The Bourbon news., 1904-08-02
KILLED BY A BOMB.
NJ. Won Plehve, Russian Minister
of Interior, Assassinated.
The Assassin, a Finn, Is in the Hospi-
tai Severely and Perhaps Fatally
Injured BY the Explosion of
His Own Bomb.


st. Petersburg, July 29.-M. Won
Plehve, minister of the interior, was
assassinated at $50 o'clock Thursday
morning by bomb thrown at his car
riage while he was driving to the Bal
tic station to take train for the pal
ace at Peterhof, where he was to make
his weekly report to the emperor.
The assassination is believed to be
the outcome of a widespread plot, the
existence of which has been suspected
for several days. Numerous arrests
have already been made, including
that of the assassin, young man who
is believed to be Finn named Leglo
and who is now in a hospital severely
and perhaps fatally injured by the ex-
plosion of his own bomb. An accom-
plice Of Leglo, also 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.
The assassin wore a brown over
coat and railroad officials cap. He
stood on the sidewalk just as Minister
Won Plehve's carriage was about to
cross the canal bridge near the sta.
tion. The minister was escorted by
number of detectives ON bicycles,
and one Of them jostled the assassin,
who then rushed into the road and
threw the bomb after the carriage
The missile struck the hind wheel and
exploded with fearful force, killing or
wounding over a score of persons.
Minister Won Plehve and his coach
man were killed outright and an off,
Ger of the guard was fatally injured.
One of the 'cyclist detectives arrest
ed the assassin, who endeavored to
escape though wounded by splinters
in the face, arm and abdomen. He
made no attempt at resistance, how.
ever, when seized by the detective,
and confessed his crime, but refused
to give his name.
The police Immediately after the
explosion arrested a suspicious indi-
vidual who took refuge in a hotel op-
posite the scene of the tragedy. He
carried bomb similar to that thrown
by Leglo. AS soon as the police saw
the bomb they scattered but an EN-.
ploye of the hotel rushed up behind
the accomplice and pinned his arms.
The force Of the explosion was so
terrific that it only broke every win
dow within a radius of half a mile.
but reduced the heavy paving stones
to powder, heaVed up the pavement
and flung a heavy piece of the iron.
work 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.
The mangled remains of the minis
ter of the interior were conveyed to
a humble chapel adjoining the station,
the windows of which miraculously
escaped destruction. The priests and
people, with characteristic Russian
piety, at once joined in solemn re-
QUEEN. The square in front of the
station was filed with a reverent
crowd of peasants and laborers and
the busy hum of traffic was silenced
"A no less impressive service was
conducted at the minister's stately
residence Thursday evening to which
only intimate friends were invited
The magnificent staircase and the
reception rooms were draped in black.
The body of the minister was COM
pletely covered by a white shroud
which concealed the CHASTITY mutila-
tions. 1t reposed in a black and sill
yer casket in corner of the vast hall
surrounded by luxuriant palms.
AS Minister Of Justice Muravieft
was driving to the Peterhof palace
Thursday afternoon to report to En-.
peror Nicholas the assassination of
Minister of the Interior Won Plehve,
stones were thrown at him and his
carriage windows were broken. The
identity of the minister's assailants
has not yet been discovered.
Severe Blow to Russia