Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-08-03
SHAH. OF PERSIA
Now Singled Out as Mark for
Assassin's Bullet.
Attacked by Stranger at Paris but Es-
capes Without Injury.
WouId-2e Murderer Arrssted-A Strasgss-
Shah Shows Great Courage.

Paris. Aug. 2.-MuZaffer- Ed Din,
Shah of Persia, who has been a visitor
to the Exposition since Saturday, as
the guest of France narrowly escaped
an assassin's bullet, this morning. 1t
has been arranged that he should, to-
day, visit Sevres and see the national
pottery works, going afterwards to
Versailles, and it was just after he had
left the sovereign's palace and on his
way to the Seine to go on board
yacht, placed at his disposal for the
trip, that the attempt on his life was
made.
Only five minutes before the pistol
was presented at his breast he was the
recipient of a letter which warned him
that his life was in danger. No serious
thought, however. was given to its con-
tents. so numerous had been former
warnings Of the same character. AS
he was seated in the landau before
leaving the court of the palace, his sec
rotary brought him a letter dated
Naples. but posted in Paris, last night.
signed with a name bearing an Italian
termination. 1t said To-day, you
shall meet the same fate as Hum
bert"
In no Wise ilSCOHceIleu tHt oHdh
handed the letter to the officer on
guard and gave orders for the car
riage 10 start. The gates of the palace
were thrown open and as the monarch
emerged a large crowd of curious on
lockers broke into cries of "Vive lie
Shah" and "Vive la Perse." Hardly
had these acclamations died away
when a man dressed in the ordinary
clothing of a Paris workman, darted
from between two automobiles where
he was hidden and rushed toward the
imperial carriage, overthrowing bi-
cycle policeman, who rolled under the
feet of the horses.
In an instant he was on the carriage
step. Holding the door with his left
hand, with his right he pushed a re-
volver toward the breast of the Shah.
He seemed to hesitate for moment.
as though undecided fhere to aim.
This hesitation saved the Shah's life,
for before the would-be assassin could
pull the trigger a strong hand grasped
his wrist and wrenched II so that the
weapon dropped harmlessly to the bot
tom of the landau.
I'd like TO have Il photograph of that
man." nonchalantly exclaimed the
Shah Then addressing a few words in
his native tongue to his companion in
the carriage he told the coachman to
drive on.
Seated in the landau with the Shah
at the time the assault was made were
the grand viZier, the personal physi-
clan Of the monarch, and Gen. Parent.
his personal aide. Gen. Parent.
in the course of an interview subse-
qucntly said:
1T was the court physician who met
the first criminal advance. 1t was he
who seized the individual by the wrist
and arrested the movement of agrees
sion for q sufficient time to allow the
pistol to be knocked from the assail-
ants hand. l am inclined to the belief
that the man is an Italian"
A crowd Of 500 people who witnessed
the attempted assassination made
rush towards the would-be murderer
and tried to attach him. but there were
many police in the neighborhood acting
as guards of the Shah, and these pre-
vented the mob from doing violence to
the miscreant. The prisoner was taken
to the police station.
This afternoon, the Shah carried out
IiiS pipS aiii AL q UP Wv 49, N~~->A~
to Versailles.
The would-be assassin declines abso-
lutely to give his name or nationality
He speaks but little and that with a
southern accent. The police believe
him to be an Italian. He is about rs
years of age.
The prisoner has chestnut-colored
hair. a large moustache. and blue gray
eyes. He was dressed in a blouse and
wide trousers, the usual clothes Of a
carpenter. In his pocket were found
an ugly knife and handkerchief
marked '12Sth Regiment Infantry"
When this was discovered the man
said:
Later in the day. to some officials of
the Sham who tried to interrogate him.
the prisoner said: Your master will
do well to resign; otherwise we will
kill him.
The pistol carried by the would-be
murderer was of the bulldog type load
ed with five cartridges. When the po-
lice seized the man he tried to break
CONTINUED on page 80