THE BULGARIAN REVOLT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3615, 26 June 1923, Page 29

THE BULGARIAN REVOLT.

FATE OF A DICTATOR. LONDON, June 17. The Times’s Slavovitza correspondent says: A Balkan dictator rarely dies in his bed; he makes too many enemies. M. Stambuliski shared the fate of the others. He was staying at Slavovitza on Saturday, and when he lirst learned of the revolt, he refused to believe it was serious, but he realised the truth when troops began to arrive at Slavovitza. The Premier then decided to seek safety in the mountains, hoping to cross the frontier. The troops began their pursuit on Sat urday, and their vigorous search gave him no rest. His numerous guards gradually dwindled until only his brother and two faithful adherents remained. The cordon slowly' but surely closed, until the fugitives were driven to enter the village of Go lack on Thursday. Disguised as a wood merchant, M. Stambuliski quitted the village safely; but the mayor had already recognised the fugitive dictator, and gathered a baud of peasants, who followed to arrest M. Stambuliski. “You betray me as Judus betrayed Christ,' said M. Stambuliski. The weeping peasants offered him bread, but he rejected it, exclaiming: “You offer me poison.” M. Stambuliski telegraphed to the new Premier giving his surrender and promising that there would be no opposition. He also wired his salutations to the commander of the nearest troops, who was an old comrade, asking him to come and accept his surrender. When the military arrested him, M. Stambuliski pleaded to be allowed to call at his home to obtain his personal effects. This was granted, and he was taken in a motor, strongly guarded. This is believed to have been a trick, as the escort was attacked, and M. Stambuliski was rescued. The Minister of War reprimanded the commander and ordered him to retake M. Stambuliski, dead or alive. The pursuit was resumed, no quarter was given, and the pursuing party surrounded and fired at M. Stambuliski, who fell. RECOGNITION REFUSED. LONDON, June 17. Jugo Slavia refuses to recognise the usurping Bulgarian Government, and .n retaliation eommitadji are active in Macedonia. Jugo Slavia is reinforcing her / frontiers and the Marcdonian garrisons. ANXIETY IN SERBIA. LONDON, June 18. Mr Donohue, writing in the Daily' Chronicle, says: “The uncertainty regarding. the Bulgarian situation is causing uneasiness to the Serbian Government, which has now- decided on military defence measures to protect Serbian territories, especially her Macedonian possession, against Bulgar aggression. It is believed that M. Stambuliski’s party has been crushed and is incapable of serious resistance. As harvesting is now in full swing Bulgaria is reluctant to abandon the fields for a revolution. The Government has burned the villages which sho\Ved signs of resistance, and no quarter iS given to M. Stambuliski s famous Orange Guards. Serbia has refused to recognise the ursqrping Government, and as a retaliation lor this attitude eommitadji bands are active in Macedonia. Serbia may reply by concentrating her troops and reinforcing her frontiers, also the Macedonian garrisons. I passed troop trains to-day with Crotian soldiers from Ograim and Sisak, bound for the Macedonian frontier. Reservists at Vinkovei, hurriedly summoned from the t . fields, were entraining for the concentration depots. There were weeping wives and mothers saying adieu to the men, who were laughing as if they were embarking on a fresh adventure—all reminiscent of scenes I saw nine years ago. ’’ STAMBULISKI’S AMBITION. LONDON, June 17. The Daily Express’s Sofia correspondent reports that M. Stambuliski intended to force King Boris to abdicate in his favour. A gilt crown, which M. Stambuliski intended to use for his own coronation, was found at his farm near Sofia. It is stated that M. Stambuliski’s plan had been known for a month past by members of the present Government. SOME FURTHER DETAILS. LONDON, June 18. Further picturesque details of M. Stambuliski’s fate show that 10 soldiers came to a village to arrest him. “It is impossible that there should be any othe> Government. lam the Premier; they must be insurgents. Open fire,’’ Stambuliski told his corporal. Fire was opened. Meantime the whole village was aroused bv church bells. Then a local priest, holding in one hand a cross and in the other a bomb, went from house to house calling on the peasants to prepare to de fend their Premier. _ Stambuliski offered the peasants 500 levas per day. He soon collected about 1000 followers, who, be lieving it was only a minor mutiny, suf fered themselves to be led against the soldiers. A pitched battle developed oil the banks of the Topolnitza ; but the peasants, armed only with rifles and machine guns against troops with artillery, were soon routed. They fled, leaving Stambulisiu to fend for himself. IS M. STAMBULSKI DEAD? A REPORT DENIED. PARIS, June 19. Le Matin puhiishes a message from Milan stating that the Jugo-Slavian Minister in Sofia has reported to his Government that M. Stambuliski is still alive, and is hiding in the mountains, intending to take his revenge later. The Minister declares that the story of the death

of M. Stambuliski was concocted and given out by the new Government in order to demoralise M. Stambuliski s followers. A Belgrade message transmits an official Sofia report stating that M. Stambuliski was buried in Vetren on Saturday. JUGO-SLOYAKIA DESIRES PEACE. BELGRADE, June 19. M. Nitchitch, Jugo-Slav Foreign Minister, explained in Parliament that Jugo Slovakia was unable to establish any violation of the Treaty of Neuilly by Bulgaria. The Little Entente had therefore taken no diplomatic action. Jugoslavia was following developments in Bulgaria, and would concentrate on the maintenance of the Treaty of Peace. SMALL REVOLUTION CASUALTIES. PARIS, June 20. The new Bulgarian Minister of the Interior, interviewed, states that order has everywhere been re-established. He estimates that only 60 or 70 persons were killed during the revolution. NORTHERN ALBANIA. PARIS, June 22. Le Matin states that, following the example of Bulgaria, a revolution has broken out in Northern Albania. The insurgents, with the aid of artillery, defeated the regulars near Krasmitch, and are now marching on Scutari with a view to deposing the Government and restoring Prince Wied on the throne. The Serbian frontier garrisons are being strengthened.