The four conspirators—Milaroff, Popoff, Gheorghieff, and Jiaraguloff—sentenced to death in
the recent political trial at Sofia, were executed at 5 o'clock on Wednesday morning. The event will, it is believed, cause great indignation in Russia; but M. Stambouloff is doubtless indifferent to any such considerations. He knows that nothing he is willing to do could possibly conciliate Russia. Though the Russian Government has semi-officially declared that the despatches published by the Bulgarian Government are "vile forgeries," M. Stambouloff continues to print them in his official organ. The story of the manner in which the alleged despatches were obtained, told in Thursday's Daily News, is curious. About a year and a half ago, Jacobson, the Dragoman of the Russian Legation in Bucharest, quarrelled with M. Hitrovo, the Russian Minister, to whom the work of bringing Bulgaria to her knees has unquestionably been entrusted. Jacobson fled, taking with him a bundle of papers. When this became known, the Russian newspapers announced that these papers were forgeries. For some time nothing more was heard of Jacobson, except that he had offered to sell information to the Bulgarian Government. In all probability, the secret despatches were what he sold. The latest instalment of the despatches, says the Standard correspondent, shows that MM. Zankoff and Stantchoff each received from M. Hitrovo 10,000 fr. to get the Prince assassinated. They demanded more, however, and the Asiatic Department replied that 50,000 fr. should be sent to M. Zankoff at Belgrade. The story is an unpleasant one, though, we fear, not unlikely to be true. At the same time, we must remember that at Sofia anything and everything is believed against Russia.
