Grave Loss To Europe.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 19, 1913:
King George Could Least Be Spared of All Leaders, Says J. L. Baird.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Wednesday, March 19.— The newspaper editorials express horror and indignation at the dastardly act of assassination. The deepest sympathy is extended to the Greek nation.
    The London Times says:
    "The tragedy of death at the hand of an assassin is heightened by the fact that he was slain in the hour of victory, which was in great part clue to his sagacity and steadfast obedience to the call of duty."
    Other papers point out the fact that the late King was spared the troubles which will assuredly come before the conquered territories are distributed among the Balkan allies, but agree that in Premier Venizeles the new King has the guidance of the wisest statesman in Greece.
    J. L. Baird, Parliamentary Secretary to Andrew Bonar Law, saw the late King in Athens less than a fortnight ago, says that the effect of his assassination will be deplorable and widespread. The King could least be spared among the leaders of men in Europe in such difficult times as the present.
    The Crown Prince, who now comes to the throne, acquitted himself with great credit in the present war. Foreign experts who watched the Greek Army in action are full of his praises. He distinguished himself not only by his valor in the field, but also by his skill in strategy. His greatest achievement has been the capture of Yanina, where he made prisoners of 30,000 Turks. This feat of arms, which restored the prestige of the Greek Army, was conducted under the direct guidance of the Crown Prince. He massed the whole Greek forces against a redoubt on the right wing of the Turkish defense, and thus led the Turks to prepare for an attack in that quarter. Then, by a skillful night march, he swung the whole of his army around to attack the Turkish left wing in the early morning. The attack was wholly successful, although it cost the Greeks very heavily in men. They captured by assault the redoubts on the Turkish left wing, and the other Turkish soldiers, seeing their comrades fleeing from the left wing, surrendered to the victor.
    The death of the King throws nearly every Court in Europe into mourning. He was uncle of the King of England, the Czar of Russia, the King of Denmark, the King of Norway, and of Prince Ernst of Cumberland.
    Many interesting stories are told of the late King. Once his disregard for kingly conventions nearly cost him his life. He was walking alone near the palace, when the challenge of a sentinel rang out: "Who goes there?" The King did not reply. Again came the sentinel's challenge. Still the King did not reply. Then the silence was broken by the report of a rifle. The bullet pierced the sleeve of the King's overcoat.
    The next day the King complimented the terrified sentry on doing his duty and decorated him with the Order of the Redemptor.
    Old Greek officers declare that at one time the King used to compete in Greek amateur athletic sports under the name of George Papadapoulos. Once he was so successful that feeling ran high among the spectators, who suspected that he was a professional athlete. Only by revealing his identity to the police was the King able to escape from the mob.
    The King was Queen Alexandra's favorite brother. He often walked through the crowded streets of London entirely unattended, and during the days immediately following King Edward's death he and his brother, the late King of Denmark, frequently mingled with the crowd in front of Buckingham Palace and listened to sympathetic references to King Edward.