ALLEGED ASSASSINS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 101, 10 February 1936, Page 5

ALLEGED ASSASSINS.

MURDER of KING ALEXANDER. LAST WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP. (United Press Association— Copyright) PARIS, Feb. 7. The last words of King Alexander of Yugoslavia were:—“l am so glad to be in France. I have a great friendship for the French people,” according to the evidence of General Geoiges, a French Army officer, who was woundec when Kelemen assassinated King Alexander and M. Barthou. At the resumption of the trial at ■Vix-en-Provenee of the alleged terrorists, which was adjourned from December 18 last, General Georges described how the King was much moved by the crowd’s cheering and was expressing gratification to M. Barthou when witness heard a series of muffled detonations. He saw the King slip, djing, from his seat. M. Barthou sat transfixed, mortally wounded. “I saw on the running hoard a man ceaselessly firing a revolver, witness said. “I sprang at him. Ho wheeled and turned the weapon on me. wounding me twice in tlvf 1 body and twice in the arm. His coolness, accuracy, and rapidity in handling the revolver impressed me even amid the tragedy.” A- girl interpreter began unsteadily to interpret the evidence, but collapsed sobbing, after a few words, crying: “I cannot continue.” Colonel Piolet, commanding the escort riding beside the Royal car, gave evidence. It was difficult to use a sword, he said, but he wheeled his horse. Fie was then able to bring his weapon down on the murderer’s head.

“1 aimed a second blow as lie fell dead from the running-board,’’ added witness. “When I first saw him on the car I thought he was only one more newspaper photographer.” Pospichil, a former chauffeur (one of thbse accused), shouted: “The King’s chauffeur was a fool. If I had been in his place I would have stepped on the gas and there would have been no assassination.” Simonvitch, head of the Yugoslavian police, stated in evidence, that Pospichil was a member of the Onstaclii terrorists, who organised a series of assassinations in Yugoslavia in 1929, intending to create a reign of terror and force Serbians to grant the Croatians independence. They also placed bombs on international trains, timing them to explode in Yugoslavia. When the plots failed Posphichil planned vengeance on King Alexander.