The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-08-10
CANOTAS ASSASSIN.
Declares He Shot to Avenge the
Barcelona Anarchists.
NO REMoRsB FOR HIS CRIME.

Declared TO the Afflicted Widow Of
the Statesman That He "Had But
Done His Duty''-was Implicated in
the Corpus Christi Massacre.
Madrid. Aug. 1O-The assassination OF
Premier Canovas del Castillo, it is now
generally understood, was the outcome
of an anarchist plot. The government
was made aware of the plot some time
ago, and had taken what was thought
to be the necessary precautions to pro-
tect the premier. Prominent anarchists
declare that The assassination of some
one high in spain's government was
looked for by them. Canovas' death
was not especially planned.
The Spanish cabinet, which convened
promptly upon official news OF the
death Of Premier Canovas del Castillo,
published in the Official Gazette yester-
day, which appeared with a black bor-
der, the appointment of Lieutenant
General Don Marcolo de Azcarraga, the
minister of war, as premier ad interim.
After shooting the premier the muir
derer, who was Immediately seized by
people who were in the vicinity of the
scene of the crime, was severely han
died. He might have been killed had 1t
not been for the protection afforded
him by a number Of civil guards, who
ran to the scene Of the assassination.
The prisoner, who declared he had kill
ed the premier 'in the accomplishment
Of a Just vengeance" at first gave the
name of Rinaldi, and said that the deed
was the outcome of an extensive an
archist conspiracy. Later, however, the
assassin confessed that his real name
was Michele Angine Coli, that he was
26 years of age a native of Boggia,
near Naples and that he left Italy and
came to Spain in 1896.
Sonora Canovas, wife of the premier
who was but a short distance away
from her husband when the crime was
committed, rushed to his side upon
hearing the shots. AS the premier lay
dying upon the ground she bitterly re-
preached the murderer for his crime.
Coli, in reply to the agonizing words
of the distracted wife, said: Il respect
you because you are an honorable lady,
but 1 have done my duty, and 1 am
now easy in mind, for I have avenged
my friends and brothers of Montjuich." !"
In appearance Coli is of medium
height, wears a full beard and specta-
cles, and his demeanor is that of
quiet, law abiding citizen. He says
he is satisfied with having done "his
duty" and asserts that he had no
personal grudge against the premier,
and was merely obeying orders re-
ceived from his superiors in the secret
society to which he belonged. He frank
ly processes anarchistic doctrines, says
he was sentenced in 1895 to IS months
Imprisonment in the Jail at Lucera,
italy, and says that he escaped from
there to Marsailles, from which port
he made his way to Barcelona.
Last night Coli confessed that he
killed Senior Canovas to avenge the
Barcelona anarchists and the insur-
gent, Don Jose Rizal, who was exc
cuted at Manila, Philippine Islands,
on Dec. 30 last, as the instigator of the
Philippine rebellion. DR.. Rizal denied
that he was a rebel leader, but he ad-
mitted that he had drawn UP the stat
utes of the Philippine league.
In COLTS room the police found yes
terday large double barreled pistol
It appears that when he left the house
on Sunday he carried a parcel which Is
believed to have contained a bomb.
The theory is that he hid this some
where in the fields.
A dispatch from Barcelona says that
Coli arrived there in December, 1895,
coming from Marsailles. He was en-
ployed in the printing Office of The Re
view Social Science, managed by the
anarchist engineer, Tarrida Marmei
formerly imprisoned in the Montjuich
fortress, at Barcelona.
Coli was implicated in the terrible
crime of the celebration of Corpus
Christi although he left Barcelona a
few days before it occurred. He was
denounced to the police for compile
ity, but ne had already disappeared.
Coli confesses that he followed Senior
Canovas to church cd to other places,
waiting for an opportunity when he
! could surely accomplish his purpose.
He says he regrets that he has been
unable to kill General Polavieja, who
was governor general of the Philippines
when DR.. Rizal was executed last De-
cember. He regards him as the muir
| derer of Rizal.
| A dispatch from Rome says that Col
li's name is not known to Italian police.
No conviction is recorded at Naples or
Lucera against a person Of that name.
Other dispatches from Rome, corrobor-
ated by a dispatch from Paris, say
that the real name Of Coli is Giuseppe
Santo, If this is so it is remarkable
| coincidence, for the name of the as
| sassin of President CarRot was Ces-
aero Santo.