Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-09
LEO flARTMANx.


st. Louis Republican Special
New YORK, August 4.-The fa-
nous Russian Nihilist, Leo Hart
mann. who arrived in the city, from
Rotterdam, on the 18th Of last month,
reached Canada to-day, having left
here the pre- 7ious night TO take refuge
under the British flag from the men
aces. of extraditiOn that were put out
By the State Department at Washing
ton. He did not desire to be sent
back by the American government to
st. Petersburg for execution as a trail
tor to the Gar. He was assured pro-
lection and safety in the Queens do
minions, having lived openly in Lon
don for over year before his arrival
in this country, aud having been there
officially informed-and at the time
the Russian ambassador was also in
formed that as his act of attempted
regicide at Moscow in 1874 was a po-
litical offense the British government
could take no cognizance of it and no
action in his case. One of his friends
said yesterday that Great Britain
would have fired her last shot and
blunted her last sabre against Russia
or any other foreign power before sur
rendering the principle that insured
him protection on her soil, or before
surrendering him under any demand
that might be made.
As soon, however, as Hartmann
arrival in this country had become
known, and Immediately after the pub
LEGATION in the Herald of his own
connection with the Moscow dynamite
railroad attempt on the Cars life, he
begun TO realize that no was In danger
from policy different from that which
prevails in Great Britain and other
countries he had visited after the
Moscow affair.
He had been in Holland, Switzer-
land, France and other countries, as
we'll as England, but though the Rus
sian government had tried every
means to secure his person, he had not
been delivered up. Before coming
here he had entertained no doubt of
his protection in the United STATE
and no thought of extradition. HOY
ever, sundry newspapers have made
demands for his surrender to Russia
rs a criminal guilty Of the attempt to
murder, and as no mention of his sur
render has eyer been mooted by the
LoRqon press during his stay there,
his apprehensions were aroused. Then
hints Of his extradltion began to come
from Washington. Mr.. Rlaine's Assist
ant Secretary, Hill, and spokesman
for Mr.. Blaine, said that Hartmann S
claim that his act was Of political
nature would not be taken into ac-
count by the State department; that
we had nothing to do with the politi-
cal aspects of the case; that if Hart
mann tried to take the life ola man,
whethe. the Gar or a private
citizen the United States government
would regard him as a murderer,
and that if the Russian government
presented satisfactory proofs, Hart
mann would be turned over to the
Russian courts. When Hartmann's
friends tried to gets Blaine's view,
Blaine would give them no further
satisfaction than to refer them to bill.
Hartmann's advisers having learned
these facts and seEeTal other things
that they refuse to make public, began
to realize that as long as ne remained
here he was in immediate danger of
seizure and extradition to Russia; to
be there tried in the Russian fashion,
not for the alleged crime of murder,
for which he would be Ostensibly sur
rendered, hlt fqr treason in compass
ing The czar's life. According I'd his
acquaintances in this city, Hartmann
was beset by Russian spies as soon as
his presence here was known. They
logged his footsteps wherever he went,
Watched every house he entered, took
note Of every movement he made and
there was an apprehension that he
might be kidnapped, and put aboard a
Russian ship in this port. Why, said
one of these acqufintances, the Rus
sian government would resort to any
means and pay the price for the de-
livery Of Hartmann, When he was
in Paris eighteen mOnths aga thg Rue.
sian ambassador, Prince Orlof, Made
desperate efforts to get hold Of him on
the promise Of the chancellorship in
the event OF his success. Hartmann
has in his possession an offer then
made by the Russian government Of a
reward Of half a million francs for hiA
delivery to the Russian tgontier, 1t
did not secure hh;;;, even at ii that price.