The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-04-22
Hartman's Story.

Hartmsnn's account of the Moscow
attempted regicide is as follows: Ot
course my real name is neither Hart
mann nor Mayer. I have used many
aliases while carrying out our plans.
Ny true name. however, is by no means
unknown to high Russian officials and
members of the Third Section, and even
to Loris Melikof. After conducting q
propaganda in different parts of Russia
last summer, which led to my arrest
and escape from Kief Prison, l was de-
tailed to carry out the Cars execution.
have practical knowledge of military
operations and the force of explosions,
and suppose it was on that account l
was selected to conduct the attempt.
Going to Moscow, hired small house
| few, miles outside of the city and stu
ated within some forty yards of the main
| line of railway. The house was in q
wretched condition. was dressed as a
laborer, kept quiet and went about for
some time as if attending to my place.
After l had satisfied myself that all
suspicion was averted, set tc work,
aided by two companions, one of whom
has long been my colleague. The
nearest house was barely visible, and in
the evening, while two stood on the
watch, the third undertook to dig lit
tie trench with spade in the frozen
ground. The trench wasdug but spade
deep and wide, or FIVE inches by five
inches. 1t ran from the railway to the
small clubhouse attached TO my dwell
ing. The ground was very hard, and as
we had to proceed. cautiously. the dig
ging occupied several days. In the
trench, as we proceeded with it, four
insulated wires were laid, and every
night as we finished our work we filled
the trench that had been cut, carefully
removing all traces of excavation. The
trench wasedug along furrow in the
open field. The dynamite we made our
selves in the house, and put it into, four
strong iron TASKS, each Of which held q
little over an English pound. When
everything was nearly completed, our
plan all but fell through, owing to the
failure of the Moscow electrician, whose
suspicion was aroused, to deliver the
batteries to fire the mine. This oc-
CURED the day before the explos-
ion. My comrades and myself almost
despaired, when but few hours be-
fore we had congratulated ourselves
on the completion of our. task. The
TASKS containing the dynamite had
been safely wrapped up and laid in a
deep hole dug between the metals and
beneath one of the wooden sleepers. My
resolve was soon taken. / sent my COM
rades away to friendly peasant some
twenty miles off in the south, and set
out myself to secure the batteries. With
some little difficulty I persuaded the
electrician to intrust them to me, and /
at once returned and passed the night
alone in the solitary house on the steppe.
The wires soon connected, and all was
in readiness for the coming train. My
explanation is simple enough. We were
kept thoroughly informed of the Cars
movements. We received warning that
pursuing his usual custom he would
leave the official train, in which figure
representing the Gar would be seated
at window of the saloon-carriage, while
the Gar himself, expecting thus to
escape all danger, travelled disguised as
a railway servant. A telegram told me
all was right, and the Gar was coming,
and as the train passed fired the mine,
hoping to see the Emperor blown to the
winds. The wreck of the train was
blown away from the house, but to my
chagrin soon learned that the Gar,
thinking himself safe from danger, had
changed trains a few miles of, so as to
enter Moscow in state. at once set of
in sleigh and rejoined my friends. We
remained quietly within twenty miles OF
the scene for one week, and then travelled
10 Kherson, going thence to friends al
Odessa. Here we all shipped for Turkey
| on board the Italian steamer Florentina,
I being, in fact. employed as an engineer
From Constantinople we took passage to
France by way of the Levant. On ar
irving in Paris, ] went about with my
friends. When walking in the Champs
Elysees, February Ia, with three friends
the mouchards who had been following
us came up. Three of them seized me
and 1 was arrested. My companions
succeeded in knocking their captori
down and escaping, and was taken tc
Mazas. My friends went TO M Clemen
ceau, who advised them to employ Engle
hart. municipal councelor, which they
did, and eventually was conducted BY
a naouchard to Calais and put on boart
the steamer for Dover. Although ex
PEELED from France, no official pape
was issued. My friends waited in
wine shop in the Avenue Vincennes fo
my release, and wishout making them
selves known, accompanied me to Lon
dom"