New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
NOTES FROM RUSSIA.
A POLICE TRAGEDY-THE DUKE OF EDIN-
BURGH-BABEL IN THE BALI
TIC PROVINCES.
.y.osa AZ OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TnE TRIBUNE;


-ysrs ,S OCCASIONAL coRxKsroSDxSr OF TIE TRIBUNE:
ST. Petersburg January 10:
Details have been received here OF the murder
of Colonel Solotouchine, the chief of the secret
political police department at Moscow. Having
received notification that a number Of Nihilists
were in the habit Of holding meetings at the
house of NJ Andreief the Colonel determined
TO ascertain whether the information was correct
Accordingly, toward s o'clock in the evening, he
concealed himself in the neighborhood and care
fully scanned the faces of all who either entered
or left VI. Andrieieff's residence Several OF them
lie recognized as individuals already under sus-
picion as disafected characters; and, AT length,
with view of pursuing his investigation still
further he determined to arrest the next person
who rang the doorbel. few minutes later
lovely girl, quietly yet elegantly dressed, ana
with wealth of fair hair and dark-blue eyes,
hurried up the street, and, casting kind OF
frightened look around her. was about to rlng
when Colonel Solotouchine stepped out from the
shadow Of an adjoining doorway and laid MS
hand on her arm. His tall, commanding inquire
and short, reddish beard were well known to the
Inhabitants of the ancient Russian capitai, ana
inspired the people with terror, for his powers
were almost unlimited. word from him was
sufficient to consign the most prominent citizen
Siberia. The moment, therefore, that she per-
ceived who her interlocutor was, she knew that
she was lost Quick as lightning she drew from
her pocket a small revolver, and, before the
Colonel could raise his hand to dash it aside, she
fred. aiming straight at his heart. The pistol
threw high. and the bullet instead OF piercing
his breast. entered his right eye, and, pcnetra'-
ing the brain, killed him on the spot.
The report of the shot echoed loudly through
the stiffness of the night, and, in moment, steps
were heard hurrying toward the spot. Aware Oh
the fate that awaited her if captured, and realzlng
that no time was to be lost, she, without
moments hesitation, applied the still SMOKING
muzzle of the revolver to her heart and hred.
Her dead body was found lying across that Oh
Colonel Solotouchine Both corpses were at once
convened by the police TO the clinical lectureroom
Of the university, which was close py lheIe
an examination of the papers found on uhe young
girl took place From these it was found thaU
She was Olga Gontcharenko, nineteen years Oh
age and the only daughter of the Director oil
Government Telegraphs at Moscow Within
coupe of hours afterward NJ. AndreleHs mouse
was raided by the authorities. But the birds had
flown, and nothing but the ashes OF pile OF ourhV
papers remained. .
Promotion in the Russian police force is raplo
For the sanguinary activity Of the Nlmhsts pre-
vents the ranks from being overcrowded Uener@i
1repoff, the chief of the Department, was SO uah-
eerously wounded by the bullet of Vera Sas-
soulitch that he was incapacitated from 1urUher
active service. His successor. General Mezentzef
was stabbed in the back and killed, while walking
in an unfrequented street here, on August It,
1878. by Kazchewslzy, who is better known
abroad, especially in literary circles, by his pen
name of "Stepnial" Another victim OF the
Nibilists was General Sudeikine, the chief OF the
secret police in this city, who was assassinated IN
December, 1883, by member of the executive
committee Of the Terrorist party, named Degalen'
while walking along the Newski Prospect De-
eaieff who, as a colonel on the general staff. had
greatly distinguished himself in the Turco-Russlsn
war; subsequently escaped from the mines OF
Siberia, to which he had been condemned for life,
and made his way to the United States, where he
now resides His sister, charming girl. lives at
Kharkoff where she is completing her musical
education in the local branch of the Imperial
Academy of Music. She was admitted to the
latter at the special request of the Cars uncle
the Grand Duke Constantine under whose patron
age and at whose expense she is pursuing her
studies Russia is indeed the land of paradcxes.
The recent death at Paris of NJ. Hyrvoix, the
famous chief Of the French police during the
Second Empire has attracted considerable atten-
ton here where he was we'll known In 1880,
on the morrow of the attempt by the Nihilsts
10 blow up the Winter Palace be was summoned
hther by the late Gar, who had an extremely
high opinion of his merits, and was entrusted by
His Majesty with the herculean task Of reorganiz-
ing the secret police After a few months of
fruitless efforts, however, he became discouraged
and resigned. There is too much venalty and
corruption" he exclaimed, especially among the
higher Glasses. Some terrible catastrophe will
have TO take place in order TO render it possible
TO place the police department upon an entirely
new basis" A few weeks after his return to Paris
the assassination Of Alexander II took place NJ.
Hyrvoix's death was due to apoplexy, with which
he was seized when he leaving his house to
attend mass in memory of Napoleon III, at the
Church Of st. Augustin. Many were the anecdotes
which he was won't to relate of his experiences
as chief Of police during the Empire. The fol-
lowing was subsequently dramatized by Victoren
Sardou in his "Maison Neuve" and likewise
served as basis for one of Alexis Bouvier's most
popular novels:
One night when in residence at the Tuileries
NJ. Hyrvoix awakened and informed that
countess, one Of the most prominent ladies of
the Imperial Court, had just been arrested in q
street leading out of the Champs Elysees at the
moment when she was attempting, with the as
sistance Of her maid, TO place the dead body of a
young man, arrayed in full evening dress, in a
cab On being taken TO the police station, she
fortunately remembered the name of NJ. HyrvoiX,
and requested that he should be summoned at
once When he arrived she explained that her
husband had gone to Fontainebeau on a shoot
ing expedition. and would return at o'clock in
the morning. She had taken advantage in his alb
sence TO receive in the evening young admirer,
whose visit had been unduly prolonged, and who
at o'clock in the morning had suddenly expired
at her house of an aneurism Of the heart. APP
palled at the possibility of the dead body being
discovered by her husband on his return, she de-
termned at all costs TO get rid of it. Accord
ingly, Selling the corpse under one arm and caus-