The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-17
TREACHERY MOST
EXTRAORDINARY.
Astonishing Story Of the Russian Mill
list, DGgaiGf
Retributive Justice, After Many Years Of
Wandering, 0vertakes Man Who Slew
the Friend Who Saved His Life

The recent arrest Of the Nihilist, Dagaief,
in South Russia for the murder of SOudei-
kin, was the termination of as remarkable
career as a Russian Nihilst ever ran.
Eleven years ago Degaief was a Captain of
the Guards. He was keen. enthusiastic,
we'll educated, and discontented. He was
an idealist and a firm believer in the bad
ness of the state of affairs in Modern Russia.
He was not then Nihilist but he had in
him all the materials from which NihilistS
are made. He drifted slowly and naturally
into the society of radicals. and became
steadily more extreme in his political views,
till day came when he found himself at
the head Of a conspiracy against the life of
the Gar. The conspiracy was discovered.
all the eonSDiratoTS, was arrested, and
Degaief was condemned TO die. He ae-
cepted his fate without Whlmper. Three
days before the day set for executing him
the door Of his cell was opened TO admit
udieikin, whom Degaief recognized i'm
mediately as an old and long-forgotten COM
rade in arms.
"How are you, old fellow" said the
chief.
For moment Degaief felt hope, then re-
Taxed into state of resignation, and an
swered: MY last opportunity to speak for
myself, isn't it?"
mo, eamrade," was the reply. IL bring
to you the pardon of the Gar"
"What! whatl Then lie requires from
me some service in return"
Nothing at all You are free, uncon-
ditionally free. Come home with me and
we will talk about it,"
DPgaief went. In his study Soudiekin
said: "YOu know our old friendship. Well,
that saved you. | went TO the Gar and in
terceded for you, giving my word Of honor
that, if freed, you would quit your old ways
have the good fortune TO enjoy the Cars
rOnfi6pnrp and ha granted the life nf
friend"
HE ACCEPTS THE PLEDGE.
Degaief sank in tears at the chiefs feet
and protested his determination never again
to make common cause with the Nihilists
The chief con tinued:
What do you ex ect to do now? Your
return to the army is impossible. l can
offer you my secretaryShip, with salary
enough to pay for your daily bread. You
will be, in case you accept this member Of
the secret police and my right-hand man.
Go home. think about it, and decide with
out undue attention to my advice"
Full of gratitude. Degaief FASTENED to
enlist in the service of the chief. He put
head, heart aud hand in bis work. He
pursued his old colleagues day and night
Nineteen NihiiiSts were brought by him to
death and scores were sent through his in
tiuence to Siberia. Degaief obtained the
full confidence of his chief. Soudeikin had
estimated him correctly in everything save
his susceptibility 10 the pangs of remorse
Degaief could not forget his old radical
tendencies. The sc0rn Of his former col
leagues scoFched him till he could endure
the pain no longer He went one evening
to the house of Nihilist leader and swore
by his revolutionary past TO do anything
required by the revolutionary party as the
condition OF his reinstatement
xiii S0udieikin." said the Nihilist
leader.
Degaief requested day in which to think
over this suggestion. Twenty-four hours
later he gave his promise to murder the
man who had saved his life.
The full significance of this promise can
hardly be comprehended without an under
standing OF the position OF S9udleikin at
that tiIue. lie was at the height OF his
power. He was only nomin ally dependent
on the Third division. He came and went
as he pleased, had constant access to the
Gar, was master of agents an swerable only
to him, aud had unlimited credit at the I'M
perial Bank. He was, in short, nearer TO
Onnipotence than any other officer of police
before or since his time; and all this power
he applied with all his amazing energy to
the extinction of Nihilism aud NiniliSts.
he OCCUPIED LODGINGS
In several quarters of st. Petersburg.
Every evening. however, he met De-
gaief in the third story of a modest
dweling-house, occupied otherwise only by
small tTadeSmen who knew nothing of the
Degaief decided, the Chief of tue Secret Po-
lice must die. Two NihilistS took rooms on
the third floor in the next house, aud with
the outside wall adjoining the outside wall
OF SOudieikin's apartments. During the day
time, when S0udiekin was absent, for three
weeks the conspiratOrs labori0uSly scratched
and filed away brick and mortar between
them and their victim. Not a blow was
struck, not a fragment was cut. The pow
der from the walls was carried off in the
pockets of Degaiefs acc0mplices. At last
only a thin sheet of plaster and paper Sepa-
rated them from the Chiefs study.
On the night of the murder Degaief and
the man who had saved his life sat together
at the study desk. Degaief let fall heavy
paper weight, the wall was burst in with
blow from a hammer. and the three Nihi-
lists Sprang upon SOudielkin. For ten min
utes all four men struggled up and down
the room, and then the chief was struck
down dead by Degaief Half an hour later
the NihiiiSts IN disguise left the neighbour
hood and hurried off to announce their deed
to a company of waiting reY0luti0niSts in
far-otf basement The murder was dis
covered on the next afternoon. Shortly
afterward Degaiefs accomplices were az
rested, but as they were only his creatures
they were let Off with a life sentence to
hard labor in Siberia. Degaief could not
be found, although his portrait was scattered
over the length and breadth of Russia, and
high rewards were offered for the capture
of him, alive or dead Eight years later,
while attempting to enter Russia with false
passes, he has been overtaken by retribution.
All this is not the fairy tale told by Car
haters or Nihilist haterS. 1t is the plain,
unadorned narrative of the Russian courts,
in which the details of this remarkable
crime have been reyeaed.-N. \. Sun.
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