Cited from the “Bayerisches Volksblatt” from 1876:

“The Tag. Pr. of July 21st writes: The Serbian news agency no longer seems to find the fabrication of victories profitable. It has at least reduced its activity somewhat in recent days. The more vigorously the reports of “Turkish atrocities” are spread by the Serbs. One practically feels the blood of the clergy when reading the Belgrade reports.

Pro-Slavic newspapers print the severed heads of literate old men, the quartered children, and the virgins violated by Asiatic barbarians in bold type and display them to the world. But the world knows that most of it is fabricated, and that most of the bloody atrocities only take place in the Belgrade press bureaus, from where they are then disseminated to the public.

We readily admit that it may be much more pleasant for the writers in Belgrade to amuse themselves with a good glass of wine than to fight with Circassians and uncivilized Asiatic armies. These men are far from meeting their enemies with kid gloves and may strike hard, which is certainly painful for the heirs. But the Serbs are also prone to brutality.

The Turkish authorities are doing everything possible to mitigate the excesses of the war and to prevent excesses by their armed troops. Any excess will be punished with death, and the sparing of the lives and property of non-combatants has been made the duty of the soldiers!”

Source

Neues bayerisches Volksblatt. 1876, 7 – 12. Nr.200.1. Stadtachos, Sonntag, den 23. Juli 1876. Liborius,. XIV. Jahrgang. “Zur Zürkenfrage.” p.711-712.