In 1867, an Albanian, having been paid by local Pashas, was given the objective to assassinate Ded Aga Gjengi (Džengić) in the region of Goransko in modern day Bosnia. The event was mentioned in the Serbian newspaper “Narodne novine” from 1876 retrieved from the “Univerzitetske Beogradske Novine”.

Translation:

“In 1867, one Arnaut, bribed by other pashas, ​​stood out to kill Ded-aga Džengić in the Goransko region. Arnaut apparently lowered his rifle to hit Ded-aga in the forehead, but missed him a little, because Džengić lowered his head, and the bullet only deflected him across the forehead. When Arnaut fired his rifle and fled, there were over a thousand Turks there, but everyone was confused, Lazar himself ran after Arnaut to catch him, or kill him.

Lazar, quick and fast on his feet, caught up with Arnaut in an hour, but Arnaut was also a hero, when he saw that Lazar was about to catch up with him, he stopped, took out his dagger, and waited for Lazar, in order to cut him down. Lazar drew his knife and began to cut Arnaut. Arnaut inflicted four wounds on Lazar: one on the forehead, another on the shoulder, a third across the chest, and a fourth on the knee.

Lazar hit Arnaut once on the shoulder and cut him all the way to the breast, Lazar hit him a second time and Arnaut fell to the ground. At that moment, other Turks arrived and Lazar almost paid with his head for this heroism. One of the Turks pointed at Lazar with a dagger, shouting: “You, Vlaše, are the one who tried to kill our pasha, and then cut down this faithful Arnaut for us, now you will pay!”

But other Turks jumped up, caught the Turk who wanted to kill Lazar, and brought him before the pasha. When the Turk said in front of the pasha: “Forgive me, pasha, I could not even suspect that there would be a Turk who would even think of killing Ded-aga, let alone do it.” Ded-aga ordered that the Turk be killed, but Sočica forgave him and asked the pasha to have mercy on him.

Thus the Turk was released. Because of this generous act of Lazar, the Turks loved and respected him even more. For this heroism, Lazar’s grandfather presented him with a jitluk (spajiluk), and Topal Pasha, the Bosnian governor, awarded Sočica with the third-degree imperial star.”