THE ASSASSINATION OF PRINCE MICHAEL OF SERVIA.

West Coast Times, Issue 913, 26 August 1868, Page 4

THE ASSASSINATION OF PRINCE MICHAEL OF SERVIA.

(FBOM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TIJUE3.) Pesth, June 13. The impression produced by the savage outrage at Belgrade has thrown into the background every other subject. It is felt in Hungary almost like a family tragedy, for Prince Michael was well known ; he had spent his youth in exile | at Vienna and in Hungary, where he had the fine domain of Jvanka ; ho had married a Hungarian lady, Countess Julio Hunyady ; he had kept up even after his accession to the throne Ihosc relations of friendship and intimacy which dated from the time of his youth ; and, by his education and long sojourn in civilised countries, he belonged rather to the Western world than to his own semi-barbarous country. The impression is so much the greater as there was not the slightest premonitory symptom to prepare its for such a catastrophe. JN"ot less strongwilled than his father, but less impetuous and more persevering, he had .succeeded in completely mastering the opposition, so that except in form he had become, far more so than his father. His success, too, was so much the more complete, as it was by no means the result of violence, but of successful management, by which he transformed his little country into the most orderly, prosperous, and promising of all those in the £a«t. The people felt this, and every year his popularity increased, so that at the moment of his death the chances of founding a truly national dynasty seemed quite assured. All this would seem to exclude the idea of an assassination from political motives, especially as the details leave no doubt that private motives of revenge played, if not the first, at any rate a very essential part. Among other civilised tastes which the Prince had brought back with him was that for fine parks and gardens. Besides the garden attached to his town residence, he had taken great trouble and had sjmred no expense to convert a forest of considerable extent which lies alongside the chain of hills to the west of Belgrade into a deer park. " Topshiaere" as the place is called, is the favorite resort of the population during the summer months, when the fine trees and the cool river Save, which flows at the foot, make it agreeable. As on almost every afternoon at this season of the year. On "Wednesday the Prince, in company with his cousin, Anka Konstantinovich, and h^r 33 r oung daughter, Catherine, a girl of about sixteen, was walking about in the park, Avhcn they met three other persons. They were well known to them, as members of the Eadovanovich famil}' — the father and two sons. The father was a bankrupt lawyer from Sabacz, had been condemned to twenty years' imprisonment, which, however, by an act of grace, had been reduced to seven. In spite of this the family thought they had some cause of grievance against the Prince, as well as his cousin, with whom the father had been in litigation, which was decided against him. The Badovanovich.es passed, making the customary salute, and almost as soon as thej'had passed they drew their revolvers and fired at the Prince and the two ladies from behind. The Prince, struck by several bullets, fell mortally wounded, as well as the young girl ; the mother was shot dead on the spot. Seeing that he still breathed, the three assassins drew their long yataghans and fell savagely upon the prostrate Prince, cutting him al out the head and face so as to disfigure him almost complctelj\ In the meantime, two of the aides-de-camp — one a son of the late Prime Minister, Garachanin — attracted by the report of the revolvers, ran to the spot, where they were received by shot?, one of which broke yountr Garachanin's arm so badly that it afterwards had to bo amputated. Still they, together wiih the servants and other promenaders •who had reached the place succeeded in arresting on the spot the father and one of the sons. The other escaped, but has since been taken. The whole account Founds more like an episode from the dark ages than a European event of the nineteenth century, and may serve as a specimen of a race which has always been conspicuous by ils savage energy and determination. The indignation at the deed was such that it took agrent deal to prevent the people from taking justice into their own hands, and it was only when the consideration gained ground that a more regular proceeding might lead to the discovery of accomplices that Ihc prisoners could be conveyed to the fortress. Enquiries which have been since prosecuted have lead to the arrest of several persons, and the indignation soon gave way to general grief and consternatiou. Fortunately the law provided for the case, and ordered that the President of the Senate, the Minister of Justitc, and the President of the Supreme Court of Law should form a Begcncy in such cases. Having taken the precaution to insure the security of the town by confining the military to their barracks, and sending patrols through the streets, they issued next morning a proclamation, acquainting the people with the tragic end of the Prince, and informing them that, according to the tenor of the law, they had formed a Provisional Government, that the Skuptshina would be convoked within thirty days, and that all the functionaries must remain at their post?, and endeavor to keep up the existing state of tilings as it was left by the great patriot Michael Obrcnovich, until the Skuptshina met and made the necessary provisions. In tbo meantime they exhorted the people and the authorities to maintain public order and security. The proclamation ends with " May God guard our country in this hour of difficiilt trial." The prayer has been heard, for in spilo of the great excitement which the event produced, public peace has been nowhere disturbed. The country people flock to the town, and for the pake of precaution, martial law has been proclaimed. It is only now that one can see how popular the Prince was, for tliero has been not a discordant sound mixed with the expression of universal ( grief wd horror at Uie deed,