American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-04-26
THE RUSSIAN NIHHISTS.

The Secret, Oath-Bound Organization
that Threatens the Overthrow of the
Russian Government.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 15.-Tele-
grams were received Friday and Saturday
last from the Berlin Secret Police, giving
warning that on Easter an attempt would
be made to assassinate the Emperor, the
CZarowitch, or some member of the I'm
perial family. In consequence OF these tel
egrams from Berlin the usual entrance to
the Winter Palace was closed, and the CZar-
owitch went at midnight to the Easter Eve
reception of the Car, escorted by four Co.'S
sacks. 1t is said the neads of the secret po-
lice are about to resign, having discovered
that three-fOurths of the force are in league
with the Nihilists. Letters from Kieff state
that between the Sth and 11th inst. five at
tempts at murder were made against Off
cials there.
The name of the assailant of the Gar is
now ascertained to be Solowjeff. This
morning Solowjeff was insensible, but was
expected to rally. No papers were found
upon him. Throughout Monday night all
suspected hous were searched. Last week
the revolutionary committee issued a proc
lamation threatening the life of the En-
peror and second st. Bartholomew mas
sacre.
LONDON, April 15.-With respect to
the attempt, yesterday, upon the life of the
Gar, the following Information concerning
the Committee of the revolutionary asso-
citation of Russia has been obtained from au-
thentic sources: This Committee is compos-
ed of elected representatives OF a great num-
Der of local and secret Nihilist and other
revolutionary associations. 1t has in its
ranks artisans, students, public officials,
peasants, military officers, and women OF
low and high birth The fidelity of the mem
bers to each other have been perfect, save in
two instances, and in each of these the
would-b traitor has been killed ere he fully
carried out his treason. This secret Com
mittee acts as secret court, and tries, SEN
fences and executes officials of the Empire
for acts which it considers worthy Of death.
1t is believed that the committee, OF which
branches exist in each OF the large cities,
send their decisions to the Chief, who either
approves or disapprOves, and il the former,
designates the person to carry out the sen :
tence. 1t has been through the agency of
this committee that Gen. Prepoff, Chief of
the Secret Police, was shot by Vera Sassu-
Itch: his successor, Gen. Mezazeff, killed !;
Gen. Drentelen shot at; Prince krapOtnine,
Governor of Charkoff, shot; and Col. Knapp
of Odessa, choked to death. Through the
same agency many of the subordinate Off
Moscow, Odessa Logauretg, kieff, and
other places, have been slain. Vera
Sassulitch was the only one of the
assassins who has been arrested, and
she escaped and is now in safety. The pO-
lice are themselves suspected OF being i'm
plicated in the conspiracy, or by being so
alarmed by it as to be afraid to make arrests.
For some days past proclamations of the
secret committee have been sent directly to
the Gar, and numbers of them have been
received by members of the Imperial house
hold. The state of feeling in official circles
at st. Petersburg and Moscow is represented
as being one of mingled terror, rage and mu-
tual suspicion, and it is even said that the
attempted assassination of yesterday was the
result of a plot to which the Crown Prince
was not stranger. This calumny, however,
is not believed to have the slightest founda-
ton.