MUSSOLINI’S ESCAPE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1926, Page 2

MUSSOLINI’S ESCAPE

BOMB HITS His CaR

EXPLODES ON FALLING TO

THE GROUND

ASSAILANT' ARRESTED

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association ]

ROME, Sept, 11. A bomb' was thrown at the Premier, Signor Mussolini. Tile missile, however, rebounded from the motor of the Premier, and exploded on striking the ground.

Signor Mussolini was at the time (10 o’clock in the morning) motoring-to the Chigi Palace. It was when he was traversing the Piazza Port Appia when an eighteen-year-ohl country stonemason named Grovnnnini, threw the bomb. He threw it with good aim, but the bomb, after smashing the ear window, hounded on the pavement where its explosion slightly wounded four pas-.sers-by.

Signor Mussolini drove on unperturbed.

There wore detectives following the Premier and they seized Grovannini, whom the crowd attempted to lynch. Four of the police were injured in their struggle for the possession of Grovrtnii ini.

Grovannini said that the was horn at Caste! Nuovo and that he had arrived at Rome that morning from abroad. Signor Mussolini arrived at his office and lie attended to business as usual, but the public soon learned the news and marches of enthusiastic crowds began in many parts of the city to render Fascist homage to the Premier.

Signor Mussolini is acquiring a legendary ■reputation for his invulnerability.

The police complain that Signor Mussolini refuses to allow them to take what arc necessary precautions. He | strongly objects to any police supervision, and he does not even inform the police of his movements. The police are compelled to obtain their information from his chaffour. One policeman persuaded the Premier’s chauffeur to vary the route each day. Signor Mussolini, however, countermanded those instructions.

When the chauffeur saw Grovannini throw the bomb, lie drove at him. The detectives jumped out and flung themselves at Grovannini, who threw awry a second bomb he had, which did not

explode. After his arrest, the detectives found Grovannini was carrying a revo! ’or loaded with dum-dum bullets. The crowd booted the police ear. The police believe that several men \ are implicated, as a number of danger- » ous persons have recently arrived in Rome from foreign countries.

Crowds of people frantically cheered the Premier when he was returning home from the Chigi Palace, where, already, a throng of prominent personages, headed by the Duchess of Aosta, bad called to congratulate him on bis escape.

The news of the escape of the Premier was conveyed to the Pope, who expressed his thankfulness that the Almighty had spared Signor Mussolini, and had foiled the plot. The Pope » sent his congratulations to Signor Mussolini.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) ROME. September 12. (Tiovniiniiii told the police that he waited in a cafe for an hour for Mussolini to pass.

Mussolini addressing a crowd assembled in front of C'liigi Palace began in stentorian tones:—“Roman Black Shirts, in the formidable crisis in which you greet me, T feel thankful for vour faith and devotion. 1 ask you to remember Onsilini, who fell exactly two , years earlier by a criminal hand.” The crowd, which greeted the Premier with greatest enthusiasm, then saluted their dead comrade with outstretched arms. Mussolini in a brief message to the Italian Delegation at Geneva barely related the facts and concluded: “T beg you to prevent dissemination in exaggerated, distorted reports. Wo must end Ihese culpritahle unheard of acts, violated beyond our frontiers.” The Premier proeeded: “Any value attached to Italy’s friendship may be fully compromised by an episode of this kind.” ”, F ranee. 1. -Mussolini stated in an address to the _/W*rowd that measures must be adopted to prevent these outrages, including capital punishment, adding that this was not for his own sake, because beloved to'live in the midst of roal clanger, but for the sake ol the Italian nation.”

“ I cannot and must not be disturbed periodically by a gang of criminals.’ Tndiseribablo scenes of enthusiasm followed the speech.

( ‘ ASS AT GANT. (Received this day at 12.25 p.m.) ROME, Sept. 12. Datest reports reveal Giovannini’s real name is Gion Lueetti. He is 2G years of age and born in Tuscany, and liad been living in Marseilles for the past few years. Investigations, although in initial stages, indicate it was not an isolated deed of a maniac or anarchist, hut an elaborately hatched .political plot by-expatriated Italians. Lueetti was taken to # a city prison where he was subjected to a lengthy cross-examination. It is reported that ho admitted cynically that he left France with the avowed intention to .assassinate Mussolini. Asked why he was carrying a revolver, he replied: “You would not expect me to present Mussolini with a hunch of flowers.” Police now believe be had been in hiding in Rome for weeks, waiting a favourable opportunity. There have been other arrests, but their identity has not been disclosed. » A girl made a statement to the police that she saw five men in a motor car waiting near the scene of .the outrage. LONDON. September 12. The “Times’” Paris correspondent declares the newspapers resent Mussolini’s references in his speech to the “ palpable, unheard of toleration beyond the frontiers.” They declare as particularly unjust, the Fascist newspapers remark that France ought to consider the effect of the hospitality and freedom granted enemies of the Italian regime. “Le Temps ” declares there is no reason to talk of foreign hatred or complain of France giving hospitality to Italians desiring, to avoid the Fascist regime. France is fully alive, .and s iSj,not permitting plotting against foreign powers.