The Deed. A heavily wooded and lonely stretch of road in Greece. An automobile is approaching Santa Quaranta from Janina. In the car, Italian members of the International Commission for Delimitation of the Greco-Albanian frontier — General Tellini, Major Scorti, Lieutenant Conati, their interpreter and their chauffeur. The car is halted by a barricade of fallen trees. Shots ring out from the woods on either side of the road. . . . The five Italians are found dead. . . . The Greek Government expressed its profound regret to Italy. . . . The Ultimatum. The news of the murder was received throughout Italy with violent indignation. Demonstrations against Greece were reported in all provinces.
Premier Mussolini despatched an ultimatum to the Greek Government and demanded an answer within 24 hours: 1) Apologies of ample and official nature to be presented to the Italian Government through the legation in Athens, by the highest military authorities. 2) Solemn funeral ceremonies to be celebrated in honor of the victims of the massacre in the Catholic Cathedral at Athens, with attendance of all members of the Greek Cabinet. 3) Honors to the Italian flag to be rendered by the Greek fleet in the waters of Piraeus to the Italian Naval Division, which will go there for this purpose. The honors to take the form of 21 cannon shots by the Greek ships while flying the Italian colors on their main masts. 4) Full inquiry to be carried out on the scene of the massacre by the Greek authorities with the help of the Italian Military Attache, Colonel Perrone, for whose personal safety the Greek Government will be considered responsible. This inquiry to be concluded within five days of the acceptance of these conditions. 5) Capital punishment for all perpetrators of the crime. 6) Indemnity of 50,000,000 Italian lire (about $2,500,000) to be handed over within five days of the presentation of the Italian note. 7) Military honors to the bodies of the Italian officers when they are embarked on Italian warships to be taken to Italy. In conformity with Article 3 a portion of the Italian fleet was sent to Piraeus.
Greek Reply. The Italian ultimatum was received by the Greeks with heated resentment against its humiliating terms. Premier Gonatas replied to the Mussolini Government that Greece accepted articles 1, 2, 3 and 7, but that articles 4, 5 and 6 were unacceptable, as they infringed Greek sovereignty. The Agence d'Athene, semi-official Greek news bureau, said: " The Greek Government is ready to give every satisfaction compatible with its dignity and to make every reasonable reparation, but it cannot accept the humiliating conditions which are unprecedented in diplomatic annals." The Greek Government pointed out that it was not proved that the assassins were of Greek nationality, and denied that the crime was carried out " under the nose " of Greek authorities.