A TALE OF HORROR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 32, 7 February 1916, Page 5

A TALE OF HORROR.

MASSACRED BY SAVAGES. BULGARS BUTCHER 3.00 SEKBS. LONDON, February 6. The war correspondent Mr Ward Price lias sent a ghastly story, based on eyewitnesses' accounts, of the massacre by the Bulgarians of Serbian prisoners at Prilep. The Bulgarians dug a huge grave and brought out 300 prisoners, some boya and others greybeards. These men had no idea of their fate until they reached, the graveside. HeTe they were halted for an hour, until 80 Bulgarian cavalry arrived. A captain, speaking in Serbian, ordered each Serbian to bandage the eyes of his neighbour. A pitiable scene ensued, the youths weeping and imploring pity, and the older men shouting defiance. When the Serbians had been blindfolded with strips torn from their waistcloths, the captain shouted to the prisoners that they were now to crouch down. The Serbians obeyed. "Start your work," cried the captain. The Bulgarian infantry formed a large cordon, and the cavalry, cantering in, rode down the kneeling men with yells of cruel delight, and slashed and thrust mercilessly.

The Serbians tried to seize the dripping swords, and now an arm and now a leg was slashed off. Other Serbians tore off their bandages and seized the legs of the murderers, attempting to unhorse them, and others dashed at the cordon of infantry. But the infantry ran to meet the Serbians, plunging their bayonets into them and erj'ing gleefnlly, "We are doing this for charity, to spare you dying of hunger."

A/ter half-an-hour the captain ordered the infantry to thrust the Serbians into the grave and shovel in the earth, regardless of whether they were living or dead.

Mr Ward Price grimly adds that it is time that the Foreign Office realised that the Bulgarians have not reached the normal standard of morality of the Western Europeans.