Assassination of the Spanish Premier.

Manawatu Herald, 12 August 1897, Page 2

Assassination of the Spanish Premier.

— « An Anarchist has assassinated Don Antonio Canovas del Castillo, r.h« Spanish P'Pmier. Rinaldi, alia? Gollie, a Neapolitan, visited the baths at Sant Fagueda at the same time as M. Oanovas, the Spanish Premier, and while the 'atter was reading in the gallpry, Rinaldi approached nnd fired thro< shots from a revolver, ono bullet passing through Uanovas' body and r.wo lodging in his head. The victim Ml at his wife's feet, exclaiming •• I am murdered. 1 ' He died within an hour. His last words were •• Long live Spun." Rinaldi declares that his deid \vni just not of vengpancp and the o v 'iome of a vast Anarchist cnnspinu-y The police had gwat difficulty in preventing the crowd ft-om lynching the assassin. The Queen was depply affected whpn the new 3 was broken to nor. Intense popular indignation is manifested. The Government consider that Rinaldi had no accomplices, and that the deed wa3 without political" significance. S^nor Sagasta, leader of the Opposition, and the Liberal leaders have offered their services to the Government. Rinaldi, alias Gollie, who shot Don Antonio Canovas del Castillo; is 26 years of aga. He declares that he had no grudge again-t the deceased Patriot, but was simply obey, ing the orders of h'l3 superior?. i When repronched by Senora J Canovas, the widow of the dead man, ', Gollie answered : " I have done my j duty and avenged the tortures in> I

dieted upon my friend* and brethren in the fortress of Mon'juick." Gollie has recently been in prison in Italy for revolutionary writings, but succeeded in escaping. The body of Canovai has been embalmed and brought to Madrid with the honour usually aocordt?d to a Field Marshal who ia killed in battle. Queen Victoria has telegraphed her sympathy to the Queen Kegent.