RECENT ASSASSINATIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 9

RECENT ASSASSINATIONS

CHARGES AGAINST HUNGARY PROTEST MADE TO LEAGUE (Received November 26. 6.15 p.m.) GENEVA. Nov. 25 The Hungarian representative presented a Note requesting that the Yugoslav allegation of official complicity in the Marseilles assassinations be considered at an extraordinary meeting of the League Council next week to enable a speedy investigation. The Note points out that Hungary has been the victim of accusations aimed at compromising the nation's good name. If she continues to be exposed to various incitements and calumnies there might be serious consequences to the peace of the world. Further accusations against Hungary are contained in a Yugoslav memorandum based on the evidence of terrorists who attempted the assassination of King Alexander at Zagreb in 1933, and the confessions of Jclka Podogorolec, a womajti who lived for several years with Portchetch, one of the organisers of the Marseilles crime.

The indictments include an allegation that when terrorists crossed the frontier Major Klan, a Hungarian, _ usually interviewed them. Klan, it is asserted, frequently visited the Yankapuszta camp, where the terrorists were trained by practising firing at a target which was the life-size figure of King Alexander.

The evidence includes a confession by Stepan Petrovich, sentenced to death at Belgrade in April, describing life at Yankapuszta. Petrovich, referring to the harsh discipline, gave as an instance the execution of a Bosnian who was suspected--of treachery. Petrovich was sent to a distillery on a farm, where he was given a dagger and told to give the first blow. One man felled the Bosnia ft and Petrovich stabbed him in the ribs, while a third man stabbed him in the heart. The body was flung ili the distillery furnace.

Although it is stated that many of the trails of conspirators led to Italy from Hungary, the memorandum does not refer to Italy in order to avoid complications. but it is alleged that if Italy attempts to champion Hungary the fullest information of Italian complicity will be produced. A Rome piessage says that it is semiofficially stated that Italy will support Hungary's request that the League immediately discuss the Yugoslav Note. The situation is regarded as delicate but not likely to result in serious complications. The Genera correspondent of the Daily Mail states that Dr. T. Eckhardt, the Hungarian statesman, interviewed, said that before his departure from Yugoslavia King Alexander was sentenced to death by a meeting of Croat terrorists in Belgium. The sentence was published .in the Croat revolutionary organ in Belgium, which was available throughout Europe, but apparently it %vas ignored f by tho police of all countries.