The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-29
Suicide of Skinas Savas Greek
Authorities From Embar-
rassrnent.
By La MARaUIsE DE roNTENoY.

Il
x Jerry serious doubts have always
" existed as to the identity of Tho
murderer of King George of
Greece, who was killed at Salonica
whilo strolling quietly through the
streets of that city less than year
ago, and widespread impression
exists, at any rate in Greece. and else
where In the Southeast of Europe, that
the Greek Skinas, who was arrested
for the crime, was entirely innocent
thereof. and a mere harmless lunatic.
Fortunately, he committed suicide be-
fore being placed on trial; so that the
Greek authorities have been spared the
danger of having to reproach them
selves with having put an innocent man
to death.
up the matter in these letters at this
late date, were it not that notices have
Just been given Of questions that are
about to be put, concerning the at-
fair in the national legislatures at
Athens and ut Sonia.
According to some stories, King
George was slain by n fanatic Bull
garian, crazed With anger by the dis
covery that the Greek army, under
King George had reached Salonica.
and taken possession thereof, before
the arrival upon tho scene OF the ad-
vancing Bulgarian forces. The Greek
press does not hesitate to discuss this
story rs Il it gave full credence
thereto. That is why tho question Is
about to be brought before the So
branje. at Sofia, and before the Boulos.
at Athens.
Another story which is being dis
cussed in Greece with equal vigor IS
to the effect that King George was as
So ssinated by very tail Greek, well
dressed, in clothes of foreign make,
and who vanished into the crowd as
soon as he had seen his royal victim
sink 10 tho ground. Some OF the
deputies, at Athens have taken the mat
ter up. and have for several. months
past been devoting good deal of the!;
time and money to searching invcs-
tigation of tho affair. They promise
strange revelations when tho subject
comes up for debate.
1t must be remembered that King
George was not popular monarch
while he lived, and that the eulogies
lavished upon him since his assassina-
tion, were withheld while lie was on
the throne. The Pan-Iellenists were
always furious with him for having
exercised a restraining influence upon
their territorial aspirations, and looked
upon him >as an obstacle to the reali
cation OF their ambitions in this re-
spect.
Then. there wcrc officers Of the
Greek army who had been made to
feel the weight OF King Georges dis
pleasure, owing to their insubordina
ton. and the role which they had
played in organizing that military pro-
nunciamento four years ago which
forced him to temporarily deprive his
elder sons OF their commissions, and
to Danish them. Finally, there were
officers and men who considered that
they had been overlooked In the bo-
stowal OF orders of knighthood. OF pro-
motion and other rewards, and who
held King George responsible for the
neglect
Life Is held very cheap in the South
east OF Europe. 1t Is. therefore quite
possible that tho ill-fated monarch
may have been slain at Salonica. not
by that probably harmless crank,
skinas. but by either somo Bulgarian
fanatical patriot or by some Greek Of
flcer infatuated by some fancied wrong.
IL seents that there arc at least d
dozen witnesses who have been found
to swear that the crime was perpe-