Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-20
RUSSIAN TROOPS
FIRE ON CAR
MAKE DELIBERATE ATT EMPT
AT ASSASSINATION
erapeshot From Crack Cannon Of
Battery Sweeps Front Of Winter
Palace and Wounds Sew
eral Officers


the booming of the guns.
Everybody had been laboring under
a more or less nervous strain because
of the strike situation, and when the
truth was realized the windows were
hastily vacated and the greatest ex-
element reigned within the palace.
Lieutenant General Fulton, chief of
police of st. Petersburg, himself picked
up a missile in the white salon. 1t was
the size of birds egg.
The police official was Immediately
surrounded by officers of the guards
who examined the bullet and expressed
the opinion that it had come from a
shrapnel shell, which might have been
fired from the battery located on the
Bourse Esplanade, and which replied
to the salute of the st. Peter and st.
Paul fortress. explaining that a gun
might have been charged with a loaded
cartridge by mistake.
Such a thing, however, it was ad-
mitted, was hard to conceive without
deliberate plot. From the holes pass
ing through the double window it is
direction of the bourse.
Emperor Displays Courage
In the meantime there was no evil
dence 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 land
scape did not betray the slightest ex-
element. Neither did the imperial
party in the chapel below.
Although the actual ceremony was
ended, the emperor remained and ac-
companied the metropolitan and clergy
as they circled the pavilion around the
chapel to bless the gorgeous standards
of the famous guard regiments as
sembled there.
the palace and the original program
was carried out.
The emperor displayed splendid
nerve. He did not show a trace of ex-
citement. He received the diplomats
in his usual cordial, gentle manner, re-
viewing the guards regiments on the
square behind the palace and subse-
quently had luncheon served in the
state dining-room.
Officer Fatally Wounded
/. The car had miraculous escape.
The missiles came from gun on the
bourse battery, which was loaded with
grape.
Some of the bullets actually struck
the Titles open chapel in which the
emperor was standing, cut the staff of
one of the standards and fairly rid
died the basement windows of the pal
ace, fatally wounding police officer
and injuring several others.
Had the gun been aimed a little low
er the charge of grape might have ex-
terminated the whole Romanoff dy-
nasty.
The suggestion offered that the gun
was loaded with grape as precau-
tion in view of possible strike rioting
hardly meets the fact that it was
aimed with such accuracy at the
chapel.
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the existence of a deadly and
deep laid plot against the emperor in
which artillerymen were enlisted.
Indicates Deep Plot
eff this was deliberate plot" said
an officer especially charged with safe
guarding the person Of his majesty, 'ft
was very Ingenious
1--WE have been prepared for an an
archist attempt in any form we could
conceive, but an attempt to kill the
emperor with one of his own guns un-
der the guise of firing a salute was
never dreamed of.
TT is new departure, against
repetition of which we must take pre-
caution. If the gunners of the emper-
or's picked guard can be enlisted in
such a dastardly conspiracy serious
possibilities are presented"
The police took charge of the spot
where the battery still stands, and
drew a double Gordon across the river,
searching out everything In the line of
fire.
An old barge frozen in the ice was
thoroughly examined to ascertain
whether the bullets could possibly have
come from it, but no evidence was dis
covered tending to substantiate such
theory.
Diplomats In Danger
II develops that one Of the bullets
which entered the Nicholas hall. where
the diplomats were gathered, struck
down a golden plate from the wall.
Many of the diplomats however, did
not suspect the cause Of the fall of the
plate until afterward, although they
noticed that something unusual had
especially as the reception
did not take place in the hall where 1t
generally ocurs, but was hastily adj
journed TO the marshals hall. on the
other side of the palace.
In spite of the official statement that
the cannon shot was the result of care
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