Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1896 — SHAH’S SON ACCUSED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SHAH’S SON ACCUSED.

Ugly Rumor that He Is Responsible for Hi a Father’* Death. It is rumored that the assassination of the Shah of Persia was brought about by the machinations of his eldest son, Missoud Mirzia, Governor of Ishpahan. The latter was -born in 1850, while the new shah, second son of the dead monarch,

was born in 1853. But the latter is an offspring of a wife of higher rank and thus was chosen to succeed his father in place of Massoud, his elder brother. He has often rebuked Mirzia for his unruliness and in 1888 recalled' him and only allowed him to return to Ishpahau after disbanding some of the regiments and ordering him to pay more than the usual tribute. Massoud Mirzia, who is also known as the zilles sultan, or shadow of the kingdom, resented this treatment and it was believed that he might make an attempt to usurp, the throne. Massoud Mirzia, who is enormously rich, is unpopular on account of his severity and intolerance, and, on the other hand,, Muzaffer-ed-Din, the new shah, is imieh loved by the people of the province of Azerboijan, where the Persian army is chiefly recruited. He is a keen sportsman, Tike' hisrfnther. Inm»«r- • diately after the death of the heir apparent (Valiandj Muzaffer-ed-Din. was proclaimed shall. Russia and Great Britain recognized Musnffer-ed-Din as heir to the Persian throne in 1858. According to details of the assassination, the shah, accompanied by Grand Vizier and a number of attendants, paid a visit to the shrine of Shah (Abdul Azim. Two chains barred the way to the inner court ot the shrine. The sba’h had just passed the first chain, when the assassin upjAoaehed him and, when (within a few feet of him, fired a revolver, the bnitet from which struck the shah pear the heart. His majesty fell forw.ard npon his knees, but pose to his.feet and walked a few paces, when he fell again.

The assassin was immediately seized and hurried away. The shah at once became unconscious and was taken to his carriage and conveyed to the palace in Teheran. When the physicians arrived at the palace they found thp shah dead and certified that his death was caused by a bullet lodged in the pericardial region, between the sixth and seventh ribs.

THE SHAH OF PERSIA.