Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-07

The Astonishing Story of the Russian Nihilfst Dena1ef.
 From the NeWYork Sun


 The recent arrest of the Nihilist, Degaief, in south Russia for the murder of Soudi- eikin, was the determination of as remark able a career as Russian Nihilist ever ran. Eleven years ago Degaief was captain of the gaurds. He was keen, enthusiastic, we'll educated, and discontented. He was an idealist and firm believer in the bad ness of the state of effairs in modern Rus sia. He was not then Nihilist, but he had in him all the materials from which Mi hilists are made. He drifted slowly and 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 conspiracy against the life of the czar. The conspira- were arrested, and Degaief was condemned to die. He accepted his fate without whimper. Three days before the day set for executing him the door of his cell was opened to admit Soudieikin, whom Degaief recognized immediately as an old and long forgotten comrade in arms.
 "How are you, old fellow?' said the chief.
 For moment Degaief felt hope, then relaxed into state of resignation, and an swered: My last opportunity to speak for myself, isn't it.
 ''No, comrade," was the reply. "Ibring to you the pardon of the czar."
 "What! What! Then he requires from me some service in return"
 "Nothing at all. You are free, uncondi- tionally free. Come home with mo and we will talk about it."
 Degaief went. In his study Soudiekin said: "You know our old friendship. Well, that saved you. I went to the czar and interceded for your, giving my word of honor that, if freed, you would quit to enjoy the czar's confidence, and he grant ed me the life of my friend"
 Degaief sank in tears at the chiefs feet, and protested his determination never again to make common cause with the Nihilists. The chief continued:
 'What do you expect to do nowa Your return to the army is impossible. can of fer you my secretaryship, with salary enough to pay for your daily bread. You will be in case you except this, a 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 hastened to en- list in the services of the chief He put head, heart and hand in his work. He pur- sued his old colleagues day and night Nineteen Nihilists were brought by him to death, and scores were sent by his influence to Siberia. Degaief obtained the full con- fidence of his chief. Soudieikin had esti- mated him correctly in everything save his susceptibility to the bangs of remorse. De- gaief could not forget his old radical ten dencies The scorn of his former colleagues scorched him till he could endure tho pain no longer. He went ono 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.
 "Kill Soudieikin," said the Nihilist lead CT.
 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 Soudieikin at that time. He was at the height of his power He was only nominally dependent on the third division. He came and went as he pleased, had constant access to the czar, and master of agents answerable only to him, and had unlimited credit at the I'm perial bank. He was, in short, nearer to onnipotence than any other officer of po- lice before or since his time; and all this power he applied with all his amazing en- ergy to the extinction of Nihilism and Mi hilists. He occupied lodgings in several quarters of St. Peterburg. Every evening, however, he met Deeaief in the third story of a modest dwelling house, occupied oth- erwise only by small tradesmen who knew nothing of the identity of their fellow ten ant. Here, Degaief decided, the chief of the secret police must die. Two Nihilists took rooms on the third floor in the next house, and with the outside wall adj joining the outside wall of Soudieikin's apartments. During the day time, when Soudieikin was absent, for three weeks the conspirators laboriously scratched and filed away brick and mortar between them and their victim. Not blow was struck, not a fragment was cut. The powder from the walls was car ried off in the pockets of Degaief's accom- plices. At last only thin sheet of plaster and paper separated them from the chiefs study
 On the night of the:murder Degaisf and the man who had saved his life sat togeth- CT at the study desk. Degaief let fall heavy paper weight, the wall was burst in with a blow from a hammer, and the three Nihilist's sprang upon Soudieikin. For ten minutes all four men struggled up and down the room, and then the chief was struck down dead by Degaief. Half an hour later the Nihilists in disguise left the neighborhood and hurried off to announce their deed to a company of waiting revolu- tionists in far-off basement. The murder was discovered on the next afternoon. Shortly afterward Degaieif's accomplices' were arrested. but ss they were only his creatures they were let off with life sen tance 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 Rus sia with false passes, he has been overtaken by retribution.
 All this is not the fairy tale told by czar haters or Nihilist haters. It is the plain, unadorned narrative of the Russian courts, in which the details of this remarkable crime have been revealed.