Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1904 — ANOTHER VICTIM OF FINN REVENGE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ANOTHER VICTIM OF FINN REVENGE

Von Plehve, Russian Home Minister, Killed with a Bomb. f) ASSASSIN AT ONCE ARRESTED Himself Mortally Wounded, Prob ably, by His Own Device. ACCOMPLICE IS ALSO CAPTURED Minister Dies Like the Emperor Alexander, the Assassination Taking Place in the Street While He Was Driving. St Petersburg, July 29. —As Minister of Justice Muravieff was driving to the Peterhof palace to report to the emperor the assassination of Von Plehve stones were thrown at him, and his carriage windows were broken by unknown persons. St Petersburg, July 29. M. von Plehve, minister of the interior, wa9 assassinated at 9:50 a. m. yesterday by a bomb thrown at his carriage while he was driving to the Baltic station to take a train for the palace at Peterhof, where he was to make his weekly report to the emperor. The assassination is believed to be the outcome of a widesrpead plot, the exist-

ence of which has been suspected for several days. Numerous arrests have already been made,? including that of the assassin, a young man who is believed to be a Finn name Leglo, and who is now in a hospital severely and perhaps fatally injured by the explosion of his own bomb. Aagasfcln'g Accomplice Captured. An accomplice of Leglo, also apparently a Finn, but whose name is unknown, has been arrested. He had in his possession a bomb which he tried to throw, but he was overpowered by the police just In time to prevent great loss of life. The assassin wore a brown overcoat and a railroad official's cap. He stood on the sidewalk just as Minister von Plehve's carriage was about to cross the canal bridge near the station.

Threw HU Bomb Only Too Well. The minister was escorted by a number of detectives on bicycles, and one of them jostled the assassin, who then rushed Into the road and threw the bomb after the carriage. The missile struck the hind wheel and exploded with fearful force, killing or wounding over a score of persons. Minister von Plehve and his coachman were killed outright, and an officer of the guard was fatally Injured. TERRIBLE FORCE OF TUE EXPLOSION Paving Stone* Ground to Powder—Everybody In the Street Hurt. One of the cyclist detectives arrested the assassin, who endeavored to escape, though wounded by splinters in the face, arm and abdomen. He made no attempt at resistance, however, when seized by the detective, and confessed his crime but refused to give his name. The police immediately after the explosion arrested a suspicious individual who took refuge in a hotel opposite the scene of the tragedy. He carried a bomb similar to that thrown by Leglo. As soon as the police saw the bomb they scattered, but an employe of the hotel rushed up behind the accomplice and pinned his arms. The force of the explosion was so terrific that it not only broke every window within a radius of half a mile but reduced the heavy paving stones to powder, heaved up the pavement and flung a heavy piece of the iron work of the carriage across the canal, severing the thick mast of a barge, which fell, stunning the captain of the barge. Everybody in the street was knocked down and more or less bruised. IMPRESSIVE RELIGIOUS RITES Began an the Scene of the Murder—Continned nt Plehve’* Heme. When the officers of the law, headed by Minister of Justice Muravieff, had terminated the necessary formalities by drawing up a written report of

the crime the mangled remains of the minister of the Interior were conveyed to a humble chapel adjoining the station, the windows of which miraculously escaped destruction. The priests and people, with characteristic Russian piety, at once Joined in a solemn requiem. The square In front of the station wasfilledwith a reverent crowd of peasants and laborers, and the busy hum of traffic was silenced. A no less impressive service was conducted at the minister’s stately residence in the evening to which only intimate friends were invited by M. von Plehve’s assistant, Pumovo, who is temporarily in charge of the ministry of the interior. The magnificent staircase and the reception rooms were draped in block. The body of the minister was completely covered by a white shroud, which concealed the ghastly mutilations. It repowd in a black and silver casket in a corner of the vast hall, surrounded by luxuriantpalms. Gen d’armerle and non-com-missioned officers stood sentinel at the head of the casket, while at Its foot were two high officials of the tryThehallandtheadjoinlngrooms which are decorated in the Byzantine style somewhat resembling a church, were crowded with distinguished personages, including Grand Duke Alexis, the high admiral; Admiral Avellan, chief of the admiralty; Prince Hilkoff, minister of railroads; Minister von Plehve’s associates, M. Wahle, M. Duranovo and M. Sevastianoff, and the members of the diplomatic corps in full force, including Spencer Eddy, United States charge d’affaires; Sir Charles Hardlnge, the British ambassador, and M. Bompard, the French ambassador. A special edition of The Official Messenger contained only a brief announcement of the death of M. von Plehve, and the intimation that an official requiem would be conducted. Minister of Justice Muravieff went to the Peterhof palace to report the assassination of Minister von Plehve to Emperor Nicholas. His majesty did not leave the palace during the entire day although he had arranged to go to Oranienbaum (nineteen miles from St. Petersburg! to attend the consecration of the new harbor. The empress has not been informed of the tragedy in view of the hourly expectation of her accouchement.

RUSSIAN VIEW OF THE DEAD MAN Hl* Taking Off nn Irreparable Lo**—Wn» Back of Great Reforms. St. Fetersburg, July 20.—The disappearance from the stage of public life of M. von Plehve is recognized by all acquainted with the Inner workings of the government of Russia as an irreparable loss. Von Plehve during his two years of office as minister of the interior left a profound mark on the administrative reforms which were slowly but surely leading the country towards more liberal institutions. It has been no secret to those who knew him well that he recognized the necessity of bestowing a large measure of self-government upon the people as soon as they had become fitted to receive it. M. von Plehve said to one of his friends recently that he was preparing the way for a modified form of the parliamentary system suitable to Russia. and for the revision of existing peasant and zemstvo laws which had been undertaken at his initiative, llis cautious treatment of these questions was dictated by the fear of allowing the revolutionary forces to get the upper hand, and this fear led to the repressive measures which were responsible for so much misrepresentation abroad regarding his true character, and also regarding his policy. He counselled the enforced Russification of Finland chiefly out of the apprehension that the revolutionary element in the grand duchy was becoming too strong, and that element, it is now believed, brought about his death. It was part of his plan that the Finns should share the liberties which were to eventually be bestowed upon the whole of Russia.

M. VON PLEHVE.