Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-09-20
FRANCIS JOSEPH THE VICTIM.
Discovery of a Plot to Wreck Train
Bearing the Emperor of Austria.

Bearing the Emperor of Austria.
VIENNA, Sept. 18.-If reports are to
be believed, plans have been discovered
of an attempt upon the life of Emperor
Francis Joseph. Full details have been
carefully hushed up by the police; but
enough is known to justify people i'll
believing that there is no doubt that an
attempt was to be made to kill the En-
peror. This story obtains publicity to-
day through the MAGYAR Hirlap, a news
paper published in Buda Pcsth, the
capital of Hungary.
A Roumanian boy, the story goes,
overheard strange conversation be-
lieve that an attempt was to be made on
the life Of the Emperor. The boy was
too far away from the conspirators to
gather exactly what was said, but the
words he did hear 50 alarmed him that
he ran away and informed his parents
of what he had overheard. After much
elaboration and consultation with
their neighbors, the parents of the
Roumanian lad went to the nearest po-
lice depot and informed the official in
charge of what the boy had overheard.
The reluctancy of the boys parents to
communicate with the police was due to
the fact that they dreaded being ar
rested and in some manner held
as prisoners, if not on the
charge of being concerned in the
plot, at least as witnesses,
until the conspirators were arrested.
This turned out to be the case, for the
boy and his parents were promptly
placed under arrest pending an investi
cation into the lads strange tale. The
latter's story was then investigated by
the police and found to be founded Oh
fact
The conversation which the boy had
overheard was to the effect that the
Emperor would be killed together with
his suite at a certain point along the
line of the railroad near the spot where
the boy and his parents resided. The
Emperor, 1t appears, was to travel along
! that portion OF the road on his way to the
army manoeuvers, and this was the time
selected to make All attempt upon bis
life. According to the boy the rails
were to be removed at a certain place
and the imperial train was to be de-
rallied and it's occupants killed.
The authorities went to the spot indi-
| Gated, accompanied by the signal man
| OI Illdb SeCGIOn OF the ROAD, ana sure
enough, they found that the rivets of
the rails had recently been loosened.
From that time the road was carefully
guarded day and night and the Emperor
and his suite passed over it in safety.
Now every foot of railroad the Emperor
| travels over is carefully inspected, and
an engine, in addition, is sent in adj
vance Of the imperial train.
| 1t is suggested that the outrage was
due to the anti-Austrian preaching of
the local pope of the village, in Tran
sylvania, Inhabited by the boy and his
parents, where the majority of the in
habitants are Roumanians. The latter,
it is claimed, are oppressed by
the Magyars This has especially
been the case recently. Then, again, it
is claimed that the outrage was the re-
suit of the recent agitation Of the young
Czechs due to various causes and which
has led to a strong anti German feeling
and to the spread Of revolutionary
ideas.
1t is probable that the exact facts in
connection with the plot against the
Emperor's life will never be known, as
it is the policy Of the authorities to
make as little as possible out Of the af-
fair; but the main facts just given are
said by the Magyar Hirlap to be correct