The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-27

- y june 20, rs just a year ago tO-m0rrOW, q SerO
youth on the streets Of Sarajevo. the capital Of Bosnia,
- fired the shot that set Europe at war.
The lad was Gavrilo Prinzep. a student not yet 20
years Of age. His victims were the Archduke Francis Ferdi.
nand. heir to the Austro- Hungarian throne, and the
Archdukcs wife. the Duchess Of Hohenburg. However afro
cious the murder, or however abhorrent II was to the world,
few saw in the tragedy the terrible significance that 1t at
tanned or imagined that it would result in the calamity which
followed.
The relations of the great Powers of Europe were appar-
entity not strained more than they had been for years. were
strained much less, in fact. than they were at the time that
this same province OF Bosnia was taken over by Austria or
Ct the beginning OF the Balkan war that had then just ter
minated. Still that shot, while not the cause, was the be-
snning-it was the flash that ignited the finder. the spark
that fired the magazines. and its echo is heard to-day in
the roar of artillery over more than half OF Europe.
The Archduke. accompanied by his wife, had gone to
earajevo to inspect the new Austrian possession and to wit
ness a military review. He had reason to feel a great interest
in Bosnia, for he had been largely instrumental in the daring
stroke of policy that had six years before effected its annexa-
ton to the dual monarchy.
At the time of this move he knew that the feeling Of the
Serbs. the predominant race in the province, was especially
bitter against him But he believed that time had somewhat
softened their resentment and So contrary 70 the counsel OF
his more conservative advisers and against the wish Of his
wife, he undertook the Journey, no doubt hoping that by
presenting the plans of reforms that he had conceived to gain
the peoples favor for the Government.
He might have been disillusoned from the start had he
no, been so determined to face the danger. for almost as soon
as he crossed the Bosnian border he was met by forebodins
songs and the waving OF Serbian colors. In Sarajevo there
was an anti-Austrian demonstration that required police sup
PtSsUu III ia DNlpic HIS tive
On the way from the railway station. which is about q
mile from the town, a bomb was hurled at the automobile in
which he was riding. The Archduke warded 1t of with his
arm and II fell under the second car. injuring slightly one
Of the aides de scamp and seriously injuring a number Of
spectators.
After this attempt upon his life the Duchess Of Hohen-
burg tried to dissuade the Archduke from entering the car
again, but the Governor Of Bosnia, Gen. Potiorek. exclaimed:
1T IS all over now. We have not more than one murderer
In Sarajevo!"
When the party finally reached the city hail. where a
reception was held in his honor, he interrupted the speech Of
welcome from the Mayor by saying: I'VE came to sarajevo
a n n visit n m lives W. been imnprilQd" he
authorities attempted to belittle the incident.
AS the party was leaving the building and had Just passed
through the bazaar quarter of the town Prinzep stepped out
70 the edge of the sidewalk and fired two shots. The first
struck the Duchess on the right side; the second hit the
Archduke in the neck and pierced the jugular vein. The
Duchess dropped unconscious across her husbands knees the
Archduke never recovered consciousness. Both were dead
before the car reached the hospital.
Such, in brief, was the crime that has been fraught with
Hapsburgs had been robbed Of an heir and Francis Joseph Of
Q prop in his old age. This man of sorrows. whose life had
been saddened by the tragedies Of his housewife had listened
TO the report of his brothers death in Mexico. his Empresss
ASSASSINATION in Switzerland, his sons mysterious death In a
hunting lodge-crumped UP when this last afiiction was
told to him.
Why have they spared me?' was the cry wrung from
the lips Of the aged monarch.
The whole world poured out its sympathy to this man