(As published in The Glasgow Herald)
Madrid, August 8, 4.40 p.m. – An official telegram received here from Santa Agueda announces that Señor Canovas del Castillo, the Spanish Premier, has been assassinated by an Anarchist. His assailant fired three shots from a revolver. Señor Canovas died an hour later. His last words were “Long live Spain”
Later – The murderer of Señor Canovas has been arrested. He is a Neapolitan, and gives his name as Rinaldi, but it is stated his name is really Michele Anguine Golli. The Cabinet Ministers are assembled in permanent council, under the presidency of Senor Cos-Gayon, Minister of the Interior, who has been entrusted with the Permiership ad interim. The Bath of Santa Agueda, where the assassination took place, are situated at Guesalibar, in the Basque Provinces, between San Sebastian and Vittoria. From the latter place they are distant about twenty miles. Senor Canovas left San Sebastian for Guesalibar last Thursday, intending to remain there for a course of the baths, after which he proposed to return to San Sebastian to meet the new United States Minster, General Woodford.
7 p.m. – The attack on Senor Canovas was made in the presence of his wife. The Premier was shot in the forehead and chest, and fell at his wife’s feet.
Antonio Canovas del Castillo was born at Malaga on February 8, 1828. After going through a course of philosophy and law, he adopted the career of journalism, but soon abandoned this for politics. In 1852 he was sent to the Cortes by his native town. The same year he received an appointment in the Ministery of the Interior, and two years later was nominated Charge d’Affaires at Rome. After filling various posts, Senor Canovas became Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet in 1864. He held the portfolios of Finance and the Colonies in the O’Donnell Cabinet, shortly before the revolution of September, 1868, he was banished from Spain. He was one of the leaders of the movement which brought Alfonso XII to the Spanish throne.
After the pronunciamento of Genral Marinez Campos, Senor Canovas was appointed at the end of 1874 President of the Regency Ministry and on the accession fo the King remained at the head of the Cabinet of Conciliation. He resigned in September, 1875, but assumed office again two months later. He repressed the second attempt of the Carlists to provoke civil war and the first insurrection in Cuba. Disagreeing with General Campos as to the conduct of the campaign in Cuba, Senor Canovas requested the King to appoint that officer Premier ; but owing to the opposition which his proposals encountered General Campos resigned, and Senor Canovas again assumed the conduct of affairs. His Cabinet was overthrown by a coalition between Senor Sagasta and Marshal Campos. Senor Sagasta become Premier in 1885 while Senor Canovas was elected President of the Chamber. Senor Canovas returned to power in 1890, and reconstructed his Cabinet in the following year. In December, 1892, Senor Canovas resigned, and was succeeded by Senor Sagasta.
An Anarchist outrage was perpetuated at his house in 1893, and the man was killed. On the defeat of the Sagasta Cabinet in March, 1895, Senor Canovas again formed a Cabinet, which now holds office.
