Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-07-22
CZAR'S LIFE WAS HIS
TRAVELLER TWICE HAD OPPOR-
TUNlTY TO KILL MONARCH.
But Circumstance Showed That,
Though Seemingly Unguarded, the
Safety of the Russian Ruler Was
Well Looked After.

The very first thing learned In st.
Petersburg Is that in Russia the czar
is everything-literall everything
his will is law. conceded as such by
his subjects by heavenly inspired
right; all the land and all his sub
jects are absolutely his to dispose Of
wholly as he chooses. To understand
anything about Russia it is first nee
essary to understand that this is the
fundamental principle of czarism and
that even in trade, industry and com
merce the car is supreme. Every
good or bad thing in commerce, as in
every other field, therefore. is done
in the name of the car.
The popular fancy pictures the car
as one never seen by his people, save
when imbedded in phalanx Of
guards, thus protected from the bull
lets Of would-be regicides. To show,
however, how easily any king killer
could accomplish his dastardly mis-
sion in st. Petersburg to-day, 1 may
state that on two occasions had been
a nihilist elected" to the job could
have shot his imperial majesty, Nicho-
las II.
The first such opportunity present
ed itself one evening as | drove in a
drosky sled past the winter palace. In
a second-story corner window, direct
ly over the guard station below, in
room which all st. Petersburg knows
to be the cars study, the monarch
sat by a green-shaded lamp, reading.
Some palace servant had neglected to
lower the blinds and there sat the
master of 100,000,000 subjects in full
view of the hundreds of drosky sleds
that were passing and repassing on
the quay, an easy mark for a sharp
shooter.
The second opportunity was in the
Nevski Prospekt, the widest street in
the world, compared to which Broad
way is an alley. Suddenly saw every
man in uniform-and half the men
in st. Petersburg wear uniforms
step to the edge of the sidewalk, face
the roadway and hold his hand to his
cap in salute. The car was coming.
He was a bundle of furs in troika
and an official who sat beside him
was simply another bundle of furs.
His troika, drawn by three magnifi-
cent, matchless horses, galloped at
mad pace in true troika fashion, pass
ing so close to my own drosky sled
that I could see the smile lurking In
his young and by no means careworn
face. I even perceived that his beard
was cut closer than appears in his
photographs. Quickly l ordered my
driver to turn and follow the troika.
He shook his head, but insisted,
"Da, da!" eyes, yesD and flashed
gold piece. He then turned round and
made the horse trot as only Russian
drosky horse can trot. wanted an
other look at the most powerful
human being on earth. But didn't
get it. A mounted officer Of some sort
raised his hand to indicate that my
driver was to stop.
Pardon" said the officer politely
in French. "You must go back"
But | have business in this direc-
tion," l protested with equal polite
ness.
What are you doing here?" he re-
torted sharply.
BY this time a great, silent crowd
surrounded us.
What is your business anyway?
the officer went on without giving me
time to answer. You are a stranger!
Where are you stopping? 1 must see
your passport"
my passport is already in the
hands of the police" l interposed e
Meanwhile he had looked up the
Nevski-the troika had turned Off
somewhere.
Pardon" said the horseman, re-
turning to his original politeness now
that all chance of following the troika
was gone. Then he spoke in Russian
to my driver, who Immediately turned
his horse and drove leisurely back
over the ground which we had just
covered at such mad pace. | was
informed later that when the car is
out driving none may follow him near
err than 500 yards. A Russian SUBJ
iect in my place would have been ar
rested as Suspect"