The record-union., 1897-08-09
Senur CanOVaS Del Castillo, Span
iSh Prime Minister, Dead.
Shot Down and Fell Dying at the Feet
Of His Wife.
His Last Words Were Long Live
Spain"-The Assassin, Who is a
NeapO1itan, Was Immediately
Arrested-The Minister of the
Interior, Senior COs-Gayon, Has
Been Made Prime Minister Ad
Interim.

Interior, Senior COs-Gayon, Has
Been Made Prime Minister Ad
Interim.
MADRID, Aug. S.-Senor Canovas
Del Castillo, the Prime Minister of
Spain. was assassinated to-day at San
Ia Agueda, by an anarchist. The MUIR
derer fired three shots, two of which
struck the Premier in the head and
the other in the chest. The wounded
man fingered unconscious for two hours
and died at o'clock this afternoon.
His wife was but short distance away
when he fell.
Santa Agueda is noted for it's baths.
The place is between San Sebastian. the
summer residence of the Spanish court,
and Vittoria, the capital of the Prov
ince of Alava, about thirty miles south
of Billio. The Premier went there last
Thursday to take three-weeks course
of baths, after which he expected to
return to San Sebastian, to see United
States Minister Woodford, when that
gentleman should be officially received
by the Queen Regent. The assassin
was Immediately arrested. He is a Ne
di, but it is believed that his real name
is Michaele Angino Coli
The murderer declared he killed Can
ovas in accomplishment of a Just
vengeance" and is the outcome of a
conspiracy. He is believed to have ar
rived at Santa Agueda the same day
as the Premier and was frequently seen
lurking in the passages of the bathing
establishment in a suspicious manner.
The remains of Senor Canovas will be
brought here tomorrow. Marshal Mar
tinez Campos has gone to San Sebas-
tian to attend the Queen Regent. Sc
nor Sagasta, the Liberal leader, has
sent the following telegram to the Gov
ernment:
7 have heard with deep pain of the
crime that has thrown us all in mourn
ing and I place myself at the orders Of
the Government and the Queen"
Most of the Liberal leaders have sent
similar messages, placing themselves
at the disposal of the Government
Antonio Canovas Del Castillo, ac-
MADRID. Aug. S.-The Queen Re-
gent on hearing the sad news dispatch
ed her own physician, DR.. Bostos, by a
special train from San Sebastian.
Later on learning that Canovas was
dead, she wired her coincidence to the
widow
The health of Senor Canovas had
greatly improved of late. He had been
fond of aquatic life, although he at
tended to the business Of state.
AT the moment of the assassination
he was waiting in the gallery of the
bathing establishment for his wife, who
was to join him for lunch. Suddenly
the assassin, who had the appearance
of an ordinary visitor. approached and
fired at him point-blank, one bullet
passing through the body and coming
out behind under the left shoulder
and the other two lodging in the head.
He fell instantly and only recovered
consciousness long enough to speak a
few words.
Several medical men and his wife
We're unremitting in their attentions TO
the sufferer but his wounds were NOR
tai. and he died in two hours. Extreme
JUNCTION was administered amid a scene
of mingled sorrow and Indignation. The
assassin narrowly escaped lynching at
the hands Of the walters and attend
ants. who rushed forward. Detectives
and civil guards Immediately secured
him. He was very pale, trembled very
much and evidently feared that he
would be killed on the spot.
He viii be first arraigned before the
local magistrates at Vergara-
s p. m.-The Queen Regent and all
the members Of the Cabinet Will return
here to-day. Her majesty has entrust-
ed the Presidency of the Council to
General Azcarraga, Minister of War.
and the Cortes viii be summoned to
reassemble on Tuesday.
cording to the "Dictionaire Universal
Des Contemporaries" was born at Ma
laga, February s. 1928. He took the
course in philosophy and law in the
University of Madrid and began his
career as a journalist.
In 1851 he made his debut under the
patronage of Senors Rios, Rosas and
Pacheco, as chief editor of ''Patria, in
which he defended conservative ideas.
About this time. he published a vol
ume of lyric poems and a series of his
torical papers. He was in doubt
whether to follow a literary or a po-
litical career. but soon found himself
turned to politics by the course of
events. In 1852, he was named Dep
uty for Malaga and from that time to
his death had never ceased to occupy a
seat in the Cortes.
In 1854 he was Charge diAffaires at
Rome and prepared the historical MEM
orandum on the relations of Spain with
the Holy See, which served as basis
for the Concra6a After serving the
Crown as Governor of Cadiz. in 1855.
Director General of the administration
in 1858 to 1861, and lastly in that same
year as Under Secretary Of State for
the Interior, the Queen called him to
the ministry as a member of the Mon
Cabinet. In 1865 he held the portfolios
of finance and i, the colonies in the
O'Donnen Cabinet and it devolved up
on him to draw up the law for the
abolition of the slave trade. Shortly
before the revolution of 1868 he be-
came especially conspicuous as one of
the last to defend with energy in the
Cortes the people, blending Liberal and
conciliatory ideas with the eonstitu-
tional monarchy. when all the parties
that had suppccted this political doc
trine had deserted the Parliament He
was banished a short time before the