SPANISH REVOLT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4606, 6 October 1934, Page 5

SPANISH REVOLT

RIOTS BREAK OUT SEVERE FIGHTING REPORTED. SOCIALISTS AND CIVIC GUARDS(Press Association.. —Copyright.) (Received 12.55 p.m.) Madrid, October 5. Martial law has been proclaimed in the Province of Asturias. The general strike in Asturias is being characterised by extraordinary violence and outbreaks have been reported from several points. The Socialists, wearing red arm bands and equipped with all kinds of arms, including machine guns, clashed with the police and Civil Guards. The fighting at Lugones lasted several hours and there were many dead and wounded. The Civic Guards at the various towns are asking for reinforcements. An earlier message states that eight are known to have been killed in Asturias, and it is anticipated that there are many other victims. Councillors Killed. The strikers seized as hostages Senor Mercelino Oreja and two Asturian provincial councillors. As they left the Civil Guard barracks at Mondraggan they fatally shot Senor Oreja in the back and one councillor in the back as they were attempting to escape. The third swam the river to freedom despite severe wounds. Four were killed and eight hundred arrested as a result of the disturbances at Madrid, including those involved in the violent outbreak north of the railway station. The situation is now quieter but tense. The Cafalonian Government is sitting continuously. It may declare the province's independence. Martial Law at Barcelona. Martial law has been proclaimed at Barcelona where the strike is general. The Plaza del Republica at Oviedo is lined with machine guns and aeroplanes. Troops have arrived to assist in coping with the revolutionai'y strike. Four Civil Guards and several civilians were killed, ' ar.d ten guards and several civilians wounded when miners attacked the police. The barracks at Hoyoniego were burnt. Two hundred strikers block the road to Oviedo.

Rebels Capture Barracks. The insurgents are reported to have captured the barracks at Lugones. The strike is complete at Valencia which lacks gas and other commodities. Salamanca is isolated in • the Basque provinces where the position is reported to be acute, but communications are cut off. The rebels have seized the Eibar arms factory at BilbaoArms Factory Recovered. Later advices state that the Government troops have recaptured the Eibar arms factory. Soldiers have superseded the striking tram drivers and Madrid policemen are riding in the cars to protect them. Collisions with cars are frequent. A special corps of gentlemen taxidrivers are plying for hire, each taxicab carrying a soldier with a rifle projecting from the window. Many of the taxi-drivers' homes are foodless owing to lack of preparations against a lightning strike. The Government has commandeered three thousand firearms from gunsmen in order to render future raiding of the gunshops futile. Shock troops have been rushed to Saoadeec, where the rebels surround the Civil Guards barracks. The town hall is flying a separate flag. The rebels, claimed that they have captured all the Civil Guards' barracks at Asturias. There is a general strike in Santander, Viccanuera and San Sebastan. Death Roll Reaches 50. It is estimated that 50 were killed and 160 wounded throughout the country during the riots, and 2500 have been arrested. The striking miners in Asturias number 40,0000, including the majority of the employees of the Englishowned mines. The rebels captured Celguera. They killed three Civil Guards, burnt down a church, hoisted the Red flag and declared a Socialist Republic. Vessel Smuggling Arms. When the Spanish steamer Turquesa called at Bordeaux to repair her damaged boilers she was found to be carrying munitions, 16 tons of rifles and spare parts, machine guns and grenades. The Customs officers sealed the holds to prevent the discharge of the arms at Bordeaux.