Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-09-26
ASSASSINS' WEAPON.
Dnwritten Superstitious Law of tn
Reigning Houses of Europe.

Unwritten superstitious Law of the
Reigning Houses of Europe.
For obvious reasons it was natural
that the Spanish police should be anx-
ious to secure the bomb which did not
explode when thrown at the royal cou-
pie.
There was a reason behind the de
sire to nip in the bud chance Of further
damage. There is an unwritten law i'll
the reigning houses Of Europe, says
the London Evening Standard, that all
relics Of attempts upon royal lives,
as well as the instruments used for
treating the wounds caused in such at
tenpts, shall be destroyed. There was
a solemn assembly in Geneva of Aus
tro-Hungarian officials to witness the
destruction of the instruments which
caused the death of the Empress Eliz-
abeth and Of the surgical implements
used in making the post mortem ex-
animation.
The custom is based to a certain ex
tent upon superstition, but more sol
idly upon the determination to pre-
vent the relics from falling into the
hands Of exhibitors of such tragic
trifes.
The custom in this matter once was
to grind to pieces the weapon which
had been employed. When, however,
the dagger was secured with which the
priest Martin Merino attempted to
murder Queen Isabella of Spain, rather
more than half a century ago, the
blade was found to be Of such finely
tempered steel that it resisted every
effort to file and stone.
Something like a panic was caused
when the news got abroad; the Span
ish peasants imagined that there must
be magic in the bladea So a cabinet
was specially summoned to deal with
the crisis, and it was determined to
submit the steel to the influence of
acids. This proving successful, all
implements used for the like foul pur-
pose have undergone the like treat
ment-knives, swords, daggers, revol-
vers, and, presumably, bombs.
1t was a cruel irony that the bombs
thrown at the young King and Queen
of Spain should be hurled by a man
secreted in the only house in Madrid
owned by Queen Christina. This, at
first sight, is surprising Napoleon III,
in the terror which Orsini's attempt in
spired, bid for safety by buying up
the houses facing the Tuileries, so that
bombs should not be flung there by his
enemies.
1t is from places whose position
should guarantee their safety that dam
ger comes. Only miracle prevented
Alexander II from being blown to
atoms in his own Winter Palace. The
Grand Duke Sergius was assassinated
outside the law courts at st. Peters
burg; Gen. Bobrikoff was slain when
entering the Senate; NJ PIehve was
struck dead with his secret police all
around him; the King and Queen of
Servia persisted in their own palace.
a blow aimed by the would-be MUIR
derer is aimed in spite of the most
elaborate precautions Of the police of
Europe. The detective forces Of all the
capitals of Europe were represented at
Madrid. Probably all the anarchist So
cieties in Europe, too, were represent
ed there.
Plots are always on foot, though they
may not come to anything. The police
get to hear Of a movement; the con-
spirators are warned of the discovery
and abandon their plans. The authori-
ties do not unnecessarily display their
knowledge. There is danger in pub
licity, the anarchist is initiative, and
will strive to share the fame, as it is
esteemed, Of the man who, discovered
in felonious enterprise, becomes for
the moment European figure.