KING ALFONSO

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 31

KING ALFONSO

ASBABBINATION PLOT. DISCOVERED IN PARIS. MANY ARRESTS EFFECTED. PARIS, JuW 1. Following the departure to London of the Spanish King and Queen, on a private visit, the police revealed a plot to assassinate the King, which was frustrated on Friday by the arrest of two notorious bandits. The anarchists had come purposely from Argentina. They confessed that they intended to make an attempt on the King’s life. The police had been watching five individuals who landed at Cherbourg from Argentina in the beginning of May. including two Spanish subjects—Ascaso (who was suspected of the murder of the Archbishop of Saragossa, in 1923) and Bonaventur Duretty, both of whom are using false names. When Ascaso was .arrested he attempted to fire at the police, bat was overpowered. Both men were armed with automatic revolvers. Ascaso had bank notes to the value of 1000 pesos, payable on an Italian bank, and a receipt for a motor car. Threa rifles and 240 cartridges were discovered in their rooms. It was explained that the car was to be used to convey them to the last station outside Paris, where the Royal train stopped, and where the attempt would have been made. It is reported that as the result of the plot the Spanish Government has arrested over 400 persons, and the prisons are crowded with civilians, among whom is Melquiado Alvarez, an ex-Prime Minister. Count Romanones, when threatened with arrest, fled. BRITISH PORTS WATCHED. LONDON, July 1. All the London evening papers are giving prominence to the story o? the Parisian plot against King Alfonso, mainly quoting the most sensational reports from the Paris press, some of which protest against the panicky rounding-up of 200 Spaniards, who were escorted across the border. As three out of the five supposed anarchists were not arrested in France, all British ports are most closely watched. In addition to the King’s own usual police bodyguard, special men from Scotland Yard were told off to assist to protect King Alfonso, who spent the after, noon at Wimbledon. He and the Queen went n the evening to the theatre. SECRET SERVICE ON THE ALERT. LONDON, July 1. Additional protection is being ‘afforded their Spanish Majesties in view of the plot to assassinate the King, and Secret Service officers are watching them. The two anarchists who were arrested in France are known to have three accomplices, who are believed already to have landed in England. King Alfonso must easily hold the record among European monarchs for the number of attempts that have been made upon his life. They began with the attempt which was made to murder both the King and Queen on their wedding day, 20 years ago. In June of last year three practically simultaneous attempts to blow up the King were made during a visit to Barcelona, the headquarters of the disaffected Catalonians. King Alfonso has the reputation of treating these dangers with the greatest sang-froid and apparent indifference. ACTION BY THE GOVERNMENT. MADRID. July 3. Following the discovery erf the recent plot the Government has decided to institute, in addition to the ordinary legal penalties, a system of extraordinary fines on persons attempting to stir up trouble and impede the reconstruction of the country. The list of fines gazetted includes 500,000 pesetas on Count Romanones, 200,000 on General Aguilera, 100,000 each on General Weyler, Dr Maranon and ex-Senator Man. teca, and smaller fines on a number of ex-Deputies, qjid other generals and colonels. A peseta is worth about lOd.