ORGY OF DESTRUCTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 112, 14 May 1931, Page 7

ORGY OF DESTRUCTION

RIOTING MOBS IN SPAIN MANY MONASTRIES BURNED I TROOPS CALLED TO ACTION ALFONSO TO BE PROSECUTED 11 1 [By Tclegn.pn—Press Association— Uopyrightl 1 Eeeeived May 13, 10.25 p.m. ; MADRID, May lo Though life is normal in the capital, • the orgy o£ destruction has spread to the provinces. Jesuit houses and Monarchist newspapers are the chief victims. Leading Monarchists are going into hiding or fleeing the country. A number already have been arrested. General Galarzo. Public Prosecutor, is planning proceedings against exKing Alfonso, as having assisted in the * promotion of the disturbances in order to discredit and overthrow the Republic. There was a veritable panic at Seville, where incendiaries assembled at dawn and spent the morning burning monastries. The Civil Guard were utterly unable to counter the mob. The first building sacked was the Jesuit monascry. Despite troops firing on the crowd, furniture was flung into the courtyard, where it was burned. The reported destruction of the cathedral at Seville is, however, denied. The incendiaries then went to the Triana quarter where (he famous chapel of Saint Joseph, a jewel of eighteenth century architecture, was burnt. Nuns and monks hurriedly left the institutions and took refuge in private houses. The disorders at Alicante were very violent. Seven convents were destroyed, boys meanwhile parading the city dressed in monks’ robes. Order was restored when martial law was de clared. Incendiaries at Malaga, carrying petrol and paraffin, fired the Jesuit Augustine monaitry and the bishop’s palace, which is a famous treasure house. Many were wounded by bullets, knives and burns, and were treated at the hospitals, By evening ten fires had occurred at Malaga, where the situation was so grave that troops were hurried from Seville. The El Carmen Convent at Cadiz was also burned before troops arrived. Batteries of machine guns were placed in the streets and troops were forced to fire. Arrests include Doctor Albinana, who is <le -ribed as Spain’s “Hitler,” also the committee of the Monarchist Union. The superior of the Jesuit order at Cadiz was injured when jumping from a window. Nuns fled from an orphanage. leaving the authorities to feed 1000 •children. A further message states that General Galarzo announces definitely that he is filing charges of plotting against Alfonso. He asserts that the leaflets seized ai a meeting of Monarchists on Sunday prove a plot to stir up disorders. A Gibraltar message states that there is a continuous stream of prominent people all day long from Malaga. Cadiz, Jerez, and elsewhere. A Moscow message states that a pro minent O.G.P.U. officer, organiser of the revolution in Kona, has gone to Madrid with instructions from the executive of the Communist international for the purpose of organising Spanish Communists. Famous Cathedral Ablaze Reports from Seville state that the whole city is in the hands of rebel lious crowds and the cathedral, the second largest in the world, is ablaze. The mob raided the Carmelite Church at Seville and destroyed the world famous statue of the Virgin of Carmel. They then made a bonfire of the vestments and chalices hi the public square and set fire to the convent. According to the Madrid newspaper El Liberal, the convents were set on fire from inside, the monks and nuns previously removing all valuables. The newspaper attributes the burning tu a Monarchist plan to discredit the Republic by the destruction of monastic property throughout Spain. At Malaga a mob, on going to the Bishop’s house found the chauffeur the only occupant. They forced him to bring out the Bishop’s car, which they set on fire. Cabinet’s Announcement Cabinet has announced •that-it-will sternly suppress excesses. Socialists and the National Federation both condemn the outbursts and order the work ere to resume peaceful vocations. Trouble occurred at Malafa, where a newspaper office, church, Jesuit mon astery, -asd. episcopal palace . were set on fire. Similar ‘outrages occurred at Cadiz.