THE ASSASSINATION 01 THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2331, 3 November 1898, Page 44

THE ASSASSINATION 01 THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA.

DETAILS BY MAIL.

The R.M.S. Oceana, which arrived at Albany from Colombo, brought the following report of the assassination of the Empress of Austria, from the London correspondent of the Argus: — LONDON, September 16. A universal cry of horror, reprobation, and anger greeted the news of the terrible crime committed on the shores of Lake Geneva, on Saturday, September 10, by ai% Italian anarchist named Luigi Luccheni. The Empress of Austria, who had been travelling strictly incognito as the Countess of Heheneinbs, had been spending some time in Switzerland, undergoing special treatment at Nauheim. On the morning of her death she wrote to the Emperoi stating that she felt decidedly better, and was able to enjoy short excursions without fatigue. Between 1 and 2 o'clock on September 10, attended only by the Countess Szapary — the gentlemen of the suite having gome before by the train— the Empress left the Hotel Beau Rivage to walk to the steamer, leaving for Caux from the quay close by. xjIE COUNTESS OF SZAPARY'S DESCRIPTION. 'xne Countess of Szapary thus describes the tragedy : — " The Empress was in- excellent spirits, and. perfectly well. At halfpast 1 we left the hotel, walking along the Quai de Mont Blanc slowly, side by side. Suddenly I noticed a man coming at a fast pace from the lake up to the Empress. He came round a tree that stood between him and us. liis foot slipped, and he made a plunge forward, stretching out his hand, as though to regain his equilibrium. He then ran away. I did not notice that he had touched the Empress, but as I looked her way I saw her sink down, and caught her in my arms, asking if she felt any pain. The Empress answered, 'I do not know. I think I feel a pin in my chest. It must be fright.' I said, 'Will your Majesty take my arm.' The Empress straightened herself, saying, 'No, thank you.' I tried to support her, but she walked firmly. We went on board the steamer, where the Empress asked me if she was pale. I answered in the affirmative, adding, 'It is through excitement.' The Empress sank on a seat, losing consciouness. I thought she was suffering from an attack of the nerves, never dreaming that an attack had been made on her life. Several ladies on board helped me to attend to the unconscious Empress. All happened so quickly that nobody could suspect what had been done. I saw no weapon in the man's band. "As the ladies opened her bodice we saw no blood. When her dress was open she recovered, and rose to her feet, saying, in a clear voice, 'Tell me what has happened.' She did not speak after, but sank back again, became deadly pale, and breathed harder. In the meantime tie steamer had left the shore. I asked the captain to turn back, but by the time we landed the Empress had lost consciousness. She was carried back to the hotel, and laid on her bed, where she died after a few minuteß. I am positive that she did not know she had been murdered. It was only when her dress was entirely removed that blood and the wound became visible." STATEMENT BY AN ENGLISH SPECTATOR. Mr Talbot, an English passenger by the same steamer, supplies the following account of the tragedy :— " While watching the passengers come aboard my attention was attracted to what appeared to be a scuffle just at the corner by the Hotel de la Paix. I saw a lady dressed ver3 r simply in black | being assisted to her feet by another lady, I and also some cabmen, who had been standing near, hurrying after a little man, apparently like a workman in his Sunday at- ' tire, who was making his way with considerable rapidity up the Place dcs Alpes. I turned my attention to the lady whom I had seen fall. Her friend was by her side, and she looked very pale. It was now quite 1.40 p.m., and the boat was giving her final whistle. The lady had barely reached the lower deck when she fell to the ground. I thought the sun had overpowered her. In a moment she recovered, and asked in French on seeing herself surrounded, 'What is it?' but immediately she became unconscious again. The captain asked whether it would not be better to put the lady back to dry bnd, but the lady who was with her Majesty said, ' No,' and caused hct to be carried to the upper deck, where she was deposited on a bench. The boat then started ; perhaps four minutes late. Of course, there was a i general crowding round, but nobody knew ; that the lady was the Empre&s of Austria, or more respect might have been shown to her. Water, brandy, and other restoratives were applied without avail. The boat, when exactly 12 minutes out, and when ju.«l opposite the Rothschild's house at Bellevue, , was turned back to Geneva, where at De j Barcadere, which was nearer the Hotel Beau Rivage, her Majesty was taken ashore, carried by men on a litter formed by some j oars and the long red cushions of the salle-a-manger. "Luccheni, the assassin, I saw quite plainly as the boat left in the hands of two 1 cabjfteji jmd & watermaru. He had, aft wa«.

pudent smile on his face, and a general look of satisfaction. He was given up to the gensdarmes, who with the Avaterman marched him, always smiling, out of sight." THE WOUND. Some interesting details of the nature of the Avound are supplied by Doctor Golay, of Geneva, Avho attended the Empress during her last minutes, and assisted at the autopsy. He states that the Aveapon was driven with such violence that it broke the Empress's fourth rib, penetrated the lungs and pericardium, and pierced the heart from top to bottom, finally coming out through the loAver part of the left ventricle. As the weapon was exceedingly sharp, the bleeding was very slight, only small drops of blood floAving into the pericardium. So long as this latter organ was not too full the action of the heart was not impeded. This explains why the unfortunate lady, even with a wound right through her heart, was able to walk for some distance. But as the pericardium gradually filled with blood death finally ensued. LUCCHENI'S BRAVADO. The murderer offered no resistance when arrested. On the contrary, he appeared in high spirits, sang snatches of popular songs, and on arriving at the police station declared that he was an anarchist without means. His animosity was only directed against the rich. At the close of the examination by the police commissary, Luccheni stated that he had been working for the past month at Lausanne, and that he had come to Geneva hoping to find the Due d'Orleans, who, however, had already left. Finding that the Duke was not going to return, Luccheni proceeded to Evian les Bains, only to find that he was again at fault. He therefore returned to Geneva, and reading in the newspapers that the Empress of Austria had arrived, he determined to murder her instead. He knew the Empress by sight, having seen her at Buda-Pesth. From Friday afternoon he followed her Majesty about, but the desired opportunity for committing the crime did not present itself. Finally, not to be baffled, he took up a position in the vicinity of the Beau Rivage Hotel the first thing on Saturday morning. Shortly before half-past 1 o'clock he saw the Empress and a man servant leave the hotel and walk towards the Mont Blanc landing stage. He concluded that her Majesty was about to take the boat, so he hid himself opposite the Hotel de la Paix behind one of the trees which grow along the quay. There he waited with a sharp file concealed up the right sleeve of his coat. In a feAv minutes the Empress approached with a maid of honour, and he sprang from his hiding place and dealt the blow which caused her death. Throughout his examination Luccheni's attitude was one of revolting cynicism. He confessed that he had been an anarchist from the age of 13 years, adding that if all the anarchists were to do their duty as he had done his the bourgeois society would soon disappear. He said he was perfectly aware that isolated murders served no purpose, but he committed his crime to set an example to his fellow-conspirators. He asked whether murder was punished by death in Geneva, and pretended to feel regret when he was told that imprisonment for life was the extreme penalty. ALLEGED ANARCHISTS' PLOT. The French detectives believe that the assassination was the result of a plot hatched by Italian anarchists. It appears that Luccheni was prosecuted by the authorities at Bologna for inciting the citizens to riot and revolt. Having been implicated in the disturbances at Milan, he was expelled from Italy, and took refuge at Zurich. He belonged to the anarchist group of Lugano. An anarchist meeting was held in a beer shop at Zurich, a large number of Italian ! anarchists — Luccheni among them — being present, and seven anarchists, including Luccheni, were chosen to assassinate one of the sovereigns of Europe, more especially the I King of Italy. A French detective, who was present, informed the French Ministei of I Foreign Affairs, and that Minister at once warned the Italian Government, and the King was very closely guarded, while in France very strict measures Avere taken for the protection of President Faure. ! A week ago another meeting was held at Zurich, the same anarchists being present, when the seven Avho had been appointed, ; having i-eported that they had not been abl* 1 to accomplish their mission, they were treated as coTrards, or as being connected with, the police. Exasperated by these taunts, Luccheni said, "Well, since it is so, you will see lam not a coward. I must do something, and I will kill someone. It does not matter who." He then left Zurich, and went to Basle in search of a victim. Thence he proceeded to Geneva, where the crime was committed. The evidence of this plot is not conr.lusive. Luccheni absolutely denies that be had any accomplices, though the police evidence shows that his associates were anarchists and criminals. He is a well-built man, 25 years of age, of fair complexion, au.l rather pleasing appearance. He speaks French and Italian, and knows the trades of a bootmaker and of a wason. BREAKING THE NEWS. Count Goluchowski undertook the painful duty of informing the Emperor, who Avas at ihe castle of Schoenbrunn, near Vienna. He attempted to prepare the Emperor, who demanded to know the full truth. When the neAVS Avas told to him the Emperor tottered, and sank into a chair groaning and sobbing, and repeatedly moaning " Elizabeth." He seized Count Goluchowski's hand, exclaiming, "It is all over with me iioav. It seems that no sorrow is spared to me." After a long and gloomy silence the Emperor at length regained his composure, and issued orders for the removal of the body to Vienna. EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY. Intense sympathy is felt foi the Emperor, not only throughout Austria and Hungary, j Avheve the demonstrations of grief are universal, but throughout the AA-orld. Her Majesty the Queen telegraphed : — "Words fail to express my heartfelt sympathy at the horror. It is too terrible, too cruel. God protect and support you." The Kaiser telegraphed :—" I am deeply shaken, at the tembla tidings, of this, most*

foul deed. It is a divine dispensation, the terrible severity of which bows us to the earth." Indeed, all the sovereigns and rulers telegraphed their condolences, and innumerable public personages expressed the general feeling of horror. The scene at Vienna when the news was first announced was a remarkable one. The public were at first incredulous, then the newspaper offices were stormed for details.) When these were read aloud to the thousands who had assembled in the public squares men and women exhibited deep emo* tion, many of them being affected to tears. Similar scenes were witnessed at Buda Pesth. The Swiss people were profoundly affected, and gave spontaneous and touching demonstrations of popular sympathy, walking in. a procession 70,000 strong past the hotel where the dead Empress lay. * After it had been embalmed, the body lay in the Chapelle Arendte, the coffin being covered with beautiful wreaths sent by the Royalties, and watched by nuns until it was removed by the court officials to the train for conveyance to Vienna.