The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-09-14
EMPRESS Of AUSTRIA MURDERED
BY AN ANARCHIST.
while Visiting st Geneva Switzerland. An Italian As
ssssip Piungss . Dagger Ints q" Breast
Mckinley Tenders sympathy.

anarchist 1Or nlurueilht 'h' '''"P' '"'
OF Austria last week.
The last of a long series OF family
misfortunes has just befallen the house
of Austria. An anarchist named Lao
chini stabbed the Empress In the
breast Saturday afternoon at Geneva,
Switzerland, while she was walking
from the Hotel Beaurivage to the
steamer landing on the lake.
The Empress fell, arose again ana
was carried to the hotel unconscious.
The stretcher upon which the EN-
press was carried to the hotel was
hastily improvised from oars and sail
cloth. Doctors and priests were I'M
mediately summoned and a telegram
was sent to Emperor Francis Joseph.
All efforts 20 revive the Empress were
unavailing, and she expired at three
o'clock.
The last words Of the empress were
addressed to the attendants Recov-
ering consciousness for the moment,
she feebly asked what had happened.
The medical examination showed
that the assassin must have used
small triangular file. After striking
the blow he ran along the Rue des
Alpes, but was seized by two cabmen
who had witnessed the crime. They
handed him over to q boatman and a
gendarme. who conveyed him to the
police station.
The prisoner made no resistance. He
even sang as he walked along. saving;
"I did H." and "She must be dead"
Later, when taken to the court house
and interrogated by magistrate he
pretended not to know French and re-
fused to answer questions. The police,
on searching him. found document
showing his name 10 be Luigi Loachini
born in Paris in 1873, and an Italian
t. Do
The assassin told the magistrate that
he came to Geneva TO assassinate ''an-
other important person" but had been
unable to execute the project. The
reason OF his failure he did not give.
hut he declared that IL was only by ac-
cident he had learned of the presence
OF the Austrian Empress at Geneva.
The assassin hoped that all anarch-
lists would follow his example which
would soon result in the annihilation
OF the upper classes. Later he admit
ted that he had come to Switzerland
to assassinate the Duke of Orleans.
The assassin maintains his cynical
demeanor and frankly congratulates
himself upon the success of his crime.
He says:
81 am an anarchist but belong to no
committee. 1 acted on my own initia-
tive. Let them do as they like with
me. That Is my strength"
No strangers are allowed to ap-
proach the coffin of the murdered En-
press Elizabeth. The body has been
embalmed and dressed in white. The
doctors photographed the wound, but
the plate Will be destroyed.
1t is understood that Emperor Fran
els Joseph will not leave Austria, but
will send high court officials to take
the body to Vienna
dispatch from Berne, the Swiss
capital, says: The president of SwitZer-
land and other members of the govern
nent were stunned with horror when
the news reached the Palace that the
Empress go beloved by all Europeans.
had fallen a victim to an assassin with
i'm the borders of their country. They
Immediately arranged to hold an ex-
traordinary Federal Council to con-
slider the measures to take against the
assassin. The latter must be tried ac-
cording TO the statutes of the canton in
which the crime was committed, which
forbid capital punishment and make
life Imprisonment the most severe
penalty which can be imposed
The Federal authorities were not in
formed Of her intention to visit Geneva
nor were the local authorities there
aware of her presence, as she was
travelling incognito. The police are not
blamed, though the circumstances res
ponsible for the lack of precautions
are widely regretted.
a Vienna dispatch says: The news
OF the assassination OF the, Empress
became known here shortly before six
o'clock Saturday. 1t spread like light
ming. The streets were suddenly filled
with multitudes Of people, many of the
thoroughfares becoming impossible.
President Mckinley cabled the fol.
lowing message when he learned OF the
assassination:
Executive Mansion.
Washington, September 10, 1898.
ITO His Majesty, the Emperor Of Aus
tria, Vienna:
II have heard with profound regret
OF the assassination Of her majesty
the Empress OF Austria, while at Ge-
neva, and tender to your majesty the
deep sympathy OF the government and
people Of the United States.
"William Mckinley"
The president Sunday received the
following reply TO his telegram of con.
dolence sent to Emperor Francis Jo.
seph;
"Schoenbrunn. Sept. II.
Emperor OF Austria to the President
of the United States:
Sincerely touched by the expression
of coincidence and sympathy which yot
have been pleased TO forward me In
the name of the government and peopl,
of the United States. ] beg you to ac
cept for that expression my warmes
thanks.
FRANCIS JOSEPH"
Extra editions were issued by all tho
papers. All the papers accompanied
the announcement with warm tributes
to the Empress. They were eagerl,
snatched from the hands of the sellers
and were read aloud to groups of citi
zens.
The Empress OF Austria was bori
De"smber "a. 1887. She was a daughter
OF Duke Macmillan of Bavaria, ant
WAS married to Francis Joseph, En-
peror of Austria and King of Hungary
April ~. 1854. They had three children
the Archduchess Gisela, who is mar
ried to Prince Luitpold Of Bavaria: tn,
Archduke Rudolph who married Prin
cess Stephanie of Belgium. and VIII
was (seemingly) assassinated in 1885
and the Archduchess Maria Valeria
who married the Archduke Franz Sal
vator Of Austria Tuscany.
An indescribable grief overpower
the people. The performances at tn
court theaters and the Jubilee exhIbl
tion have been cancelled.
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