The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-28
GREAT CONSPIRACY.
Russian Authorities Have Arrested
Many High Officials.
DIscONTENT IN THE ARMY,
Jews Treated with the Greatest Bru-
taIity by the soidiers-Long Period of
Peace Causes Unrest Among Fighting
Forces A Terrifying Discovery.

n er. PETERSBURG, Dec. 2s.-Numerous
arrests continue TO be made at Kieff OF
persons suspected OF Nihilism. Nine
more officers are among those imprisoned
either under suspicion or direct charges
Of connection with conspiracy against
the Car. The Russian authorities believe
that they have unearthed widespread
plot I'm which a number, not only OF
the lower officials, but also those OF high
or rank, are involved, and several officers
having positions of trust and confidence
near the person of the Gar have been put
under surveillance, being given leave OF
absence from duty until the suspic 'ons
resting upon them are verified or dis
proven. The extent of the plot Is not yet
known, and there seems no doubt, this
time, OF its genuine character, although II
5s not certain that the motives of the
plotters are Nihilistic.
There Is much discomfort In the army
with the prolonged period OF peace, and
many of the officials think that the Car
is too pacific in his disposition. There is
no longer an outlet for these warlike
spirits in subduing the tribes OF Central
Asia; all these have been brought
thoroughly
Under Russian Subsection.
The Russian empire was never more
peaceable, so far as external enemies are
concerned and therefore there is great
murmuring among army officers ambitious
for glory and disappointed in their hopes
of promotion. 1t is no secret that there
was bitter disappointment in military
circles seven years ago, when the Gar
had to bring his autocratic authority 10
bear to prevent his generals from plung--
1ng into war with Great Britain and
Afghanistan and ths spirit OF impatience
among the Russian officers has been in
ereasing since.
For these and other reasons the authori-
ties at st. Petersburg are greatly APP
prehensive as to the extent OF the con-
spiracy developed at Kieff'and much ex-
citement prevails both in official circles
and among the public.
Meantime the persecution OF the Jews
goes on more earnestly than ever, the
leading official prosecutor being the Grand
Duke Sergius, brother OF the Gar and
husband OF Queen Victoria's grand
daughter, Elizabeth. As Governor of
Moscow he seems determined to turn every
Jew out of the CITY, The Jewish popu-
lation of Moscow has already been reduced
from about eig ghty thousand, when Sergius
became governor, TO about thirty thous-
and, and the number continues to decrease
under the
Added Rigor OF Penal Laws
and the intolerable severity Of their en-.
forcement.
By a new law recently put in force, only
ten out OF hundred Jewish lawyers in
Moscow and st. Petersburg are allowed to
practice, while in Warsaw and Russian
Poland this liberty Is wholly denied. The
Moscow university shuts its doors against
Jews; and 1t WILL not be long before the
conservatoire does the same. The severe
treatment OF the Jews is having q ruinous
effect upon real estate and other interests,
at least thirty thousand lodgings being
empty in Moscow.
The most pitiful scenes are witnessed
among the crowds Of Jews at the railway
stations, men and women over so years OF
age, and half-clad little children crying
and praying In the cold. Their sufferings
are viewed with utter indifference by the
Russian authorities, and any non-Jewish
resident who displays kindness towards
them risks being put under suspicion.
The soldiers detailed to assist the police
IN guarding Jews treat them with the
greatest brutality, and frequently prick
the unfortunates with their bayonets, il
they attempt to leave the stations In which
they are penned. The officers do not like
the work of guarding Jews, which they
look upon as beneath their dignity, and
this also Is a cause OF some discomfort
among the military