OTHER STEINHEIL SHOCKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 23, 20 February 1909, Page 4

OTHER STEINHEIL SHOCKS.

CRIMSON CHIMES THAT HAVE CONVULSED COUNTRIES. Was President Fuure murdered? That is the question which has been racking , all France, and which i»: the chief reason joi the intense interest taken in every | development of tin* Steinluil murder j mystery.

This fascinating, terrible woman— Madame. Steinheil -U know i<» have called upon the President oil 10th I'Cibruarv, 18!)0, the day of his Midden and mysterious death.

Tlio Steiulicil imirdi'r i- in it-elf .1 mystery siillieient to rouse world-wide interest; lint it frequently happen.-, ilmt a more or less common-place nuirdei- or theft will rullauie whole nations, because political motives are suspected, or because it. recalls great matters of international policy. "WHAT Biaax TIIH 110KK WAll. 11l the latter category comes the attempted blackmailing of Mr. Solly .kiel by that extraordinary desjierado, Karl Kurt/.e. better known as VOll Yeltlieim. It \v;h in l-'ebruary last that \ on \ eltlieini wa-> tried for this ollenee at the Mew Uailcy and sentenced to twenty years' penal servitude. .Uarelv lias a case excited more, interest. for it. was Vim Veillleilll who, in Mai-cli, ISIIS, shot and killed Wool!" .loel iu Johannesburg- a shot which, it hits-often been said, wan responsible for the. beginning of the lloer \\ar, liut it was really another, and now Almost forgotten,, clime whicli, more than anything, made, a eonllicl between ilriton and liner inevitable. 11l 1880 there was a Scotsman living at I'otchetslrooin ininied Alee Malcolm. He was a stonemason, and, because 01 his sturdy independence, gained Ike hatred of the liners, "lie (lav lour or live men caught liini, living him 011 the ground', and, placing a table on him, jumped 011 it. They then kicked liiiu in the face, and ill the stomach wttli spurred liools, and. when he was unconscious, two of the rullians—Sniit and L'retorius by name—shot him dead.

Xo punishment was ever inllieted upon the murderers. but tin? British in South Africa never forgot it. THE KIXIK OF A STOKM.

Twenty-olio years ago an Italian cenniiiii named Orsini ran amok at Spe/la, and. with a viile, killed four persons—a messmate, two petty olUcers. ami one coinmi*-iou<'<l oJlieer. Me succeeded in escaping. All Italy clamored. that lu should be caught. Some Years later Orsini was found to V at Buenos Ayres, living under the assumed name of Revallo. Tho. Italian Government requested his extradition; but Orsini had secured the powerful support of that terrible secret H.iiety, the Malia, and the Argentine majiivl rate before whom lie was brought was actually terrorised into liberating tho murder.

Xow the fat was in the lire! Al. Italy wa< a-boil. The Italian Minister for Foreign AH'airi demanded Ojsini's re-arrest. Italian detectives were *cal nver. livery obstacle wa- placed in their way. and feeling betwvi n"TV two countries ran high. But ftaly remained jjrm. Oisini was

ill hut run to ground ill the back country, and, after thirteen years of liberty. wa< re-lrii'd at Spezia, ami >inteneed to imprisonment for life. Continental nations whose territories

are contiguous are always in a state of panic as to collision between their respective subjects. Somei years ago, some young Frenchmen from Perpigaan were picnicking near the. Spanish Irontier, when they fell in with some Spanish hawkers, and, for a joke, upset their barrows.

One of the Spaniards promptly drew a revolver and fired among the French' men, killing one of them on the spot. His friends rusheid at the Spaniards, who ran for their lives. But the Frenchmen, mad with rage, ehased them, caught two of tire, hawkers, tied them to a tree, and tortured them so horribly with pieces of broken gla-s that one died.

This double crime was the cause of a serious international quarrel. Troophad to b ( . hastily sent to the border keep order, for a mob oi Spaniard*, burning for revenge, were gathering t° attack I'orpiguan. Tlie Press- ol both countries devoted column* l to the incident. and the wires between Faris a'.nl Madrid were kept busy lot' some time before mailers were arranged. "ALL'S WKLL THAT

The Franco-Spanish incident brings to mind a crime which came within an ace of causing war between liritaiu and the States. One night in October, IM\L tothe end of the Civil War between North and South, twenty armed men galloped into the town of SI. Albans, Vermont, robbed the bank of some thousands of dollars in gold, carried off a dozen horses. and. when some of the inhabitants tried Lo defend their properly,- iii'cd on them, killing one and wounding others. They then escaped into Canada.

General Dix, who wa* in command in Vermont, ordered reprisals. I nited States soldiers were actually on the march into Canada, when, fortunately, news reachtd Washington, and President Lincoln wired to Dix to wait. It out that the raiders were Southerners, who had taken refuge in Canada, where they had 1100:1 warmly welcomed. Of course, Canada was obliged to give the robbers up, and a 1!

PIEUK P.Y Pll-XK. The kidnapping by brigands of s;tibjeets of other State- has more than once come very near to causing war. _ There was a terrible row when, in 187(i, Mr. Roso was raptured by that Sicilian ruffian Ksposito. Five thousand pounds ransom wns demanded, and when the money was not forthcoming cue of the unlortunate man's ear- was cut otl' and sent to his wife. A week latov came the other ear, and with it the threat that, if the money were not forthcoming, the captives body would be sent piecemeal to his relatives. 1

Then the P.ritish (Jovernment was moved to take a hand. Strong representations were, made to the Italian (hiv< rnment, and the money was paid. hunted bv troops, escaped to the States* but was recognised hi New York, arrested, and sentenced to hard labor for life.—From "Answer*/'