The Washington herald., 1913-03-20
kings BODY NOW
LYING in STATE
Conveyed to Palace by Prince
Nicholas and Officers Of
Greek Army.
NEW RULER TAKES REINS
Constantine XII Issues First Message to
Army After Accession to
Throne.

Saloniki. March 1s-Prince Nicholas. sor
OF the murdered King George. assisted
by several Of the superior officers OF
the Greek army, bore the body Of hii
father from the hospital to the palace
tonight. The body Is now lying in state
with mounted guard of honor watching
over il.
In the procession that followed the
stretcher to the palace we're subjects OF
the late King from every walk Of life
High officers in the army rubbed shodl.
ders with members of the clergy and
soldiers of the Greek Light Infantry
dressed in their quaint kills, In which
they had followed King George and
Prince Constantine in the victorious
Janina campaign, with civilians, Cretans,
and Mussulmans pressed around the
humble bier.
Grief was apparent on every hand, and
In many cases the grizx,ed soldiers were
weeping unrestrainedly and openly. On
the arrival at the palace the body was
received with military honors and then
laid in the main chamber. Priests chant
ing Psalms took their place beside the
guard Of honor.
King Issues First Message.
King Constantine today issued his first
message to the Greek army in the fol-
lowing words:
THE impious outrage on the sacred
person of King George depriyes us all
of our leader at a moment critical for
the whole Hellenic nation. 1 am now
called by Providence to succeed my
never-to-b be forgotten father on the
throne on which he for so long shed
honor and luster.
Il bring this news to the knowledge OF
my army, to which have devoted my
whole life, and with which unsuccessful
and successful wars have indissolubly
bound me. / declare that. marching al
ways at its head. i will never cease to
my whole solicitude to my
land and sea forces. whose glorious ex-
ploits have wrought greatness and re-
nown to our fatherland."
Assassin wenk-minded.
Under the direction of King Constan-
tine. who. with his mother and other
members of the royal family, arrived here
today, the government agents are rap
idly clearing the veil of mystery which
had surrounded Schinas. the assassin OF
King George, and the motive behind his
awful deed. 1t has been learned that
Schinas Is weak-minded and that he was
once in much better circumstances than
Although at one time an in
structor In the medical department of the
OF Athens. he had for some
time existed by begging. and had sub
sisted OF late entirely on milk.
Schinas refused point blank to give
any motive for his crime beyond the fact
that he had applied At the palace in
Athens for assistance two years ago and
had been driven away by an aid de
camp.
II had to die any way. as suffer from
he added. land I wished
to redeem my life
He was an outcast from his family
and three weeks ago he harangued the
people in the streets of Volo. telling
them that, in a short time. there would
no longer be any rich or poor and labor
ers would only have to work half as
hard as they did now. These and other
facts unearthed by the Investigation
have convinced the government that the
mans act was one of impulse and not
in any way the outcome of a plot.