Weekly News. — 1891-09-17 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

MURDER.  From Rome comes the news of another atrocious political murder which has just been committed at Cesena, in the Romagna. Pio Battistini, the head of the group of Socialists at Cesena, was walking, in company %kb one of his Socialist friends, Di Lorenzi—commonly called Pacciachella—under the portico which leads from the Church of the Suffrages into the Piazza Victor Emanuel. At a certain point he remarked that a strange; was eyeing him closely. Battistini asked Di Lorenzi if he knew who the man was, and the latter answered "No." "Then what does he want with us?" asked Battistini. In the meanwhile the two had crossed the narrow street of Belle Stalle, which leads into a labyrinth of other lanes and turnings. The stranger stationed himself at the corner of the street, and suddenly tired a pistol at Baaistini, who immediately fell to the ground. Di Lcrenzi turned round at the report, and started after the assassin down the narrow Street, firing his revolver at him. He says he is almost certain that a bullet struck the runaway man, but Di Lorenzi was unfortunately stopped by the people, who flocked in the narrow lane, and who thus helped the murderer to escape. It is not yet certain whether the assassin had accomplices stationed near, or whether the people merely ian out at the sound of the shot. Di Lorenzi asserts that the assassin was dressed in peasant's clothing. Battistini was only able to utter a few words concerning his family and then expired upon the spot where he had fallen. The corpse was taken to the hospital, where Dr. Della Massa certified that death had been caused by a bullet fired from a large revolver at close range. The ball had pierced through the body, coming out at the chest. The Romayna and the Boloyna newspap?rs state that the occurrence has made a deep impression at Cesena. There was a tumultuous scene when the murdered man's brother, running up, found the still palpitating body. His son was at the theatre when lie heard of hie father's murder; the entire audience lett the performance at once. The shops ! were all closed, and remained closed during the next day. Very few people are to be seen in the streets. A manifesto protesting against the atrociotr; misdeed was immediately issued by the Socialist and Republican Club. The Municipal Council assembled in haste, and passed a resolution to the effect that they would resign rather than remain in office where such monstrous crimes were continually being perpetrated. They stigmatised the murder of Battistini as a shameful action, worthy only of the times of the most tyrannical rule. The Council is composed of Republicans, and Battistini was a Socialist. The assassin was a man of short stature, and had reddish hair. He has not yet been arrested.  It is understood says the Times Calcutta correspondent, that the Ameeer of Cabul is taking steps to obtain from England a geologist, a chemist, two miners, and a number of mechanics. A Rangoon telegram states that it is reported from Bangkok that the French force marched to Batabong and arrested the local authorities there and then returned to Cambodia, taking with them the chief of Batabong. The cause of this aggression on Siamese territory is not stated. An inland letter, dated August 20th, received at Singapore, gives details of the way in which Mr. Grew, the medical missionary, was shamefully maltreated for hours by the personal bodyguard of the Governor-General of Manchuria. Mr. Oreig was afterwards imprisoned for three days in Kirin, the gaolers pleading the direct orders of the Governor. rapers up to Si ptember 3rd contain indignant appeals to the Governor-General, who had suppressed the Imperial edict protecting foreigners. Ws dismissal is demanded.  John Guenther, of Buffalo, New York, became enraged at some bystanders who had commented upon his efforts to teach a young man to ride a bicycle. Drawing a revolver he shot Frank Smith dead. 'jr. ti-orge Irwin, son of the chairman of the Leeds Conservative Association, and Mr. George Joy have been drowned at Scarborough by the apsizing of a dingy in which they were proceeding to their yacht. A fire at Salvages (France) has destroyed six houmes aol lour workshops. It was nnessary to pull down peveral other h,uses to arrest the progress ot thisdiAnua. Two hundred and fifty men are