The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-26
SOMEBODY TOLD.
How the Plot to Overthrow Por-
tuguese Government Failed.
A Rising Was to Follow Killing
Of Royal Family.
MILITARY WARNED.
Troops That We're Doubtful
Locked in Their Barracks.
Signals to Them and the Ships
We're Unanswered.

| were unanswered.
! Lisbon, Feb. 2e.-The mystery behind
| the murder of King Carlos and Prince
| I-uiz, is not likely ever to be completely
lifted The new Portuguese government
prefers that the crime should be re-
garded both at home and abroad as
| the deed Of individuals carried away by
! the political passions of the moment
and fnasmuch as the republicans are
| so anxious to clear their skirts of re-
sponsibility for regicide, both sides are
glad to see an investigation which
would probe the affair to the bottom.
smothered- Yet there is undoubtedly
| much that could be cleared up. It is q
matter Of common knowledge that
there were tntrigues in high places as
well as low before the tragedy occurred.
and the rage of the leaders and neuten-
ants OF the two 'rotative'' parties
against which Premier Franco and
klng Carlos were warning, exceeded all
bounds.
There is no suggestion that there was
| repetition of the Belgrade plot aimed
at the kings person, but that some Of
the desperate political leaders were in
volved In the series of abortive plots
against Frances life which preceded
circles here. Franco himself told q
friend the day before he left Lisbon,
virtually upon the order of the govern
ment, that 1T was impossible to reveal
to the world what he had learned of
the intrigueS Of the enemies of the king
and himself, and therefore It was bet
ter for him to retire forever from the
political arena. The connection between
the republicans and regicides is equally
dlficult to establish. The disclaimers
or leaders like Bernardino Machado
must De accepted so far as the peace
full wing is concerned. but this can
not be said of the advanced or radical
wing, as there is plenty of evidence
that they had planed a rising on the
night Of the crime. Signals to the ships
In the harbor and the barracks on the
slope of ST. Georges hill were shown
toward midnight from the roof of the
national library, and bands of men
went to the barracks of an artillery
and infantry regiment which were to
join In the proclamation Of a republic.
The signals brought no responses and
the doors of the barracks were found
looked.
Plot Was BETRAYED.
The entire conspiracy fell through.
1t is related, because of the treason of
a young lieutenant who after the assas-
sination of the king confessed to his
father an officer, the role he was to
had been deceived; that he did not know
regicide was contemplated, having been
led to suppose that only the life of the
dictator was to be taken.
This advance warning enabled the
military authorities to take the neces-
sary precautions and thus frustrate the
military support which was counted
upon to give success to the plot Not
withstanding the betrayal some of the
advanced Republicans assert that If
h 70 q arer nNv, e.,
fortress had been free that night In
Lisbon, history would have told a diff
ferent tale.
Whether the plot aimed at the muir
der of the entire royal family is also
likely to remain in dispute as the Of
f1cials attempt to make it appear now
that Prince Luiz was killed by a mis-
take. This view, however is not sup
ported by the testimony Of eye witness
es. One of these, the tutor of the
princes, was standing in the arcade at
the corner Of Black Horse square, as
the royal carriage approached. He
stood with his shoulder against the
shoulder of Boissa, the man who fired
the shot that killed the king. As the
carriage reached a point almost direct
ly opposite him there was a report from
the curb, 80 or 40 feet behind the car
riage. The tutor saw the king straight
en- up, but he had no idea that a shot
had been fired or that the king was
hit. Thinking the report was the ex-
plosion of a firecracker, he turned to
the man at his side and said: Take
off your hat. 1t is the king" The
words were not out OF his mouth be-
fore the man darted forward. revolver
in hand, and running up to within five
feet of the rear of the carriage, fred
point blank. The king sank down and
his head fell forward. In the con-
fusion which followed the tutor saw
the man who fred first kneeling in
the street with carbine at his
shoulder, firing shots in rapid success
sion. The crown prince was on his
feet as the king received the fatal bull
let and the tutor is certain that it was
he who killed the murderer of his faith
er. Boissa was shot from the front
through the heart Whether 1t was
the crown princes bullet which kill
ed him or not, it is certain that the
prince fired twice, for two chambers
of his revolver were empty. Every
thing goes to prove that the plot was to
kill the entire royal family, thus OBJ
literating the dynasty, and precipitate
a change in the regime.