Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-17
ATTEMPT TO KILL THE
KING OF BELGIUM
Three Shots Are Fired At
Him By a Would
Be Assas-
sin.

BRUSSELS, Nov. 15-Three shots were
fired at the king of Belgium this morning
as he was proceeding to the cathedral TO
attend a te deum in memory of the late
Queen Henrietta. No one was hurt.
The man who fred the shots is an Ital-
fan He stood in front of the Bank OF
Brussels on the Rue Royale. The other
chambers in the revolver proved to be
blank, so it is presumed that those nred
were equally harmless. The man was i'm
mediately arrested and the police mad
some difficulty in rescuing him from the
hands OF the crowd. He gave the name OF
Robini.
The royal cortege consisted of several
carriages besides that of the king, contain
ing the Count and Countess of Flanders,
Prince and Princess Albert, of Flanders.
the Princess Clementine and the aides de
camp and ladies of honor.
When examined by the police Rubino
confessed that he intended to shoot King
Leopold, and said he held anarchist be-
liefs.
Rubino is a booxkeeper. He was born
at Rinardo. near Naples, in 1853. and has
lately lived in Brussels.
A fuller investigation showed the police
that Rubino really fred ball cartridge,
the bullet of which smashed the window
of Comte d Eoultremont's carriage and
grazed the grand marshaTs face
When rescued from the mob Rubino
was placed in cab and Infatuated crowds
Of people Immediately surrounded It and
attacked the vehicle with knives and
sticks. The police had great difficulty
in forcing a way to the police station
through the crowd, which shouted alter
nately.> XIII himl' and Long live the
king!'
IT, ~-l, .,,ss l,r,y7l,, l,erl.ad Will, knives
A search of the prisoner revealed a pack
age of ball cartridges.
1t is reported that Rubino had been
heard to express anarchistic opinions and
ii was also said he came to Brussels from
London expressly to kin King Leopold
and went to the cathedral today for this
purpose but refrained from shooting at
the king for fear of killing soldiers who
stood between him and his majesty
Rubino is also reported to have said
he was employed in the Italian secret SER
vice in London and that he came to Brus-
sells fortnight ago with the intention OF
assassinating King Leopold.
The news of the outrage spread rapidly
throughout the city and the greatest ex-
element prevailed. The people thronged
the streets eagerly discussing the attempt
on the life of the king and large crowds
gathered in front of the various bulletin
boards. The newspapers issued frequent
editions and these were eagerly bought.
General abhorrnce as expressed by the
people at the apparently deliberate at
tempt to assassinate the sovereign.
King Leopold appeared to be quite I'M
moved by the attempt of Rubin0 to kill
him. After luncheon. at the palace his
majesty entered a motor car and proceed
ed to the railroad station, where he
boarded train bound for Groenendael.
RUBINo TELLS or HIS
SHOT AT THE KING
BRUSSELS, Nov. 15.-That Rubino in
tended to assassinate King Leopold SEEM
ed fully established this evening by the
prisoners confession to the police. The
latter at first denied all the reports to
the effect that the revolver contained ball
cartridges or that Rubino was connected
with anarchism. But they finally admitted
that the prisoner had confessed that he
intended to shoot King Leopold, and that
he held anarchistic beliefs.
The confessed would-be regicide MAIN
tanned perfect calm during his interro-
cation by the police. He informed the
police that he came from London. where
he went on a futile search for work.
There Rubino obtained assistance from
the Italian embassy, and was temporarily
engaged to watch an anarchist. He was
dismissed. however, as the embassy Off
with the anarchists.
1t was then that he bought a revolver
and fifty cartridges and went to Brussels,
Failing to find work Rubino said he de
termined to act" and went to the cathe-
dral with the intention of shooting the
king. But he did not fire at his majesty
for fear of hitting intervening soldiers.
Then RubinO proceeded to the Rue Roy
ale, where he awaited the cortege The,
1a I'D
before Rubino was able to draw his re-
volver. hence the bullets hit only the car
riage following.
In Rubino's pockets were found picture
post cards bearing portraits of King
Leopold, Prince Albert and Princess
Elizabeth. The prisoner said he pro-
cured the cards so as to be able to recog-
nize the members Of the royal family and
expressed the hope that others would
be more successful than himself
He also said that he did not regret his
act and would have fired at any mon
arch, Eat the king Of Italy as readily as
at the king of the Belgians, because mon
archs are tyrants who cause the misery
of their people" Finally Rubino de-
clared he hated socialists because they
were friends of the police and asserted
that he had no accomplices.
The police tonight are engaged in scour-
ing the anarchist resorts here, on q search
for possible accomplices of Rubino. One
arrest has already been made Of a noted
Belgian anarchist, named Chapelie. Many
other arrests viii probably follow. Sew
eral persons, who were near to Rubino
when he fired the revolver, assert that he
was accompanied by another man who es-
capped in the crowd. 1t is thought posi-
Bile that this individual was an accom-
pIice who carried off the revolver which
the police have not yet found. Rubino.
who has a wife and child in London, con-
tinues to affect a profound Indifference
as to his fate, which cannot be death,
since capital punishment has been abol-