Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-16
SAVED BY A MIRACLE.
The PsriIs Surrounding the Gar
of Russia.
The Mysterious Visitor Whose Business
BroOked no 0elay-h Secret Whici
the hihilists Themselves
Cannot Discover.

Among the forbidden literature
now circulating in Russia Is the story of
the NEST daring 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
General Gourko had been called from
Odessa to act as quasi.military COVER
nor OF the Russian capital. One bright
May morning, when the excitement
was at its height, the watehful eye OF a
policeman posted at the top Of the
Nevsky Prospect caught sight Of an
equipage coming up the thoroughfare
at trot. 1t bore armorial devices well
known in the Russian capital; the
eoachman was there, who persisted in
being wigged in defiance of his masters
orders, to the great merriment of st.
Petersburg Jehus; on each side rode
the regular escort of six mounted Cos
sacks, 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 capt.
tai. General 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 Nevsky Prospect, and at once made
their way into the Alexander square,
OH the Neva side Of which rose the
massive and somewhat fantastic out
lines of the Winter Palace. The equip
age having drawn up ut the side
entrance OF the building the general
alighted and rang. On the dOOrkeeper
presenting himsef-au officer OF the
emperOr's private guard-the project
briefly stated the object Of his visit. He
desired an immediate conference with
the Car. The hour was early, true,
day having only Just dawncd. At the
same time his business brooked no de-
lay-it concerned the safety OF the + IL
pcror himself. The janitOr was at first
memorable, eXpostulating that his i'm.
perial master had been already in bed
an hour. Yet at last he yielded. Up
the bread staircase they went together.
They trod on gorgeous carpets, brushed
past the wealth of the Winter Palace
in malachite and lapis lazuli, only
pausng in their ascent when they had
resched u landing giving access to one
of the capRCious saloons. AT this point
General GOurko was instructed to wait.
Al this point, too, the Cars officer
seems to have repented OF his decision.
The narrative represents him as closely
scrutinizing the project Of police in the
growing light, and of subsequently pro.
:eeding in the direction of the En-
peror's sleeping departments, 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
dc scend to the guard room and dis
patched messenger. The man left the
palace on the Nava side. He there
took a droshky, and drove past the
side entrance into the Nevsky. During
his absence the Car calmly slept on;
General Gourko impatiently paced the
saloon, and the military guardian of the
imperial bedchamber went about giving
some orders to the police guards.
In q quarter of an hour the messen'
ger returned. lie had beer sent to
General GourlO's rysidehcr, IN the
Nevsky Prospect, aud he brought back
the information that the project OF po-
lice was at that moment in bed. Toe
early visitor was thus an imposlor. lie
was something more; for from his
pockets, after he had been seized aud
pinioned, they drew foath a siX-blrrelei
revolver and twO-edgcd hunting
knife. The Cars life had been saved,
yet il had hung for few moments in
tie balance. The makeup GOurko-
- he project Of police, initiated down
| to the minutest details Of hair, complex.
lon and wig-might have deceived even
the Emperor himself. Not whit less
pCrf,ct was the art which had repro
| duccd the Gourko coach and escort.
Ouly the sham project was secured, and
| not his confederates. simultaneously
| With the arrest guards bad rushed from
the palace to seize the latter. But the
eUuipage bad gone, the Cossacks were
| gone, the coachman was gone. \
| policeman had told afterwards how he
had seen the cavalcade pass over one Of
| the Neva bridges and disappear in a
| tbroughfare of Basil Island. The car.
| rage was never found, and, for all that
| could be ascertaincd concerning them
| or their steeds, the six Cossacks may be
| mounted and riding, lance in rest, TO
| this day. AS for the chief actor In the
| pot, the eonspirator who only failed In
his impersonation ofGeneral Gourko be-
| ca use of his inability to he in two
| places at one and the same time, hI'
| personality has never been disclo3ed.
| he is the ore mystery which the Mill
| ists themselves have never been able to
| l., netrate. His secret remains with
| j.: ~, and lie keeps Il to the present mo
mcnt, for he IL still prisoner in the
| .rend fortress of Peter and Paul.