Partly-printed document, one page, 8.5 x 13.5, notated April 12, 1913. Writ issued by Oppenheimer, Blandford & Co., in the matter "Between Vana Mitova, Widow, Plaintiff, and Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, Defendants." In part: "To Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited...We Command You, that within Eight Days after the service of this Writ on you...you do cause an Appearance to be entered for you in an Action at the Suit of Vana Mitova...The Plaintiff's Claim is as the Widow of Mito Ivanoff Mitkoff deceased for damage for the death of the said Mito Ivanoff Mitkoff caused by the negligence of the Defendants or their servants while the said Mito Ivanoff Mitkoff was a passenger upon the Defendants' Steamship 'Titanic.'" At the conclusion the document notes that the plaintiff "resides at Sadovetz Loukovit in the Kingdom of Bulgaria." The document is unsigned but bears numerous pencil office notations. In very good condition, with creasing, several tears, and upper left reinforced with archival tape.
A significant number of the Titanic's third-class passengers—between thirty and forty of them, or about eight percent—were Bulgarian, predominately men planning to emigrate to America. Though the records are imprecise, it is believed that every single Bulgarian aboard the liner perished in the disaster. This interesting document represents the little-known and tragic story of the Bulgarians lost at sea.
