The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-08-04
ASSASSIN ACTS
IN ST. PETERSBURG |. !!
THROWS BOMB ATacARRIAaE IN
WHICH MINISTER OF IN
TERROR RIDES.
NJ. Won Plehve Instantly Killed-Body
Badly Mangled-Coachma Slain
and Many Persons Hurt-Assassin
Captured. -


Plehve, minister of the interior, was as
sassinated at $3.50 O'Clock Thursday
morning by a bomb thrown at his car
riage while he was driving to the Baltic
station to take train for the palace at
Peterhof, where he was to make his
weekly report to the emperor. The
coachman was killed and the wounded
away with the front wheels of the car
riage, the only portion of the vehicle
remaining intact.
Immediately there ensued scene of
the widest confusion. Police and
gendarmes hurried up from every direc-
ton and vast crowds gathered about
the spot where the mangled body of
the minister lay sweltering in his blood.
The roadway was strewn for hundred
yards with the wreckage of the carriage
and pieces of the red lining of the min
listers official overcoat. A few yards
from Won Plehve's body lay shapeless
heap of the coachman's remains.
Fourteen Injured.
Altogether IA outsiders were injured
by the explosion. Capt. Tzventsky, of
the guards, who was driving in cab,
sustained fracture of the skull. 1t has
been trepanned, but the captain is not
expected to recover. The bomb was
filled with nails, not bullets as at first
believed. -.
Assassin Captured.
The assassination is believed to be the
outcome of a widespread plot, the exist
ence of which has been suspected for
several days. Numerous arrests have al
ready been made, including that of the
assassin, a young man who is believed
to be Finn named Leglo, and who is
now in hospital severely and perhaps
fatally injured by the explosion of his
own bomb. An accomplice of Leglo, al
so apparently Finn. but whose name is
unknown, has been arrested. He had in
his possession bomb which he tried to
throw, but he was overpowered by the
police just in time to prevent great loss
of life. ,
Emperor Hears News.
The project of police notified the en-
peror of the tragedy Immediately upon
Its occurrence. The emperor, who was
at the Villa Alexandria at Peterhof,
was greatly affected by the news, COM
Ing, as it did, atop of the bad tidings
from the seat of war, and fears of inter-
national complications.
Whatever may have been the motive
for the crime, nothing but the utmost
indignation and condemnation of the
assassin's act is voiced anywhere.
The Dead Diplomat. %.
Senator Won Plehve was appointed
minister of the interior April 18, 1902,
succeeding NJ. Sipiagine, who was
assassinated April 16, 1902, by student
named Balmashoff. He had, formerly
been director Of the department of.po-
lice, which position he practically as
sumed of his own accord, when in
charge of the department OF political
prosecutions, owing to the incompetency
Of the official who was in charge Of the
police when Emperor Alexander II. was
killed, March 10, 1881. M. Won Plehve
conducted the prosecution of the regi-
cides and afterwards reorganized the
police. From that time on the power
Of M. Won Plehve increased until it be-
came only second in importance to that
of the emperor. Several plots to assas-
sinate the minister have. according to
reports. been discovered during the last
two years, which period has been
marked by strong political rivalry be-
tween the interior minister and the
former minister of finance, M. White,
now president of the committee of min
listers. He was regarded as being in
many ways the power behind the throne
and was dread on account of his con-
troll of the third (secret) section of po-
lice and also owing to the fact that he
controlled the press of Russia, through
the censors, who, it has been understood
did M. Won Plehve's bidding without
question.
Wisconsin Prohibitionists.
Madison, Wis, July 29.-The Wis
Nnncin ornhihifi0v,