The Saint Paul globe., 1904-07-29
v0N PtfHyE KILLED
By ASSASSIN BOMB
Continued From First Page

"SAeCiitiS III MS D1OOd.
Inc Associated Press correspondent
was at the scene ofethe tragedy within
Hve minutes after it occurred. M.
von Piehvess shockingly mangled body
was lying in the middle of the road. 1t
mas been partially covered with a po~
lice ofhcer's overcoat. with the left
arm, the bone of which was broken
off, projecting. A policeman came up
and raised the overcoat in order to re-
arrange it, revealing for an instant
the strong features of the dead minis
ter, whose head was battered almost
beyond recognition The roadway was
strewn for hundred yards with the
wreckage of the carriage and pieces of
the red lining of the minister's official
overcoat. A few yards from M. Won
Plehve's body lay a shapeless heap of
the coachmans remains.
Plans Well Laid
The bomb thrower must have known
perfectly well that Minister Won Plehve
would pass the spot this morning, for
the minister makes his report to the
emperor every Thursday.
The Internal machine was thrown
with deadly accuracy, and the assassin
was favored by the fact that traffic
here is always of the heaviest, owing
to the crossing of lines of surface cars
and the continuous stream of heavy
trucks. M. Won Plehve was always ap-
prehensive of attempts upon his life
and used to drive rapidly. The coach
man, however, was compelled to go
slow at this point.
The assassin in laying his plans evi-
IDENTIFY foresaw this circumstance and,
While the minister's coachman slowed
down, threw the bomb. The explosion
Was terrific and practically annihilated
the woodwork of the carriage. The
horses tore off, dragging the axle and
the front wheels. The animals, though
1nfuriated by the wounds they had sus-
tanned, had not galloped far before they
FELL with pools of blood under them.
A heap of debris from the carriage,
portion of the scoachman's uniform,
mute and pitiable relics of the tragedy,
were still lying inliZabalansky street,
where the crime, was committed, when
the correspondent of the Associated
Press again returned to the spot this
afternoon. For a block either side of
the street was guarded by police and
no one was allowed to approach.
Even inethe midst of the consterna-
tion produced by the tragedy every
body is talking of Won Plehve's prob
able successor.
Wild Excitement Prevails
Won Plehve's assassination was Off :
cia1ly announced at about 1 o'clock and
was followed Immediately by the is
suance of extra editions of the papers.
Although they contained only four lines
referring to the tragedy, the newsboys
were fairly mobbed by the crowds In
the streets, SO eager were all for de-
| tails of the crime. Intense excitement
reigned everywhere. Only the assassi-
nation of the emperor could have cre-
ated more of a sensation, as next to his
majesty himself Won Plehve was re-
garded as the most powerful PERSONAL
lty In the Russian government =. = +
The minister's death was instantane-
Gus. When the body was undressed at
his residence not a single wound was
found on the trunk, but, the lower part
of the face was literally blown away. {
The police Immediately after the ex-
plosion arrested a suspect, who took
refuge in a hotel opposite the scene of
the tragedy. He carried a bomb SINH
lar to that thrown by Leglo. AS soon
as the police saw the bomb they scat
tered, but an employe of the hotel
rushed up behind the accomplice and
pinned his arms. '-4Ste'4t.T- .tiF5s5+s.sil
The explosive lis believed to have
been composed of pyroxylin, as it gave
on little smoke. The force of the ex-
plosion was SO terrific that it not only
broke every window within a radius of
half mile, but reduced the heavy paw
ing stones to powder, heaved UP the
pavement and flung a heavy piece of
the ironwork Of the carriage across the
canal, severing the thick mast of a
barge which fell, stunning the captain
of the barge. Everybody in the street
was knocked down and more or less
bruised.
Requiem. for Dead
When the officers, of the. law, headed
by Minister of Justice Muravieff, had
terminated the NECESSARY formalities
by drawing UP a written report of the
crime, the mangled remains of the min
lister of the interior were. conveyed to
humble chapel adjoining the station,
the windows of WHICH mira eulously es-
capped destruction The priests and
people, with Characteristic Russian
plety, at once r.joined in solemn
requiem. The square in front of the
station was filed. with a reverent crowd
of peasants and Isbprers, and the busy
hum of traffic was silenced. A priest
lifted up his voice and proclaimed 'the
eternal memory cef the departed ser
want. Wenceslas,"' while all those in
the congregat ton dropped to their
knees.
A no less impressive service was
/ conducted at the minister's stately res
ldence this evening, to which only inti-
mate friends We're invited by M. Won
Plehye's assistant, NJ. Durnovo, who is
temporarily in charge of the ministry
OF the interior. The magnificent stair
case and the reception rooms were
/ draped in black. The body of the min
lister was completely, covered by a
white shroud which concealed the
CHASTITY mutilations. 1t reposed in a
black and silver casket in a corridor
of the vast hall surrounded by lux
/ commissioned officers stood sentinel at
the head of the casket, while at its
foot were two high officials of the min
istry.
Oskcials Mourn at Bier
The hall and adjoining rooms which
are decorated in the Byzantine style,
somewhat resembling a church, We're
crowded with distinguished person.
|. high admiral, Admiral Ayellan, chief
of the admiralty; Prince Hilkof,, min
lister of railroads; Minister von'
|. Plehve's associates, NJ. Wahle, M. Dur
noyo and NJ Seyastianoff, and the
I members of the diplomatic corps in
full force, including Spencer Eddy,
I American charge d'affaires; Sir Charles
Hardinge, the British ambassador, and
M. Bompard, the French ambassador.
A special edition of the Official Mes
senger, which was distributed late this
/ afternoon. contained only a brief an
nOuncement of the death of M. Won