Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-09

Saved Almost by a MiracIe-A Myster-
ious Visitor.

Saved Almost by Miracie-A MYster-
iOus Visitor.
Among the forbidden literature" now
circulating in Russia, says the New York
Herald, is the story ofo Of the most dar-
ing and dramatic plots ever recorded in
the history Of political assassination. The
narrative is founded on events which are
said to have taken place in St. Petersburg
shortly after Gen. Gourko had been
called from Odessa to act as quasi-mili-
tary governor of the Russian capital. One
bright May morning, when the excite
ment was at its height, the watehful eve
OF a policeman posted at the top of the
Nevsky Prospect caught sight of an
equipage coming up the thOrOughfare at
a trOt. It bore armOrial devices well
known in the Russian capital; the coach
man was there, who persisted in being
wigged in defiance of his masters orders,
to the great merriment of St. Petersburg
jehuss on each side rode the regular
escort Of six mounted COssacks, each
holding his lance in rest and wearing his
ball of forage slung over his shoulder
more as If he was campaigning on the Don
than upon civil service in the streets OF
the capital. Gen. Gourko and his
escort-the guardian of the peace had
easily recognized and hastily saluted his
chief, the new Project of Police-turned
into the Cavalry parade, at the top of the
Neysky Prospect, and at once made their
way into the Alexander square, on the
NeVa side Of which rose the massive and
somewhat fantastic outlines of the Winter
/ Palace. The equipage having drawn up
at the side entrance Of the building the
| General alighted and rang. On the door
keeper presenting himself-an officer of
the Emperor's private guard-the Project
briefly stated the object Oh his visit. He
/ desired an immediate conference with
the Car. The hour was early, true, day
having only just dawned. At the same
time his business brooked no delay-it
concerned the safety of the Emperor him
| self. The janitOT was at first memorable,
| eXpostulating that his imperial master
had been already in bed an hour. Yet at
I last he yielded. Up the broad staircase
they went together; they trod on gor-
geoqs carpe.o, brushed past the wealth Of
me ~ inter Palace in malachite and lapis
/ lazuG, only pausing in their ascent when
4 they had reached landing giving access
1 to one Of the capaciOus saloons. At this
4 point Gen GourkO was instructed to
wait At this point, too, the Cars officer
4 seems to have repented Of his decision.
I The narrative represents him as closely
1 scrutinizing the Project of Police in the
/ growing light, and subsequently proceed
/ ing in the direction of the EmperOr's
4 sleeping apartments, in no great haste to
arouse royalty from its first slumber.
The man did not arouse the Gar at all.
What he did was to descend to the guard
room and despatch a messenger. The
man left the palace on the Neva side. He
there took droshky, and drove past the
side entrance into the NeYsky. During
his absence the Gar calmly slept on;
Gen. GOurk0 impatiently paced the
saloon, and the military guardian of the
imperial bedchamber went about giving
some orders to the palace guards.
In quarter of an hour the messenger
returned. He had been sent to Gen.
| Gourko's residence, in the Nevsky Pros
pect, and he brought back the information
| that the Project Of Police was at that mo-
ment in bed. The early visitor was thus an
lmpostOr. He was something more; for
! from his pockets, after he had been seized
/ and pinioned, they drew forth a slX-bar-
! relied revolver and a two-edged hunting
! knife, The Cars life had been saved
yet Il bad hung for a few moments in the
/ balance. The made-up GOurkO-the Pre-
! feet of Police, initiated down to the min
utest details of hair, complexion and wig
might have deceived even the EmperOr
himself. Not a whit less perfect was the
/ art which had reproduced the GourkO
! coach and escort. Only the sham Project
was secured, and not his confederates.
simultaneously with the arrest guards
had rushed from the palace to seize the
latter. But the equIpage had gone, the
COssacks were gone, the coachman was
gone. A policeman afterward told how
he had seen the cavalcade pass over one
of the Neya bridges and disappear in a
thOroughfare of Basil Island. The carri-
age was never found, and, for all that
could be ascertained concerning them or
their steeds, the six COssacks maybe
mounted and riding, lance in rest. to this
day. AS for the chief actor in the plot,
the CUnspil ator who only failed IN his in1-
personatiOn of Gen. GOurkO because Of
his inability to be in two places at one
and the same time, his personality has
never been disclosed. He is the one
mystery whichsthe Nihilists themselves
have never been able to penetrate. His
secret remains with him, and he keeps it
to the present moment, for he is still
prisoner in the island fortress of Peter and
Paul.