Dr. Constantin Angelescu, acting minister of the interior while Dr. Vayda Voevod is on his vacation, was the victim of an attempted assassination yesterday afternoon when a Macedonian youth, a member of the anti-Semitic youth organization, the Iron Guard, invaded the office of the ministry of the interior and fired five shots into Dr. Angelescu’s body. Although he was badly injured it is reported that he will recover.
His assailant, who was overpowered and captured after the shooting by other officials of the department, has been arrested. The would-be murderer was George Beza, a 22-year old student. Because of his affiliation with the Iron Guard it had at first been believed that the attempt on Dr. Angelescu’s life was due to the severity with which he had been carrying out the government’s orders to suppress the anti-Semitic disturbances in Bukowina and prevent their spread into Bessarabia.
After his arrest Beza said that his deed was not inspired by hostility against Dr. Angelescu because of his measures against anti-Semitism but was prompted by a desire to demonstrate against the government’s alleged bad treatment of the Macedonians in Dobrudja.
Dr. Angelescu has long been prominent in Roumanian politics, having served in various cabinets as minister of public instruction, minister of public works and minister of the interior. As Roumanian minister to the United States, he headed a mission to that country in 1917.
While political circles are aroused over the attempt to assassinate Dr. Angelescu the government has taken further measures to prevent the spread of anti-Semitic disturbances by forbidding the weekly market days in Bessarabia. While no reason was given for this order it is believed to be an attempt to forestall any anti-Semitic disturbances because the experience in the past has been that attacks on the Jews usually coincide with the market days when large crowds of peasants come into the towns from the surrounding villages and hamlets.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
