ASSASSIN’S CRIMES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1934, Page 7

ASSASSIN’S CRIMES

MARSEILLES MURDERER HIS IDENTITY DISCLOSED TWICE KILLER ALREADY KING’S BODY COMES HOME By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Belgrade, Oct. 14. Two Yugoslav Macedonians have identified Kalemen, the assassin of King Alexander and M. Barthou at Marseilles, as Vlacha Georgiev, born at Kaminitza, Macedonia, in 1894. He was a Bulgarian subject and an ex-member of a Macedonian revolutionary organisation. The police ascertained that Georgiev killed the Agrarian Party leader, Jadji Imov, in 1921, and was punished for a .terrorist attempt. In 1924 he killed the Comitadji leader, Tomalevski, and in 1930 escaped with Vantche Mihailoff, leader of the revolutionary organisation, and in 1931 became his chauffeur. He left Bulgaria for Budapest, where he was liaison officer between Macedonians and the Croat emigre terrorists in the Yanka camp.

The organiser of the assassination is believed to be a law student, Eugen Kvaternik, born in Belgrade in 1910. A Croatian, Ladislas Benes, alias Raich, whose name is really Ivan Paj itch, has been charged with complicity in the assassination, says a Marseilles message. Jaroslav Novak, alias Pospisel, whose proper name is Pospichil, is similarly charged.

The body of King Alexander arrived at Spalato, Yugoslavia, from Marseilles and was saluted by 101 guns. It was carried through the streets and placed on a train for Zagreb, Units of the British Mediterranean fleet, which were spread out among the Yugoslav ports paying courtesy visits when the Marseilles outrage occurred, assembled off Spalato to meet the cruiser Dubrovnik, which brought the King’s body from France. After a brief stay at Spalato the coffin proceeded slowly by train to Zagreb, stopping at the bigger stations. It will remain at Zagreb overnight and early the following morning the journey to Belgrade will be continued. The body will lie in state at th© palace on Tuesday and Wednesday. The funeral, at which King George will be represented by the Duke of Kent, will take place on Thursday. In further ceremonies after the arrival of the young King Peter at Belgrade the Mayor offered the King the traditional oriental gift of bread and salt. The Prime Minister was visibly moved by the young King’s dignified bearing when/he pronounced the official welcome. “The Government and people greet Your Majesty,” said the Prime Minister, ‘and express unbounded and unshakable devotion and swear that we will firmly stand behind Your Majesty, our well-be-loved King, the hope of Yugoslavia, in fulfilling the will of your immortal father, the unifier of Yugoslavia.” At the Dedidje Palace King Peter returned, not to his playroom with a cupboard filled with toys, but to the State apartments, which thus far he has rarely visited.

Despite a law that the sovereign must reside in Yugoslavia it is hoped to enable King Peter soon to return to Sandroyd school in Surrey, England, as it is feared that the constant atmosphere of official ceremony will interfere with his upbringing.