3-052-364 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The attempt to shoot the King of Spain at Madrid, 1880. '...silly and wicked act of an ignorant young fellow, Francis Otero, calling himself Gonzalez, a waiter in a confectioner's shop...Otero, who is but nineteen years of age...does not seem to be connected with any political faction, but...lost his employment, and thought of committing suicide...he got a pistol, and...with it committed this wanton outrage, happily not fatal to his Majesty Alfonso XII. The young King was...driving, as he very frequently does, a mail-phaeton and a pair, having the Queen upon his left hand and two grooms behind, and without escort of any kind...As the carriage entered, almost at foot pace, [the assassin], pushing the sentry on one side, forced his way so close to the carriage as to touch the wheels. On seeing him, the King, divining his intention, bent his head, which action may possibly have saved his life, as the ball passed close behind him, touching the hair. It is said that the Queen, on hearing the report, bent eagerly forward, uttering a sharp cry, and placed her arms round her husband...the criminal, on firing the second shot, ran off in the direction of the Calle Mayor...He was, however, almost immediately arrested...'. From "Illustrated London News", 1880.