Evening star., 1909-07-02
INDIAN OFFICIAL SLAIN
Lieut.. Col. Sir w. H. CurZ0n
WyIIie Shot Down by Hindu.
BYSTANDER ALSO KILLED
Assassination. Takes Place at Notable
Formal Function.
POLITICS PROBABLE CAUSE
Prisoner Is Arraigned and Charged
With Willful Murder-Takes
Matters Phlegmatically.
POLITICS PROBABLE CAUSE

LONDON. July .-Madar Leof Dbl
nagri, the Indian student who last night
shot and killed Lieut.. Col. Sir William
HUT Curzon Wvllie and DIR. Canvas Lai-
caca of Shanghai at the conclusion of A
public gathering at the Imperial Insti-
tute. was arraigned in the Westminster
police court this morning and remanded
for one week, after being formally charG-
ed with willful murder.
In the dock the prisoner appeared quite
unconcerned. lie stood with his hands in
his pockets and shook his head negatively
when asked If he wished to say anything
Subsequently. however. he said that he
had not wilfully killed DR.. Lalcaca.
II saw him advance and he caught
hold of me- i fired in self-defense," he
declared.
The proceedings lasted only few min
utes. The Hindu prisoner was removed
to jail under a strong guard.
This is the first time the methods of
the terrorists have been introduced into
political agitation in England. The coun-
try has awakened to the fact in an ugly
temper.
The prisoner whose age is given as
twenty-six. is said to have relatives in
good standing in Calcutta.
Dhinagri Bore Malice.
Dhinagri came to London from the
Puniab some years ago. He belonged
to the advanced section OF the Indian
nationalist party. and has taken course
in engineering at the London Lniver-
sity
During the commemoration of the In
dian mutiny he attracted attention by
wearing a badge inscribed: In Memory
of the Martyrs" Some of his fellow
students taunted Dhinagri. who threat
ened to cut the throat OF one OF his mosf
active tormentorS
He was q Woodworking student, but
held very advanced political opinions. He
was a frequenter OF India House. the
| local center of the Indian agitators-
From statements made by students It
appears that Dhinagri and Lieut.. Col.
tragedy of last night DhinaGri's broth
er, doctor In Calcutta, hearing of his
| association with the political extremists
| at the house. wrote to Lieut.. Col Wyllie
asking him to try to influence the stu
| dent.
| Wyllie saw Dhinagri The interview
| appears only to have embittered the stu
dent, who nursed his resentment pending
a favorable opportunity for revenge.
Probably Political Crime.
| At the India Office the murder of Col.
| Wyllie, who was a political aid-de-camp
to Lord Morley. secretary of state for In
dia, is held to be entirely political.
Col. Wyllie, SO far as Is known, had
had no personal dealings with Dhnagri.
The India Office view is that the outrage
was due to some imaginary grievance
against the system of government.
The National Indian Association, under
whose auspices the gathering AT the I'm
perial Institute was held, was formed for
the purpose of establishing friendly rela-
tions between the peoples of Great Brit-
ain and India Sir Alfred and Lady IN
all received the guests, who numbered
some 300 Anglo-Indian retired officers.
active members of the Indian service, In-
dia Office officials and students.
The scene was brilliant one. Ihere
were present many native Indians and
women in picturesque native costumes
With the exception of the assassin every
| body was in evening dress.
Dhina gri was attired in ordinary morn
| ing dress. and wore a turban. The tickets
to the function We're placed with great
care in order that they should get only
| into the hands OF reliable persons.
1t is reported that the prisoner has
made a lengthy statement to the police
setting forth in detail his political griev-
auces, but that this is withheld until thel
authorities have time to made full IN
quirtes.
Nothing appears to be known at the
Indian office of Dhinagri's antecedents.
The Indian students generally profess
detestation OF the crime. Nevertheless
many of them are known TO be active
members of the London branch of the
societies conducting a campaign of Sc
dition and anarchy in India.
Scotland Yard recently received infor-
nation which led to increased activity in
investigating the movements and ante
cedents of certain Indian students here,
who. 1T is alleged, had designs on proml-
| nent English officials. Lord Morley him
self for some time past has been under
police protection, and even when he LEFT
London he was attended by Scotland
Yard detectives
Lieut. Col Wyllie had spent his entire
life working for the welfare of India.
Story of Eyewitness.
d. w. Thorburn. one Of the guests.
thus graphically describes the scene at
tending the murders:
''If was near IL O'Clock and the musical
program was just concluding when | saw
middle-aged English gentleman con-
versng with a young Indian student
dressed in a dark jacket and wearing a
pale blue turban.
Suddenly the native drew a revolver
and fired four shots with the greatest
rapidity full at the head of the English
man. The shots We're fired with the muz-
ze of the weapon close 10 the victims
face.
Then came another shot as the En-
glishman fell, and a sixth. which struck
an elderly Indian gentleman standing a
few yards off and who fell. shot in the
side.
Il rushed al the assassin and others
sprang forward at the same time. We
seized him, but he struggled and. wrest-
ing one hand free. placed the revolver 10
his forehead and pulled the trigger. 1t
clicked harmlessly, as he had fired all
of his shots
I'VE shouted for doctors and the police.
Meantime there was terrible scene and
commotion. The folding doors were
finally closed to prevent the people from
looking on the fearful sight.
a doctor in the hall finally came for
ward and knelt at the side of the En-
gishmAn. After an examination he said,
Nothing can be done for him..
'At this moment some one exclaimed
in a horror-stricken voice: Why. IL Is
Curzon Wyllie.' Then stately woman
in evening dress came upstairs from the
cloakroom to discover what had happen
ed.
tlxa hon and