New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-01-21
ASSASSINATION WITH ARTILLERY.

The startling incident of Thursday on the Neva
may have been purely accidental, but the strong
est indications seem TO be that il was a deliber-
ate attempt at assassination, arising from the
disaffection and treason which are known TO have
found footing in the Russian army. AS such, it
possessed an element of startling novelty, to-
gether with somewhat more than ordinary bru-
tally and stupidity. Poison, knife, pistol and
bomb are unhappiy familiar instruments of this
atrOcious form Of villany, but we do not recall
the previous employment OF artillery. From the
criminals point of view, it may seem an i'm
provement upon old methods, though in this case
it proved ineffective. The assassin might think
he was making sure of his victim In firing
charge of grapeshot from a carefully aimed
cannon, and ii is not inconceivable that q lethal
charge might be substituted for a blank car
fridge and the piece be trained upon its uncon-
scious target without the author of the deviltry
being detected or suspected. Naturally 1t would
be thought sure that such charge sufficient
to NOW down a whole company or to blow a
building to slivers, would annihilate its intended
victim. But the best-or worst-laid plans of
murderers fail as often as those of honest men,
II was if Intentional a brutal deed, because its
execution almost certainly involved the destruc-
ton Of others than the Car. Had the shot
gone true, half the House of Holstein- Gottorp
clergymen, soldiers, spectators and a host of
innocent people might have been butchered. We
cannot, even for sake OF argument assume the
abominable theory that the attempt upon the
Car alone could possibly be justified; but even
TO the perverted intellect of the assassin It
should be apparent that wholesale slaughter
in order to strike down one man would be
monstrously unjustifable. 1t is difficult to re-
call any murderous attempt, then, that was
more marked with inhuman brutality and iIlogi-
nN MI
dagger or pistol upon his solitary victim pitting
one life against another, seems almost heroic
by the side Of him who would doom to death
multitude Of innocent people against whom he
had no grievance rather than reveal and imperil
his own villanous self in hand to hand assault
Nor was ii less stupid than brutal deed
Granted that there is need Of sweeping reforms
In Russia SO great as TO justify strong meas
ures. The Gar is not the man of whom 70
strike. His removal" would do no good He
Is no tyrant OF the type OF Ivan the Terrible
no Tiger OF Museoyy." The world knows, and
the Russian malcontents know, that he is a
man OF amlaDle and benevolent purposes. who
wishes 10 effect liberal reforms and popular
progress in his empire. If he were slain there
could scarcely be a better Car put into his
place. and 1t is morally certain that the new
administration would be more strict and re-
pressive than this one has been When such
men as Bobrikoff and Plehve are stricken down.
amid all our detestation of the deed we cannot
help recognizing its putative provocation; but
the murder OF such a Gar as this could have
not even the justification of can't. II would
stand as monument of inconceivable unfitness
The deed Of Thursday. IL found to have been
the wicked thing il seems, will be regarded with
exeerat.on the world around. It will be re
garded with especial regret and grief by the
best friends of Russia and by thu uvisesf ana
best men in that country who are working for