RATHER HEAVY!

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18077, 3 April 1923, Page 7

RATHER HEAVY!

Bulgaria’s Anger GENERALS INDICTED. Life-long Imprisonment. BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT (Received 1) p.m., April 2.) Soils, April i. The Supreme Council has given judgment in cases against generals and ' ministers in office at the time of Bulgaria’s entry into the war. Premier Radaslavoff and five other members of the Cabinet were sentenced to lifelong imprisonment, General Naidenoff to 1.5 years. Sentences on other ministers and ‘generals range from 10 years to five. All lose political and civil rights for life, and are also ordered to pay collectively war damages totalling 32 milliards of levas. M. Radoslavoff was condemned in Contumaciam (in his refusal to attend the Court-) —Reuter.

By Cable—Pi-ess Association —Copyright (Received 1 a-m., April 3.) Sofia, April 1. Radoslavoff and his colleagues, who have been imprisoned since 1919, were charged with treason, by involving the Bulgarians in war without Parliament’s consent, and with stealing millions of public money. General Naidenoff, ex-Minister for War, was sentenced to 15 years, General Zecoff, ex-Com-mander-in-Cliief, a decade’s imprisonment, The chief feature of a long drawn out trial was a speech for the defence by Toutcheff, ex-Minister of Finance, one of those convicted, which lasted for a month. Toutcheff declared that Bulgaria did not enter the war on the Allies’ side because Serbia, and Roumania refused the slightest territorial concessions. The Entente only offered insignificant compensation from Serbia and Greek territory, although Britain officially invited Bulgaria’s assistance. The Ministry learned elsewhere that Britain really did not desire Bulgaria to participate for fear that Russia would obtain possession of Constantinople. The Ministry also believed that Italy and Russia did not want Bulgaria’s help.—A. and N.Z. Cable