MADRID BOMB OUTRAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13225, 10 July 1906, Page 6

MADRID BOMB OUTRAGE.

- A BFJLLIAXT WEDDING. ■ FROM JOY TO --TEARS. •" ; Mit..",Kixaa Wallace,, at- the ; Dailj - Mail. give* a "jn-ilksFst MTotiiif of »««■ IlojtaJ w«l----1 ding «*: Madrid and,of this tragedy that totlowed. In the course of -he report h* I tat*: ~... '■■■~■■•'■'.■..■'■ J : A-di*tai»t-',bttist--of.ch**i. , injf;*iid the War*. j of hugka ftKnoa!ie«Kt at half-past nine, '.that 1 the Royal pro«><-/ii>» bad *.!attt'd. Print*, I ■after prsui-e: with fitting escort .-jntM«d. and j then, earn* prim** and prtßcesaeß of th;? ! blood royal of Spam, .'with all ■ IIm» at.te»tions I due lo tlu-ir rank and exact order of.'precis* j dcn?e. Kce&gniscd instantly by tho people j and raptur»>udj «** the Infanta j Isabel, a motherly lady with silver hair, nil* i was weeping as '-hi' passed. But. the greatest reception, apart from I that accorded to the. principals, was reserved j for the Prince and Princess <d Wales. The j difficulty of distinguishing personages in the j royal carriage was overconw' by the fact that ! the Prince's photograph had been .published i Win'., me British National Anthem soundI ed -in the distance the «utlni*iasm of the [crowd was unbounded, and tile approach j of, their Royal coach was the oocaaioU for" a singularly wa'rni deuionslraj (son. Both the Print ami Princess lowed, smiled, and saluted the cheering people with that wave, of the hand which is characteristically ijpHiiiih, and the.,. of. which please* the Spaniard more than the. most, 1 stately bows. ■... King Alfonso's welcome:wait unique. They 1 " vivßcd," they called him by 1181110, and they showed, i:> a dozen ways their affection for him. With him wen* Don Carlos and a pretty little hoy of four, the Infante Alfonso, the King's cousin and heir. The child was a feature of the processionhe was so obviously enjoying the ride and saluted' so gravely. , PKINCKSS EXA'S OVATION'. But whatever had been the acclamations that greeted Kins' Alfonso, the ovation of the day was reserved for Princess Ena. For her Madrid displayed its most beautiful decorations; for her they hung from countless windows tapestries of enormous value (an authority pointed out to me a house from the windows of which were hunK fabrics of the value of £40,000); in her honour family chests were ransacked and treasures which had not hhui the light for a hundred year.-', and which are practically priceless, were hung side by side with more modern specimens of the decorator's aft. All. brides' look .-''-beautiful, but Princess En a looked divine, and it is no exaggeration to .--ay that Madrid went mad with enthusiasm as she passed, half-an-hour after the King, through the. streets. For the last time she listened to "Rod Save the King,"' played in her honour. Her progress was a triumph over the Spain that loves beauty and courtships, and the youths paid ■ her homage such as few women are fated to receive. The people pressed forward with outstretched hands, and "only a strong force 'of military prevented them front reaching' the carnage. Here was a colour feast such; as Paul

'Veronese alone could have done justice to —a scene' beside which the most magnificent efforts of pageant makers were insignificant. The tiny Gothic church is perched on a slight eminence, its wonderful proportions alone preventing it from appearing mean.;. It stood, a splash of cinnamon, with delicate fini'als rising to the blue Spanish sky. As Princess Ena's carriage turned into the broad drive that leads, past the church, to the frenzied, shrill cries of the people, to the waving of thousands of handkerchiefs, to the soft, tones of Spanish music, one-was transported: back to the days of barbaric gorgeousness when kings moved through a golden haze- '*' "?,?:\ '-•', '.'' '■' "... ''' ~, , '•.','*. '.' •'. ;.: . " .'IN THE CHURCH. . * At the church door an official 'helped * (.he bride to alight, and then,;.slightly ahead of the two. mothers, she walked up with , a light step, standing put from- the i coloured splendour- of her surroundings. V v" The King, who wore the plain uniform of a captain-general with the Orders of the Garter and, Golden (Fleece, awaited her arrival, at the end. of the dim.aisle, which was almost dark after it he glare of the sunshine, ! despite the subdued light of the chandeliers and the lights on the' beautiful altar. In almost every detail the service was identical with every Catholic marriage service, but _it whs sufficiently trying for* the young pair, as the crowded church was suffocatingly 1 hot. The- Archbishop "of "Toledo, crosier in hand, advanced and perforated .the simple service: '. ; „'.'; \.i ■■' '"'• .' .' "Senora Prineesa Victoria Eugenia do Battenberg, I - require Your- Highness and Your Majesty Seiior Doit Alfonso Xllf., : King of Spain and Castile, to affirm if there bo any impediment by which this marriage , cannot bo contracted." . :. . . The Princess made the responses .in ' Spanish, speaking distinctly and making the three affirmations required in a clear voice. Then ip a voice rendered almost indistinct by emotion the Archbishop said, "And I, on behalf of God Almighty and the blessed Apostles, * Peter, Paul, and of Holy Mother Church, marry you, illustrious Princess, and you, most ' 'exalted, King. This sacrament! of matrimony I confirm in the name of the-Father and of the Son and.of the Holy.Ghost. Amen.'' ; .■'.., ft was a-quarler to one when the booming of cannon announced the mass that followed the wedding ceremony was finished. , AFTER THE CEREMONY. V Out from tin? dark church into the "glaring sunshine the Royal couple passed. The' young Queen looked pale, but smiled and waved her hand to the people. The, King himself looked a little fatigued, but there was happiness in his smile, and he looked eagerly into his Queen's fat* and pressed her arm in frank delight ;As they stood 'together under the noble canopy, a young couple side by side waving hands here and there as they recognised friends among the privileged circle, there; was something in the scene' unlike anything one has witnessed. - ' Without, losing a par- ; ticle of the dignify of a splendid function ft, took on a Character of .happiness* so evident, so undisguised, a* to be almost plebeian. Even. Spanish dignity melted in joy at seeing the two whose loyemstkhig has been the talk of Spain brought, together. ; THE BOMB THROWN.

A dastardly attempt to assassinate King . Alfonso and Queen Victoria was made in the Calle Major at twenty in to* past two, as tin; royal couple were returning from the church to the- palace after the wedding. i had just loft the street, after seeing the royal carriage pass. Queen Victoria was leaning forward, radiantly happy, and'waving hot hand (o the cheering people. King Alfonso was leaning back, lazily waving his hand, but not taking his eyes from his wife's face. : -; , ■■ . ...'■. '•;-.. I was writing the last words 61 a.despatch, when from a distant street came what bounded" like/a solitary .explosion. . , Some ten minutes later a courier came galloping past and brought the'terrible news that a diabolical attempt had been'mads on the lives of the- King and Queen. "* The. royal procession had passed through the Calle Alea.la, where ih«» crowd preyed densely, had crossed the Puerta. del Sol, ami had entered the Calle Mayor. This street runs almost -to the threshold of the palace. It. is on* of the most beautifully decorated thoroughfares, its narrowness allowing it to bo spanned with garlands and • suspended arches. At the palace end the street slopes steeply, and opposite* the Civil Governor's house grows yet narrower. The assassin had posted. himself on a balcony overlooking the road and facing the Governor's house. As the royal pair passed he hurled a bond). . By God's providefxe ho missed his mark. Had the weapon fallen a foot further nothing could have prevented the transformation of the most famous wedding of modern days into a dreadful tragedy. As it was the bomb exploded, killing a number of spectators and wounding others. At the moment- of telegraphing the excitemerit is so intense thai it is impossible to obtain accurate particulars; But I am credibly informed that-eight, persons - were killed and twenty-five injured. The whole royal procession was panicstricken, but King Alfonso, recovering himself immediately,' .spoke through tlie broken windows of the royal carriage and inquired what damage had been done. Immediately he- sent an orderly to reassure Princess Henry of Bat ten berg ami the -Mot her. Bis Majesty,- raising his voice, commanded the procession 'to resume • its -• course. Queen Victoria was deathly pale, but smiled courageously; . • '■; • At that, moment all the King's thoughts were evidently for her. ' He patted her arm and spoke to her continuously all the' Way to the palace. -■■ s : ■ A rumour had already reached (he palace that the King, was killed, ami u{ter consternation prevailed until the royal carriage came into view. Then arose an-, hysterical shout of joy. '•'■'"','•

A for romaies *«*** **« Alfon*o «c '■ •_ OueeW Victoria.-.- append, hand in hand 05, v|| tb« pafac* b#!eo«.r. smihng »«?"*>»« ##t answer to t|te itmtid cheering of their .tab-. ~| jests.. :thk.kis« AXi*.«iK.BK.w»K IN T&AR&. ;g Til'* HHMste' felt So the' right «{ the r*ja| ■ ' ■! cam act." 'WHfffti*' th* hindmost p*jf of:;";,; l;*>r«e* ami th*'" fe*ht tiwii' '<>!• writer-, The explosion killed, two bor-"'- and » ***■*>!«. ■■;:! The Mariptife.tfc. *Js«Htat.Tor. ( tho cpi^rjr .-'■ ■;:, .who was. riding at tin' right siw; of th» r*r- £;f| rUg*. *** *!ii|S»l!y wutHkd. Four -'obiter*: : :- lining t*i*' rot* l * »' r<* M.JM".«* *«• spot. *ii<t '' * lieutenant who *»*■* •Uiiit.r.y id* the -*I«n : «*■* fatally injured. '■" '; "'!. " ' .-,,0' : .'-A palice-bugk-sr had hi* heart .-cveccd Ironi hi* body, and two wwiifii *nutng the spec- ".-.■;, Utxu***wer-e also killed. • The injured werw •■•";■ very "uuuwrou** «*d -included ho or thrn* persons on (he second storey hnhx»«j of the sil hou*« from which tin- bomb was thrown. Jmmediaiei*after the explosion th* Duke :!K of Cwnachuolo* rushed forward, openrd the ,-.; carriage door, and taking hold of the King »' dragged him-out, of the nehiok', and tli*B . *■ the ..'tJ'iM*n» who showed signs of great "'. emotion. On their arrival at the palace it wji noticed that both the King and his bride ■ were in tears. THE : ASSASSIN'S ESCAPE, The ajisassin, wliO*e uaute is Mateo Mortal, escaped in the confusion, but Soft evidence % of being wounded. t -'■■'? Immediately before this outrage the Queen had remarked to the King that she would bu glad to reach home, the explosion follow* j ing on the words. The bleeding and wounded officers threw themselves round the royal .'.;; carriage, -and the Quel's, alighting, gawd :*.& with horror on the dead and dying men and officers. ■'-■'■','• . ''*■ One officer lay dead. With his hand raised fo the salute. The Queen war composed, but on reaching the pal at* broke down com- ;i ; ? pletely. ', • ■ As she alighted gentteraen pressed for- ;;,': ward, but the King waved them back and tenderly supported hi* weeping wifi>. Til** Ixiriib was thrown concealed in a , bunch of flowers. A panic ♦naxwd anions th*» occupants of the stands, who throw them- \ solves to the ground. The postillion of the Municipal .Guard and a Moorish otticor were killed instantly. ...,', •; ... -)* Bodies, horribly nHuiiated. lay along th«» street. Men renioved their liat* before i 1 -> dead, and lliera, followed a solemn scene. A priest from a neighbouring ehnrck arriv<>d to 'give the last sacrament* to the wounded and his blessing to the d#ad. ■ " .» '}-> l\iog Alfonso stood tip when thei explonioti - occunxHl. and cried to the people, " Don't ,i be afraid; wo are riot hurt."

, [It will he remembered that Moral some,, days afterwards was challenged in a village inn by a constable, that he afterwards shot the constable, and fled, but was followed by (he villagers, and committed suicide whet: cornered by. them.]