ANARCHISTS' DEED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22497, 14 August 1936, Page 11

ANARCHISTS' DEED

BARCELONA DRAMA HOSPITAL MATRON WOUNDED SHOT AND LEFT FOR DEAD By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 13, 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, August 12 A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, writing from Perpignan, southern France, quotes a distinguished Briton from Barcelona bb his authority for the following story related to him by a doctor in a hospital at Gava, between Barcelona and Sitjes. The doctor and a fellow practitioner had prepared an emergency hospital with 12 village girls as nurses under a devout, elderly matron. Four members of the Anarchist Federation entered the matron's room and told her she was such a distinguished religieuse that she must "go for a ride." Sho went without protesting in order to avoid imperilling the hospital staff. The men drove the matron three miles and then forced he r to alight from the car. She declined to ho blindfolded and asked for a crucifix, which, the anarchists refused. Victim Crawls Back to Hospital All four of the assailants fired at the matron. Ono bullet penetrated one of her thighs, two struck her left arm, and the fourth, ricochotting from a medallion of the \ irgin Mary, wounded the matron in the chest and shoulder. The victim was left for dead, but she crawled back to the hospital. The anarchists called at the institution a few days later and were astounded to find her sitting up. The doctors dissuaded the men from taking the matron out for execution until she recovered. They returned next day and she told them she was praying to God to forgive them as fully as she had done.

The anarchists expressed contrition. One subsequently developed religious mania and was sent to hospital where ho continues shouting that the assassins' aim was upset by the Virgin Mary whom they clearly saw standing beside their intended victim. Massacre of Ecclesiastics The Vatican City correspondent of the Daily Telegraph states that Father jßubini, Superior of tho Order of the Servants of the Infirm, who has returned from n tour of Spain, reports that 400 ecclesiastics were assassinated 'in Barcelona in five days. Father Rubini was obliged to hide in a forest near Vich for five days because priests were "chased like wild beasts." On the sixth day Father Rubini was arrested and questioned by a tribunal on eight successive days. After that he was set free following upon the intervention of the Italian Consul. Father Rubini says the crying need of the masses in Spain is social reform. DURATION OF STRIFE LAST FOR MONTHS OPINION IN MADRID MADRID, August 12 "The news from all fronts could not be better," declared Colonel Sarabia, Minister of War, as he was leaving a Cabinet meeting. The Premier, Senor Giral, more cautiously described the situation as "slow but gratifying." The insurgents appear to have abandoned the advance against Madrid for the time being. The opinion is now growing that the war will last for months.

The chief danger is economic chaos. The first 6igns of currency trouble have appeared. Silver has gone out of circulation, and the Government is trying desperately to maintain the peseta at its normal value but panic prices are paid for sterling. All rents below £6 a month have been reduced 50 per cent, and active war workers are exempted from rent altogether. Children and other relatives of several Cabinet Ministers and other Government leaders are in/the hands of rebels, who have threatened to shoot the family of General Miaja, leader of the Government columns in the south, unless he withdraws from the campaign.

I GERMAN REFUGEES AEROPLANES RELEASED MADRID, August 12 The German aeroplanes which were detained by Goirernment officials, have now been released. They were ilown to Alicante*to continue the repatriation of German refugees. LOCARNO CONVERSATIONS ROME, August 12 It is learned that Italian official opinion favours a postponement of the new Locarno Treaty conversations until the Spnnish situation is clarified.