ASSAS'SINA'TION. The act of taking the life of any one by surprise or treacherous vio lence, either by a hired emissary, as in the case of political plots, or by a fanatic who hopes to further his ideas through the death of his vic tim, as in the case of anarchists (q.v.) in recent times. Generally the term is applied to the murder of a public personage by one who aims solely at the death of his victim. In ancient times assassination was not unknown, and was often even applauded, as in the scriptural in stances of Elind and .Jae), and in the murder of Hipp; rchus by Ilarniodins and Aristogiton. The following list includes the most important assas sinations, arranged in chronological order: Philip I if Macedon, fi.c. 336; Julius (tsar, 44; Thomas Becket, 1170; Albert I., Emperor of Germany, 1308: of Scotland, 14:37; Alessandro de' Mediei, 1537; Cardinal Beaton, 1546; David Rizzi°, 1566; Darnley, 1567; •)ageS. Earl of Murray, Regent of Scotland, 1570; Wil liam of ((range, 1584; Henry Ill, of France, by Jacques Climient, 1589; IV. of France, by Bavaillac, 1610; Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, by Felton, 1628; Wallenstein, 1634; Archbishop Sharp, 1679; Gustavus III. of Swe den, 1792; Marat, by Charlotte Corday, 1793: General Klaer, at Cairo, 1800; Paul, Czar of Russia. 1801; Perceval, English premier, by Bel
lingham, 1812; Kotzebue, the dramatist, 1819; Due de Berry, 1820; Charles ITT., Duke of Parma, 1854: Abraham Lincoln, by Booth, 1865:Michael, Prince of Servia, WS; Marshal Prim, 1870; Georges Darboy, Archbishop of Paris, by com munists, 1871; Earl of Mayo, Governor-General of India, 1872; Abdul Aziz, 1876; Alexander IT., Czar of Russia, 1881; President .1. A. Garfield, at Washington, by Guiteau, 1881: Lord Frederick Cavendish and T. 11. Burke, Phcenix Park, Dub lin, 1882; President Carrot of France, at Lyons, 1894; Stefan Stambuloff, in Sofia, Bulgaria, 1895; Empress Elizabeth, of Austria, at Geneva, 1,y an anarchist, 1898; King Humbert I., of Italy, at Monza, by an anarchist, Bresei. 1900; Presi dent William McKinley, at. Buffalo, N. Y., 1901. No mention is made here of the unsuccessful at tempts at assassination, which would include nearly all the crowned heads of Europe and many of the prominent statesmen of Europe and America in the list of prospective victims. For the origin of the word, see ASSASSINS.