A SENSATIONAL EXECUTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 293, 11 December 1899, Page 5

A SENSATIONAL EXECUTION.

The State trial is over (says a letter from Belgrade in the "St. James's Budget"), Knevich shot and King M|lan avenged. Thus to the- outside world the attempt on the ex-Kfng has been severely punished, and the incident closed. Not so to the Servian. The execution of Knevich is but an incident in a mighty upheaval of public feeling permeating at the present time the whole country. I witnessed the execution of the would-be assassin. The crowd were more sympathetic than curious. "Will themartyjj Knevich be reprieved?" I heard a bystander remark. "No," replied a splendid specimen of the Servian race; "Milan and Nathalie will see that the King does not use his prerogative of clemency." The prisoner met. his death like a man. And why? Because up to the very last moment he expected a reprieve which had been promised him if he would confess and so bring about a conviction of himself and his fellow plotters. I never saw a man executed before, and I was particu-' larly struck by the total unconcern manifested by the prisoner. He might have been going for a walk instead of to his execution. Suddenly his face* wore an. anxious look. The game, was going too far, he thought, especially when they began to cover his eyes with a handkerchief. It was all nonsense, of course, but , and then he heard the order to get ready, and realised that Milan had cheated him of his life. "For the mercy of God put down your rifles," he cried in an agonised voice, "my reprieve will come" • —"Fire!" came the ordei", and the poos wretch fell, receiving his coup de grace from a non-commissioned officer, who, with- his revolver,' put him. out of his misery. . ;