New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02

IeTeni SWOT winch ne mas DeeH lduSHt
in the regiment, against a most accomplished
fencer, armed with a perfectly tempered rapier
up to every trick and artfce Of the science of
'tierce ct quartz" and bound by no rules OF
swordsmanship. or even Of honor. or course.
the police have no show, even though they have
the moral support OF the knowledge that their
cause is the cause Of law and order. That
support is more than counterbalanced by the
Indifference to death OF their opponents. and by
the feeling of the latter that they have nothing
wha tsoever to lose in the fight.
THE HOLY BAND
This naturally will lead to the Inquiry to
why the governments do not employ competent
men for police duty at any rate In dealing
with the Anarchcal movement or. falling that,
why society itself. with its bOundless resources
of capital and Of clever men Of leisure. does not
| organize some species OF association for its
protection. and for the purpose of combating
Anarchy Nihilism and the kindred movements
against law and order In fact since my letter
in these columns the other day on the subject
| Of Anarchy. have received several communica-
tons from readers suggesting this plan. and
inquirng why 1t could not be put into execu-
ton.
can only state in reply that it has been tried
once. and resulted in lamentabe failure. 1t
was in Russia that the attempt was made. some
twelve thirteen years ago. Under the title
of the Holy Band a secret society similar in
every respect to the Nihilist and Anarchist con-
spracy organized. with the sole object Of
combating the latter Composed Of the best
blood in the land. its aim to insure the
safety Of the imperial family. and at the same
time to encounter the Nihilists and Anarchists
with their weapons-that is to say, by
secret organization. The necessary resources
were raised by subscriptions from the nobility,
the late Paul DemdOff Prince OF San Donate,
paying the larger part Of the expenses Of the
new society. The Grand-d of Vladimir and
Count WOronZow secured the late Cars APP
proval of the statutes of the association. which
began its operations. If l remember Alright. in
1888. Veterans of the former Napoleonic secret
police, among others the well-known NJ
HyrvoiX. were engaged to do the so-calied
dirty work." but were soon ousted by young
hoods, who declared themselves ready TO accept
any kind Of subordinate place and to perform
any amount OF labor which until then had been
regarded uncean. II seemed as interesting
as il amusing TO act in the capacity OF a
detective. and TO travel on secret missions to
Paris and Vienna at the expense Of the assoca-
ton. and with the feeling that one was perform
ing a patriotic service and was considered in
the light of personal protector Of the Car
OF course. the official police looked upon the
concern with anything but friendly eyes. the
only member thereof who showed sympathy
with the Holy Band being the late General
Tcherevine. who closely identified himself with
the movement seeing therein prospect Of alli-
ance with the aristocracy and highest society in
the land
The beginning gave promise. and for a time
the Holy Band looked upOn-in Muscovite
society. at any rate. and at Court-as the saliva
ton OF Russia and as having given the death
blow to the dragon Of Anarchy. AS long as its
members worked in unison with the State police
and co-operated with the latter. Of course they
could not do much harm. The achievement Of a
few minor successes which had the effect of
still further increasing the jealousy and illwl
of the regular State police encouraged the Holy
Band to cut Itself adrift from the latter, and, on
the grounds Of It's dsloyalty and unfriendliness
to work Independently and even against it. In
fact before long the State police and the Holy
Band were not only in secret but also in open
conflict with each other. This resulted in the
most grotesque scenes. that were the talk Of the
town II sometimes happened that the agents
OF the Holy Band and their myrmid0ns arrested
whole sections of the State secret police. while
at other times the reverse happened At length
the late Car came to the conclusion that the
Holy Band was a source Of danger and Of ridi-
cue rather than one of safety, that its members
looked upon their vocation either as A means OF
enriching themselves or as an opportunity for
indulgence in adventures which brought neither
advantage nor honor to the country. and so he
determined quietly to dispense with its SER