The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1913-12-19
ROYAL AsSASSINATioNS
AND AMAZING ESCAPES

The tragic death of King George
OF Greece, who was shot through the
heart while walking in the streets o.
Salonica, recalls a remark which his
Majesty once made to the effect that
ne believed it was fate to die at the
hands OF the assassin. This was after
a deliberate attempt to xii him on
February 26, 1898, when he was, shot
at while driving with his daughter
Princess Marie.
The determination of assassins OF
Royalty is one of the most remarka-
bic features of these dastardly crimes
No fewer than three attempts were
made on the life of King Humbert
OF Italy. On November IL, 1873, ten
months after his accession to the
throne, man attempted to stab him
with a dagger, the King escaping
with slight scratch. The ceond
unsuccessful attempt was in 1897,
when workman struck at him with
dagger while he was driving to the
races, the murders blow being again
ayerted. Three years later, however,
the assassin Bresci accomplished his
fell purpose by shooting King Hum
bert at Mona.
The Emeror Francis Joseph, of
Austria, has reason to be greatly en-
Filtered against assassins, for not
only was his wife, the Empress Eliza
beth, was fatally stabbed while walk
ing from her hotel at Geneva in 1898,
but twice attempts have been made
On his own life. In 1853 tailor nam
ed Libeny tried to stab the monarch
in the neck, his knife sliding down
the military cravat of the Emperors
uniform, only slight wound being
inflicted, while in 1882 he was shot at
by a youth named Overdank, the
shot. however, missing it's inetnded
mark
Four Cars of Russia have been
aSsassinated, the last being AleXan-
der ii, in 1881. Six attempts were
made On this monarch's life before
the fatal end. On one occasion he
only escaped through the barrel of
the assassin's pistol bursting, while
in 1866, when the dinner hall of the
winter palace was wrecked by an eX-
plosion from the cellars, the Emperor
owed his life to the fact that the COM
pany did not sit down to dinner at
the usual hour, and SO the explosion
was ineffective. Ultimately AleXan-
der was blown to pieces with nitro
glycerine while driving through st.
Petersburg on March Is, 1881.
Three attempts have been made on
the life of the present Car, the last
being in 1905, when celebrating what
is known as the Twelfth Day Festi-
val. A pavilion had been erected in
front of the Winter Palace, and after
the Car and Grand Duke had fin
ished prayers in this pavilion, sa-
lutte of guns was fired from the for
tress of st. Peter opposite the palace
on the the other side of the River
Neva. To the CONSERVATION of the
attendants, the pole of the banner
over the pavilion was broken in two,
while the windows of the palace were
shattered. 1t was afterward discov-
cred that one Of the guns from the
fortress had been loaded by an UNI
known hand.
Three attempts were made to kill
Queen Victora, while twice an aSsaS-
sin tried to take the life of the late
King Edward, but without success.
The last occasion was in 1900, when
Sipido tried to shoot King Edward at
Brussels.
Perhap the most narrow escape
which Queen Victoria had was when
her life was attempted by Roderick
Maclean in 1882 at Windsor Station.
Had he been a little more cool or a
more excellent shot, this assailant
would most certainly have succeeded
in his purpose.