sergeant-major's family, and full confession was made by the wife. The story is that after their meal the sergeant-major, assisted by two gendarmes, one of whom was the lover of his sister, murdered the masseur and his sister, and after stripping them of all their valuables, including the "bon " for the two thousand francs, buried them in a dsep hole in the house, which had been dug some class before by two gipsies. The hole was then carefully concealed by boarding and other means. What renders the subject one of particular interest is that one of the gendarmes was the one who was escorting M. Stambuloff and NI. Belteheff at the moment the latter was fired at by the assassin who escaped. The sister of the sergeant major was for a number of years a servant at the palace, but was discharged on suspicion of having stolen a number of articles that had been missed from time to time. When the arre,t was made a watch which had belonged to one of the Princess Ferdinand's Ladies of Honour was discovered in her box. The sergeant-major  had a banking account of three thOusand eiz hundred Danes, and has been, so it appears, suspected of having murdered two of his own relatives who died under mysterious circumstances. While all Sofia was excitedly discussing this tragedy a drama of another character was being enacted in a higher circle of society. A high military officer,returning unexpectedly to his house, discovered his wife with her lover in flagrant. delicto. Carried away by his rage he killed them both with his sword which he was wearing at the moment. These two events have naturally created intense excitement.  The movement in favour of giving non-commissioned volunteer officers of long service, like commissioned officers,somo recognition at the hande of the Crown, is engaging the earnest attention of the War Office. It is generally understood that there is every disposition to favourably entertain the proposal. A despatch from Gamugnano, in the province of Bologna, gives details of a shocking catastrophe which has taken place in that town during a violent thunderstorm. According to the custom of the country the bells were being rung by seven bellringers, when the lightning struck the belfry. Four of the men were killed, and the three others were temporarily rendered unconscious and partially paralysed.  In the Franco-Gern3an War of 1870 the bodies of some soldiers of the Prussian Guard were interred on French soil near St. Privet. The Germans, desiring to have the remains of their comrades buried in their own country,applied to the French Government, which, in consenting, gave directions that military honours should be paid to the bray.. dead. Accordingly, on Saturday, French Chasseurs and Guasars,under General Jaont,escorted the six coffins of the Germans to the frontier,where a ceremonious interchange of courtesies with the German soldiers under General TOU Hauler took place.