Central Powers

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 73, 24 October 1916, Page 5

Central Powers

' A U PTR E A PE H S AT 1 0 MS. i , MURDER OF THE PREMIER, Press Association —Copyright, Austraj iian and N.Z. Cable Association. Amsterdam, October 21. Count Stuergkh, Premier of Austria, was murdered at bis dinner table by the publisher of a review, named Alder,. The latter obtained admittance, and fired live revolver slices at Stuergkh. THE CRIME. The crime caused a huge sensation in Austro-Hungary, The Emperor Franz do-. T is shocked. Public opinion in. iTr'.in fears that the murder r,.v.) lead lo very serious consequences. !i is intropi eted as significant of Austria’s state of mind. Count Stuergkhs was a bureaucrat, a pronounced clerical, and strong opponent of the extension of the suffrage. The motives of the assassins are the subject of various conjectures. War has paralysed all civil liberty in Austria, and involved the country in frightful losses of men, many inepnveniences, and some suffering. | When the shots were fired a number of German officers with drawn swords rushed on Stuergkh’s assailant, who did not resist, and was handed to the police. He said: “I will account for this before a court.” EV- is the publisher of one Socialist newspaper, editor of another, and secretary of the Social Democratic Party.

The Wiener Allegmoine Tageblatt states that Count Stuergkh was dining in a botol in company with Baron Aehrenihal, brother of the former Foreign Alinistcr. His assailant. Dr. Froidrich Adler, is a son of a Reichstag deputy. Dr. Alder was seated three tables away. He suddenly jumped up and moved to Stuergkhs’ table and fired. Baron Aehrenthal, who was hit in the foot by one shot, caught Stuergkhs as lie foil. His assailant has long been considered eccentric and latterly opposed the majority of the Socialist Party.

MURDERED MAN’S HISTORY

A STORY OF INTRIGUE.

London, October 23,

Count Stuergkh was an impecunious Styrian nobleman of limited intelligence. He owed his political position to a man named Singer, the son of a provincial Rabbi, who was attached to the Austrian Premier’s office and has controlled the secret press fund since 190-1. Singer' used the fund to overthrow live successive Premiers, until he was regarded as the most influential personage in politics. \

About 1910 Singer secured the directorship of the Landed Credit Bank, at a salary of ten thousand a year, witli the opportunity of making a huge fortune by investments. Thereupon he arranged with his friends that Stuergkh should become a Minister, and, later on, Premier. Stuergkh managed to hold his office, despite many vicissitudes, including a long period of blindness. Private information received, in Loudon last week stated that '-finger was using his influence to 'dm-tniy Stuergkh as ho had destroy. I ether Premiers, on the ground that 'hr- Keichsrath should be convoked. THE MURDERER !NSAN E. New York, October ?3. Berlin despatches assert that Adler is insane, and point out that his sister has been an inmate of an asylum for a decade.

THE AFTERMATH. PLOT AGAINST GOVERNMENT REVEALED. Home, October 23. Grave riots in Vienna followed the murder of the Premier, Count Stuergkh and the police and troops wore unable to stem the revolt. W holesale arrests of Polish, Bohemian, and Croatian leaders have commenced, the authorities believing that the assassination of Count Stuergkh is part of a great plot against the Government. The Giornale d’ltalia states that Alder is neither an anarchist nor a pariah. He acted from political motives, either to avenge the treatment of Bohemians, or as a protest against the fatal policy which is conducting the Empire to ruin. The .Messageros. of Borne, states that a message from Zurich says the situation is grave in Vienna and martial law has been proclaimed. The shooting of Count Stuergkhs is regarded in Borne as a sign of Austria’s disintegration. It is thought it mashave an important effect on the continuation of the war.

INDIGNANT POLITICIANS. A REICHSTAG AFFAIR, Press Association —Copyright, Aaswa. linn and N.Z. Cable Association, (Received 9.10 a.m.) New York, October 23. 'l'ho Times’ Berlin corresponded, slates that then' is groat indignation among the Reichstag committees on the motion to obtain a census of the men providing the necessities o( hie in (iorinanyT The measure was adopted against the advance of the Government's representatives, who consider that prominent citizens thus serving to regard ,the census as an insult,