Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-11-12
Murderer Committed Sui
eide Before He Could be
Secured.
SCENES IN MADRID.
Victim Fails With Two Bullets in His
Head and Dies Immediately-Great
Excitement Follows.


premier of Spain, was assassinated
here today.
Manuel Pardines y Zarrate the as
sassin, shot him twice behind the
right ear, then committed suicide. I.
is said he was an anarchist. The prem
ier was killed instantly.
The shooting occurred in front Of
the offices of the Ministry of the In
terror, fronting on the Purto Del Sol,
or Gate of the Sun, big square Iii
the center of Madrid, the busiest spot
in the city.
Stepping up behind and Slightly to
the right of his victim, the assassin
pointed a pistol point blank at the
premier's head and discharged it
twice in rapid succession.
Then he shot himself before the
police had time to seize him.
Many arrests were made following
The assassination. Practically every
well known anarchist in Madrid, as
we'll as many republicans had been
locked up within two or three hours.
The police were anxious both to guard
against possible attempt at gene
raj uprising by incarceration Of its
natural leaders and to apprehend per-
sons suspected of having inspired the
murder Of the premier.
The authorities expressed the
opinion that Zarrate wss melted to
his act by inaammato-y -peeches
made at a meeting Sunday, in men,
ory of Francisco Ferrer, the anar-
chist shot at Barcelona Immediately
following the riots there of two or
three years ago which nearly culmi-
mated in a revolution throughout the
Catalan provinces.
The big squares at one side Of which
the premier was killed was packed,
as usual, at the time of the shooting.
Mad confusion followed the crack OF
the pistol. Policemen came running
from every direction, drawing their
revolvers or cutlasses. Dozens Of
civil guards, a kind of military police,
poured out Of the ministry of the in
terror fixing their bayonets or slipping
clips Of cartridges into their rifles, as
they came.
Among the authorities, it was the
evident impression that a general ou:-
break was, scheduled to follow and an
attempt to clear thes quare was be-
gun Immediately.
The crowd was so great that this
was not an easy matter. Throngs
stampeded for the streets leading out
of the Purto. Other throngs rushed
forward to learn what was the mat
ter. Trolley cars changed furiosuly fol
the right of way through the crowd
Scores of loaded mules, which are con
tinually passing throught the square
tied together in tandems OF five or
six, took fright and bit and kicked
murderously.
The cafes, which line the Purtc
emptied out struggling mobs of Gus.
toners.
The pandemonium continued fol
MANY minutes before the police am
civiles reinforced by detachment sue
,ceeded in breaking the crowd ant
restoring at least temporary order
The fallen premier's body was car.
ried hurriedly into the ministry Of thc
interior and doctor had arrived
within a few moments. The premier
had died. however, almost instantly
Jose Canalajas, a Liberal, in poll
tics. was appointed premier of SPAN
in February 1910, succeeding Antonio
Maura, a conservative.
The latter part of Maura admins
tration had been marred by violen
uprisings all over Spain and esper
pecially in Barcelona, in protes
against the drafting of Spanish troop
for the war in Morocco.
These disorders were put down wit
idreadful severity, finally culminatin!
in the execution of Francisco Ferrel
the educator and anarchist leader.