River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-04-17
TRY TO ALFONSO.
THREE SHOTS FIRED BEFORE
WoULD-BE ASSASSIN is
ovERPoWERED.
SHOWED PRESENCE OF MIND
Spurs Horse Which Rears and Re
ceives Ball Aimed at Rider
Third Time At
tempted.

tempted.
Madrid, April 15.-For the third
time in his reign, King Alfonso mar
rowly escaped being the victim of an
anarchist attempt against his life.
Three shots were fired at the king
yesterday afternoon in the streets OF
the capital by native of Barcelona.
Rafael Sanchez Allegro, who was i'm.
meditaely overpowered.
His Escape.
King Alfonso owes his escape to
his own courage, quickness, and
skilled horsemanship. Accompanied
by his staff he was riding along the
Gale do Alcala, returning from the
ceremony OF swearing in recruits,
when man sprans from the sidewalk
and seized the bride of the kings
horse with one hand, presenting a re-
volver point blank with the other.
The king, realizing the situation,
with lightning rapidity dug his spurs
into his horse, which reared violent
1y. His quickness saved his life. The
bulletin, stead of burying itself in
the kings breast, struck the horse
on the neck, and so close was it that
the kings left hand glove was black
ened by the powder discharge.
Is Overpowered.
Before his assailant was able to pull
the trigger again, a secret service
man sprang upon him. The two men
fell to the ground, locked in each
others arms, struggling furiously.
The assassin managed to free his
revolver arm and fired two more
shots in rapid succession, but the Of
ficer knocked his arm aside and the
bullets flew harmlessly through the
air.
At the sound OF the first shot, the
kings staff forced their horses off
the sidewalk and made ring around
the assassin, who fought fiercely in
the grip of four policemen before he
was overpowered and handcuffed
King Addresses Crowd.
King Alfonso, as soon as he saw
that the man had been secured, raised
himself in his stirrups, turned to the
crowd, gave a military salute, and
shouted in ringing voice: Long
Live SPAIN"
He then dismounted and treasured
his staff, saying: ut is nothing, gen
tlemen."
Then uprose mighty roar from
the wildly enthusiastic masses, which
rolled along in great waves of sound,
all the way, as the king rode to the
palace, cool, collected and smiling
A spectator, pensioner royal hal
berdier, pushed forward so impetuous-
ly to offer his congratulations to the
monarch that he was mistaken for
another assassin and was arrested.
He was released as soon as the mis-
take was discovered.
The crowds made a determined at
tempt to lynch Allegro, who was rush
ed into house and kept there until
an automobile ambulance, escorted by
mounted police, transferred him to
police headquarters.
People Cheer Ruler.
He had hardly been back in the pal,
ace ten minutes when an immense
clamor arose. The two squares on
which tie palace looks were black
with people of all classes, DESTROYS OF
showing their joy at the kings safety,
and their admiration for his bravery.
The king went to the balcony and &C.
knowledged the cheers and then
sought the queen, and the two stood
bowling to the throngs for several min.
utes.
The police Investigations have es.
tablished that Allegro was recently
expelled from France as an anarchist.
after which he went to Barcelona.
A woman, said to be associated with
Allegro, was arrested last night
A curious coincidence is found in
the fact that the Spanish premier,
Count Romanones, Saturday night de.
clared to be absolutely without founda
ton. alarming rumors, circulated re-
garding the possibility of an attempt
against the king on the occasion of the
swearing in of the recruits, and rela
tive to the presence in Madrid of sew
eral dangerous anarchists.
Former Attempt.
A dramatic attempt on the life OF
1NluS AllO1SO WdS IudQ0 Will d OOUlD
May 81, 1906, as the king and his bride
were returning to the palace in Madrid
from the church where the nuptial GER
emony had been celebrated. The mis-
sile was concealed in bouquet OF
flowers which was thrown at the car
riage of the royal couple. The ex.
plosion killed an equerry and ten spec
tators, and also one of the horses
which was drawing the royal carria >.
The king and queen were unharmsd
The assassin, an anarchist named
Morales, committed suicide several
days later when apprehended.
Just a year previous to the day, an
anarchist in Paris, threw a bomb at
Alfonso and President Loubet as they
were leaving the opera. Both es
capped injury.