The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-05

Apparently the latest plot Of the king
killers was conducted up to a certain point
with great intelligence and large adapta-
was desired to attain, Indeed, there is such
a resolute intensity of purpose displayed
in all that is to this time disclosed of this
scheme of assassination as is likely to ex-
tort admiration and wonder from people
not at all in sympathy with such atrocious
projects. But, on the other hand, the
scheme, SO well contrived and executed to
a certain point, failed through fact 80
natural and simple and of such likely oc-
currence as to imply that the plotters must
have been persons of very small intelli-
gence not to have foreseen it. The imperial
train started half an hour behind baggage
train of twenty-five cars. It is evident that
the consHi1fprs of Moscow were informed
by telegraph 81 this fact. and that they had
to look outSfor two trains at about the
time the Gar was to arrive, and had
to let the first pass safely and
blow up the second. They never consid-
cred or provided against the possibility
that the order of the trains might be
changed on the way, and yet that they
would so be changed might from the first
have been regarded as but little short OF
certainty. It was not, of course, absolutely
certain, for there is the likelihood that the
baggage train was sent ahead of tho impe-
rial train from the consideration that 1t
was we'll to provide against difficulties on
hov tn ha
police that if o heavy freight train went
over the road only a few miles in advance
of the Emperor it would guarantee the
safety of the way for his car. Aside from
the possibility that the trains were moved
in their first order for that reason, if 1t was
only an accident of the railway service
that the freight went out half an hour
ahead of the Emperor, then it was
an absolute certainty that the far swifter
imperial train would soon overtake
the other and that the freight train would
be switched into siding to let the En-
peror pass. Facts of that nature are Of
constant occurrence on railroads all over
the world. 1t does not require the prestige
of an emperors presence to give special
train the right OF way. for the same prece-
dence is given to board of directors out
on jamboree, or even to passengers by the
s'lightDing express. That the Russian
conspirators did not provide against this
possibility only proves once more the gen.
eral truth that all murderers or would-be
murderers are fools at last However care
full or acute or far-reaching or thor
oughly we'll considered their plans seem
there is always some point in them
utterly imbecile. Had these Russians been
thoroughly scientific scoundrels they would
have had confederate at the last point on
the road where trains could be switched
and system of signals arranged from that
point. They relied apparently upon the
theory that the Emperor's train was to fol-
low the freight all the way for the sake of
safety, and that was certainly o natural
view. But as variation was possible, and
as such variation would totally defeat
the purpose for which they had labored SO
strenuousy, it seems a remarkable lapse
that they did not at least make such pro-
vision as would exclude this as possible
cause of failure Happily for Russia
the would-be sssassins Of kings are not
more successful on her soil than in other
countries.