The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-07-24
A { SSASS 8 NATION
WAS FEARED BY
ARCHDUKE FRANZ

tBy Associated Press to The Bannerl
Copenhagen, June 30-(By Mail to
New York What purport to be hith-
erto unpublished facts relating to the
assassination of Archduke Franz Fer
dinand, of Austria showing that he
had a strong premonition of ap-
preaching death, are contributed to
the Berlin Tagebatt by it's correspond
ent at the Austroltalian front.
The correspondents informants, ac-
cording to this dispatch are persons
of high standing, some of whom were
eye witnesses to the Serajevo TRACE
dy which has been described as hav-
ing supplied the match that set the
world aflame.
Indications of the Archduke's uneas.
mess, it is asserted, were apparent
while he was driving along the quay
at Trieste to board the steamship
for Serajove. He repeatedly glanced
up at houses fronting on the water,
as if suspecting a bomb plot. At Gu
maja Bridge, in Serajevo, however,
when Gabrinovtch hurled bomb
which landed on the collapsed top of
the Austra-Eungarian heirs carriage,
the Archduke showed remarkable
presence of mind by sweeping the
death-dealing missile away with his
hand. Falling to the ground, the
bomb exploded, damaging the third
automobile in the line of the parade
and wounding the adjutant, Lieutant
Colonel Count Merizzi.
After the injured officer had been
removed to a hospital, the archducal
pair proceeded to the City Hall. At
the conclusion of the ceremonies
there, consultation was held as to
the advisability of carrying out the
program which had been announced
for the royal visitors. Contrary to
the accepted version of the episode,
which described Ferdinand as insist
ing that the program be carried out
despite the urgent advice of members
of his party in opposition to the plan,
the heir to the throne is now quoted
as having asked:
What shall we do now? Shall we
continue to permit ourselves to be
shot dead?"
General Petirek is said to have
proposed either that the city should
| be punished by the cancellation of the
program or that the streets be clear
ed and the ceremonies carried out as
arranged. To the latter proposal, the
Archduke, after brief reflection, is
said to have replied;
ITO carry out the program after
/ clearing the streets doesn't suit me.
We had better drop the program en-
| tirely. / only wish to visit Merizzi."
In Difference to the Archdukes wish
es, the party was divided, the royal
pair proceeding on their way to the
hospital to visit the wounded adult
ant. In the prevailing confusion ac.
cording to the latest version of the
tragedy, the chauffeur assigned to the
Archdukes car disregarded his in
structions. Count Harrach, the offic-
er who had been detailed to the Arch
dukes machine appeared on the run
ming board of another car on the op-
posite side of the street When the
Archduke's chauffeur started off in
the wrong direction, Count Harrach,
1t is said, called to him to halt, thus
affording the assassin, Princip, an un.
expected opportunity to fire the ia
tai shots at Ferdinand and his wife
| from distance of only few feet.
The Tageblatt's correspondent as
serts that, after the bomb outrage in
which the adjutant was injured, Gen.
eral Petierek assured the Archduke
there would be no further attempt to
assassinate him, as plotters all had
been arrested. Ferdinand, however,
is described as having looked at him
somewhat sceptically and saying:
81 don't believe it. We will get sew.
eral bullets yet"