ASSASSINS EXECUTED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20050, 23 September 1939, Page 7

ASSASSINS EXECUTED

BUCHAREST SENSATION (IF; UMAX PLOT FOILED REVOLT ON FRONTIER (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 22. 3 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 21. Further messages from Bucharest relating to the assassination of the Prime Minister, of Rumania, M. Calinescu, state that as M. Calinescu's car was approaching a 'bridge, another car drove into it. Two other cars drew up and the assailants fired through the windows, hitting M. Calinescu in three places, including the eye. He died on route to the hospital. M. Calinescu’s aide was also killed and the chauffeur injured. The assassins then drove to the Bucharest radio station, shot and wounded the doorkeeper, seized the microphone and announced the assassination. Listeners Shocked Listeners were astounded to hear the musical programme interrupted by a voice shouting that a successful attempt had been made on the life of M. Calinescu. Then technicians cut off the broadcast, but not before wild confusion and shouting was heard, indicating that the unauthorised broadcaster had been attacked. Later, it was officially announced that eight arrests had been made. A Government broadcast in the evening accused members of the Iron Guard as the assassins.

Eight Rumanian Iron Guards, who were alleged to be participants in the assassination, were executed by u firing squad on the spot where the crime was committed, the bodies remaining in pools of blood while thousands of onlookers filed past. There is intense excitement throughout Rumania. There has been constant agitation in Rumania by the Iron Guard since Germany’s invasion of Poland. The Government, however, suppressed the nows of unrest, fearing international complications. Plot Miscarried According to a message from Budapest the Rumanian police arrested German residents in the Bukovina province bordering cn. Poland on a charge of plotting to join Germany if the Nazi troops reached the Rumanian frontier The plot miscarried owing to the arrival of the Russians instead of the German forces. The Bucharest correspondent of the British United Press states that General Argenhann, commander of the Bucharest Army Corps, has succeeded M. Calinescu as Prime Minister. The new Cabinet passed a resolution re-affirming Rumania’s strict neutrality. A Rumanian Government communique states that the assassination of M. Calinescu has no international or political significance. The French official wireless station says that those arrested stated they had acted individually as they wished to make a gesture. At least 1000 cavalrymen with machine-guns are on the way to Bucharest. A communique issued by the Government states that the assassination was organised by a lawyer, M. Dumitrcscu, who succeeded M. Codreanu as organiser of the Iron Guard. Two of the assassins committed suicide immediately after the assassination, when the police chased them into a nearby house.