Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-02-22
Assassins Are Immediately Arrested
Victim Had Been Condemned
to Death by Revolution
ary Party.

sleigh, in which were two men, ore
of whom was dressed as a workman,
went quickly ahead of the grand dukes
carriage. The sleigh then slowed up
to allow the carriage to pass, and at
that moment a bomb was thrown be-
meath the carriage The force of the
explosion broke all the windows of the
law courts, and the report was heard
outside the city. The carriage was
blown to pieces, nothing but the four
wheels remaining. The horses were
not hurt and bolted.
Body Frightfully Mangled.
The grand duke was Instantly killed.
His head was blown of, actually being
separated from his body, which was
frightfully mangled. The coachman
was also killed. He was so frightfully
burned by the explosive. with which
the bomb was charged that he died
while being taken to hospital On
the arrest of the murderers, neither of
whom was known to the police, one
of them coolly said:
II don't care. I have done nv Job"
An immense crowd gathered at the
spot and made demonstration against
a number of students who commenced
scattering revolutionary proclamations.
Within few minutes after the explo-
sion people might have been seen gath
ering up pieces of wood and clothing
as mementos of the tragedy.
When Grand Duchess Elizabeth,
widow of Grand Duke Sergius, was in
formed of the occurrence she imme-
diately went to the scene of the assas-
sination. without waiting to put on a
hat or cloak.
The gates of the Kremlin were closed
as soon as the news of the assassina-
ton was conveyed to the authorities.
and the remains of the grand duke
were taken to the Nicholas palace
Tragedy No Surprise.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 18-The news
of the tragedy in which Grand Duke
Sergius was blown up created tre-
mendous sensation in St. Petersburg,
where the announcement by telephone
from Moscow arrived during the after
noon. The tragedy in reality was no
great surprise, as it was known that
the terrorists had already condemned
the grand duke to death. and ever since
the affair of January % the inaugural
ton of mountaineering campaign had
been anticipated. Grand Duke Sergius,
who was a brother-in-law las we'll as
uncle of the emperor, and who had ex-
ercised immense influence at court, was
regarded as the most reactionary of
the grand dukes. AS governor general
of Moscow he was intensely unpopular.
His advent as governor general of
Moscow was followed by expulsion of
the Jews from the central provinces,
and throughout his administration his
rigorous and harsh measures aroused
the greatest hostility, especially among
the students.
Forced to Flee City.
Two years ago, after the student
riots, in which many were killed or
wounded, several hundred explosions
to- Siberia followed under the orders
Of Grand Duke Sergius and Gen. Trepoff.
now governor general of st. Peters,
burg, but who was then chief of police
of Moscow. AS there were many
threats made against his life, the grand
duke was obliged to flee to his sum-
mer residence, 20 miles from the city.
During the recent strike disturbances
the grand duke left the Diskoutohnv
palace on the outskirts of the city.
where he had been living. and took
refuge inside the ramparts of the
Kremlin. where he had since lived in
what is known as the Little Palace.
opposite the famous statue of Alex
ander II. The trip to the Kremlin on
that occasion was made at night be-
tween solid lines of troops.
Called "Russia's Evil Genius"
Grand Duke Sergius was the wealth.
fest member of the imperial family.
He was tall, handsome and cordial in
manner, in spite of the ruthless FASH
ion in which he exercised his authority
as governor general. He was childless.
but had adopted two children of his
brother Paul, who was banished on &C.
count of morganatic alliance. Ser
gus record as soldier was not bril-
liant. He suffered disastrous defeat
at the hands of Gen. Kuropatkin dur
ing the famous ,Koursk maneuvers.
He has been classed as the most reac-
tionary member of the imperial fam
tly,, as the head of what is referred to
as the war party, and has been stig-