The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-09-27
A DRAMATIC MURDERER.
ASSASSINATION OF A RUSSIAN OFF,.
ClAL THAT WAS RuOkCiOUS,
The Sihilist Student, Steponl Valevauo-
witch Ealmaschef, Killed NJ. sip!a-
EuIne, Minister of the Interior, i'll
Manner which Was rodi.iousIy Cool.

) Manner which Was ProdisiousIy Cool
Owing to the secrecy always OBJ
served here, with regard to state trials
and during the investigations of the
political police, the particulars rela
1--WE TO the assassination OF NJ. Sipla
Sulne, minister of the interior, have
leaked out only this week, writes the
-. Petersburg (Russia) correspond
ent OF the New York Mail and Express.
lhey recall to memory the manner tf
preceding of the Nih!liSts who killed
Car Alexander II in 1881, several
Chiefs OF the Russian police and sew
eTal other high officials
The murder of Sipiaguine shows a
| proGlgiOUS audac city and coOlness on
the part of the assassin. At l o'clock
III the afternoon an elegant carriage,
a-a"E by tNo b!oodoI mares, arrived
III front OF the staircase of tie council
ot state. In a carefully studied atti-
tNce the young student reVOlutionist,
St2rane Nalevan0yitch Balmascheff,
was reclining aimlessiy in the car
rage. The usher on service at the
| gate hurried to the droSka and respect
| fn'ly opened the door OF the vehicle
| without making move, and with a
| h2Hshty tone, as if hardly deigIing to
! open his mouth as it becomes bril-
lia2t iIcUtennt, Balmaschen said to the
| usher:
say, my man, is the minister of the
interior here? | come with a message
from his Majesty, Serge Alexandra
Nlfsh.' Gwen grand dukes are re-
| ferrod TO as "Majestics' in Russia). At
| fhase wor,is the rshcr's face became
81, :1ore humble.
Il ned to see the minister immedi-
ately,' Balmascheff went on. This
| was said with the tone of man used
to command, so much so that the ush-
er had no longer any doubt. He an
| swered: No; his EXcellency has not
yet arrived"
We'll, if it is so, shall find him at
home yet" said the young man.
The carriage wheeled around and
went toward the Morskaia street. But
it had hardly gone more than few
yards when it returned and stopped
again in front of the Palace Mariynis
ky, the envoy extraordinary declar-
ing that, after ALL he preferred to wait
there for the minister. The gate was
opened Immediately, with great
noise, by the usher. Balmascheff
stepped from the carriage with quick
and perfectly military manner, keep
ing his large portfolio under his arm.
The usher murmured in the ears of the
lackeys: That is a message from his
Majesty"
Balmascheff took eff his military
overcOat, glanced in the mirror, freed
his right hand from its glove, opened
the portfolio and looked at the envel-
opes, while putting in convenient
place the revolver which was in the
portfolio.
One or two minutes passed. Balnla-
schcf became uneasy, fearing that
Sipiaguine, instead of coming by the
door where he was waiting, should
come this time, like the other minis
ters, by the main entrance of the Pal
ace MariyiEsky. Then the whoIe plot
would have miscarried. But the min
ister's carriage arrived. The usher
rusher forward and said: There is a
message for your Excellency from his
Majesty
Sipiaguine entered the anteroom
vestibule. To meet him the heavenly
missionary" as the nihilists call him,
advanced, and presented to the minis
ter big package, enveloped in heavy
paper and difficult to open. Balma-
position favorable to his attack, and
also calculated to avoid any unfor-
tunate interferences on the part OF the
servants.
What is the matter?" the minister
inquired, with astonishment, trying to
open the envelop.
That's the matter" quietly an
swered Balmascheff, while taking from
within his portfolio Browning revolv-
er of an expensive make, which never
misses fire. The weapon is of a fiat
tened form, easy to carry in side hip
pocket At the moment he fired, from
below upward so that the bullet, after
having gone through the body, should |
not touch other people present, but |
should lodge itself in the ceiling.
The revolver was charged with |
smokeless powder. There was sharp |
and the minister fell at the |
feet of Balmascheff, who remained |
quiet and tried to tranquilize the |
frightened servants.
Don't be afraid, by brethren; yov
shall not be hurt" he said. "Remenl-
Der that only the enemies Of the peo-
pie are thus treated"
Balmaschef made no move to es-
cape; his GOODNESS and calm were ex-
according to the reports Of
ocular witnesses of the tragedy, and
can be found only in men capable OF
thinking and feeling.
Balmascheff's examination after the
arrest, nonplussed the authorities. Il
Inn Stepane Balmascheff. l have
killed Sipiaguine; you know it; l have
nothing more to tell you. All your
questions are mere curiosity, which l
10 not want to satisfy. Go not recog