FLORENCE YESTERYEARS: 104 years ago
September 16, 1898
The Empress Elizabeth of Austria was assassinated Saturday afternoon by an Italian anarchist. She was stabbed with a stiletto. Her Majesty was walking from her hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, to the landing place of her steamer when the anarchist suddenly approached and stabbed her to the heart. The Empress fell, got up again, and was carried to the steamer unconscious. The murderer is a man born in Paris of Italian parents. The prisoner offered no resistance. He even sang as he was walked along, saying: "I did it," and "She must be dead."
Engine 502, pulling an extra east-bound stock train, blew up Wednesday morning near Quenemo. Firemen John Murray and Brakeman Ben West were killed and Engineer Grady was badly injured. It is not known what caused the explosion.
September 9, 1898
President McKinley spent five hours in Camp Wikoff Saturday, bareheaded most of the time, visiting the sick in the hospital. He made a speech to the assembled infantrymen, reviewed the cavalrymen, and issued an order directing the regulars to return to their stations east of the Mississippi.
The Presbyterian church in Yates Center was struck by lightning last night while services were in progress. The damage was confined to the steeple. The congregation was badly frightened, but the preacher proceeded and continued to the conclusion of the sermon.
