The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-27
Fired Into tue Cars Palace Dur.
I, ing a Religious Rete.
POLICEMAN KILLED.
An Officer Explained the Affair by Say.
ing that the Bullets Were Fired by
Battery in Reply to Salute.
Car Displayed Splen. ]
did Nerve.

did Nerve.
A cablegram from ST. Petersburg
rays the ceremony Of the blessing Of
the waters this year was accom- panied
by an event more my steriuus, unpre.
cedented and extraordinary than any
afforded by the annals of Russian his
tory. For Russian sovereign to fall
by the hand Of an assassin is no new
thing in Russian records, but that the
emperor should narrowly escape death
by shot from his own artillery while
he was engaged In a solemn religious
rite, surrounded by priests OF his
church, Is SO difficult to realize as to
be almost Incredible. Yet this Is what
happened Thursday, and the Russian
public is left wondering and mystiied
BY the merest chance the imperial
family escaped unhurt, but public
opinion is stunned by what might
have been the tragic results Of the af-
fair.
The festival of the Epiphany. the
blessing OF the waters, had just, con-
cluded at O'Clock THURSDAY after
cc3n when, S!Gauli iancoaSiyy %;:h the
salute fired from the st. Peter and
st. Paul fortress, a 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 R,manoff ia mily
we're participating In the service. Tie
missiles went high, entering the WIN
dows OF the splendid row of salons
along the water front, from which the
sOr m ~ kn loft nt hn md
the members OF tie diplomatic corps
and high dignitaries Of the state. army
and navy wan, witnessing the glitter
Ing spectacle uclow.
Fortunately the bullets passed over
the heads Of all present. striking the
opposite wall and gathering down on
the PARTED floor of the white salon.
Evrybody had been laboling under q
more or less nervous strain because ct
the strike situation and the windows
were hastily vacated and the greatest
excitement reigned within the palace
Lieut.. FullOn, chief Of police OF St.
Petersburg, himself picked up mis-
sile in the white salon. 1t was the sz,
OF q birds egg. The police chief was
t.aauueuIdUolJ -. y, .uiI'zi, vi,
the guaro, who examined the bullet
and expressed the opinion that it bad
come from shrapnel shell, which
might have beer fired from the bat.
terry located on the Blurse eeplanade,
and which replied to tile "a ute OF the
st. Peter and ST. Paul fortress, ex-
planning that gun might have been
charged with loaded cartridge by
mistake.
In the M 2antinie there was no evi.
dence outside Of What occurred. The
crowds CT people who formed black
lines along the Qnays, the palace
brioge, the sters Of the BDurse and
every other point Of vantage in the
white Arc.ic landscape did net batray
the slightest excitement. Neither did
the imperial party in the chapel be-
low. Although Che actual ceremony
was ended the emperor remained and
accompanied the metropolitan aud
clergy as they circle the pavilion
around the chapel TO bless the gorge
Gus standards of the famous guard
regiments assembled there. Then the
procession moved back to the palace
and the original program me was car
cled cut. 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
ssQuently bad luncheon served in the
state dining room.
During the reception Emperor
Nicholas greeted AMBASSADOR Nc
COrmick With his accustomed corGiali.
ty and the ambas aior conveyed to his
1oajesty President Ruoseveit's person.
81 greetings and wishes for u happy
New Year which the emperor said he
wa5 happy 10 receive. When the cor
respondent OF the Associated Press
(who was about to go down to tile
white salon when one Of the mi5siS
flew right over his hcac) left the pal.
ace he saw hole iu the window OF
another salon and holes outside In the
stucco Of the massive red building
Additional particulars show that
the emperor had a miraculous escape.
There Is no doubt that the missiles
came from gun OF the Bourse battery
which was loaded with grape, not
with Shrapnei, Some Of the bullets ac-
tually struck the little open chapel In
which the emperor was standing, cut
the staH Of one OF the stauGards ana
fairly riddled tie basement windows
. palace, killing pJliccman ont
o. hph woundlng an Oillcer aud
Dr., Tas. Had the gun been aim.
,Ssfyer the charge Of grape
might have SSiped out tie whole y.
manoff dynasty. Tne official account
Of Thursdays shoDGl4lg aifaif is as fol-
lows: y
During the ceremony of,the b'ess-
ing CT the waters CT the Neva, NiurS-
day, In the presence OF the empHSor5
as the usual salute was being fircdSan
accident happened. a charge Of grape
instead Of q saluting charge waY fire.
from a gun belonging to one /of TIE
batteries stationed near 90 Buurse
Some bullets struck the facade OF the
winter palace near the quay gardens
breaking four windows. a policeman
belonging to the ST. Petersburg force
was wounded. AcCordin to the infor
nation to hand at present no othe
accident occurred. IuQuiry continues.