The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-25
RAIN OF SHOT
Fired Into the Cars Palace Dur
ing a Religious Rete.
POLICEMAN KILLED.

ing that the Bullets were siEeo Dy
Battery in Reply to a Salute.
Gear Displayed SpleR-
did Nerve.
A cablegran from st. Petersburg
says the ceremony Of the blessing Of
the waters this year was accompanied
By an event more mysterious, unpre'
eedented and extraordinary than any
afforded by the annals OF Russian bis
tory. For q Russian sovereign to fal
by the hand Of an assassin Is no new
thing in Russian records, but that the
emperor should narrowly escape death
hy a shot from his own artillery while
ha was engaged IN solemn religious
rite, surrounded by priests OF his
church, is 50 difficult to realiz, as to
be almost incredible. Yet this IS what
happened Thursday, and the Russian
public is left wondering and mystided.
By the merest chance the Imperial
family escaped unhurt, but public
opinion is stunned by what might
have been ehe tragic results OF the al
fair.
The festival Of the Epiphany. the
blessing OF the waters, had just con-
cluded at l O'Clock Thursday after
noon when, simultaneously with the
salute fred from the St. Peter and
St. Paul fortress, q rain OF bullets
swept over the little chapel built over
the frozen Neva in front Of the winter
palace where Emperor Nicholas and
every member Of the Romanof family
were participating in the service. TIE
missiles went high, entering the VIM
COWS OF the splendid row Of salons
along the water front, from which the
empress, the ladies OF the court and
the members OF the diplomatic corps
and high dignita-ies OF the state, army
and navy we're witnessing the glitter
Ing spectacle below.
Fortunately the bullets passed over
the heads Of all present, striking the
opposite wall AMI Gathering down On
the PARTED floor OF the white salon.
Evrybo6y had been laooriDg under a
more OF less nervous strain because Of
the strike situation and the windows
we're hastily vacated and the greatest
excitement reigned within the palace.
Lieut.. Fulton, chief Of police Of St.
Petersburg, himself picked up a mis-
sile In the white salon. 1t was the s:z.
Of a birds egg. The police chief was
Immediately surrounded by officers OF
the guarc, vino examined the bullet
and expressed the opinion that it had
come from a shrapoel shell, which
might have been fred from the bat
terry located on the Bourss esplanade,
and which replied to the So ute OF the
St. Peter and ST. Paul fortress, ex-
planning that gun might have been
charged with loaded cartridge by
mistake.
In the meantime there vas no evi-
6ence outside Of what occurred. The
crowds Of people who formed black
lines along the Quays, the palace
bridge, the steps Of the Bourse and
every other point Of vantage in the
white Arctic landscape did not betray
the slightest excitement. Neither die
the imperial party in the chapel be-
low. Although che actual ceremony
was ended the emperor remained and
accompanied the metropolitan and
clergy as they cIrclei the pavilion
around the chapel to bless the gorge
ouS standards Of the famous guard
regiments assembled there. Then the
procession moved back to the palace
and tne original programme was car
cied out. The emperor displayed splen-
did nerve. He did not show trace OF
excitement. he received the diplo
mates In his usual cordial, gentle man.
ner, reviewed the gaurd regiments on
the square behind the palace and sub
slouently had luncheon served in the
state dining room.
During the reception Emperor
Nicholas greeted Ambassador NC
Cormick with his accustomed cordial.
ty and the am5as ador conveyed to bis
ma aiesty President r ,oSeVeit's peiSon-
al greetings and wishes for a happy
New Year which the emperor said be
was happy to receive. When the COZ
respondent Of the Associated Press
(who was about 10 go down to tie
white salon when one Of the missiis
few right over his heaG) left toe pal
ana he s.wa hole in the window o1
another salon and holes outside IN the
stucco Of the massive red building.
Additional particulars show that
the emperor had q miraculous escape
There is no doubt that the missiles
came from gun Of the Bourse battery
which was loaded with grape, moi
with shrapnel. Some of the bullets &C
tually struck the little open chapel Ii
which the emperor was standing, cut
toe staff of one Of the STANDARDS ane
f,irly riddled the basement windows
OF the palace, killing Policeman oot
right and wounding an officer ane
three marines. Had the gun been aim
ed a little lower the charge OF grape
might have wiped out the whole r ,
manof dynasty. The official account
OF Thursdays shooting affair is as fol
lows:
During the ceremony OF the bless
ing Ct the waters e the Neva, Thurs
day, il the presence OF the emperor
As the usua! salute was being hreo al
accident happened. & charge OF crap
instead Of saluting charge was ire
from 8 gun belonging to one OF To-
batteries stationed near the Beurse
Some bullets struck the facade OF To
winter palace near the quay gardens
breaking four windows. a polieena
belonging to the St. Petersburg fore
was wounded. According to the lnlor
nation to hand at present no othe
,oc,,-roS IncllirY continues