The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-12-05
ARRGSTIyC SOLDIERS
Cossscks at ST. Petersburg Only
Troops Not Under Suspicion.
MANY RUMoRs ARE AFLoAT

Il Is Said Grand Dukes Are Involved
In Conspiracy Against the Emperor.
Guard Regiments Are Under sus-
picion.
st. Petersburg. Dec. 1.-The guards
arrested at Tsarskoe-Selo Thursday
night and Friday morning numbered
$50. including 20 officers.
All kinds Of rumors are current, In
Guiding the assertion that one of the
grand dukes is involved in a conspiracy
against the emperor, but none of them
can be verified. II only seems certain
that no reliance can be placed even on
the guard regimtns. Arrested soldiers
are seen every day. escorted by their
comrades with drawn swords.
St. Petersburg is swarmng with Cos
sacks. the only troops against whom
there is no suspicion Of disafiection.
1t is understood that the whole Cos
sack forces Of the empire, some 100000
strong. will be modified
A conference was held at Count
Whites residence to consider the de-
mands Of the telegraphers. Count
Wltte has declined to receive a depu-
ation from the telegraph and postal
strikers. Oh the ground that they are
violating their duty to the state. but
he sent a note to the deputation recon-
mendlng that the strikers address
themselves to their immediate chiefs.
Father GopOn has fed to Finland.
The emperor presided at meeting
OF the council of ministers. Much COM
ment has boon caused by the emperors
summons To Count Pahlen. a member
Of the council of the empire. and one
Of the oldest and most trusted servants
Of the houge OF ROmanOff. who partHf-
pated in tho session. presumably 10
voice his maiesty's views.
After the close Of the session OF the
council of ministers an ofiiciol COM
municatlon was issued. explaining that
martial law in Poland having produced
the desired effect on the extremists. It
had been revoked at the request Of
General STALLION. governor general Of
Poland. who was now holding out the
hope that the Poles would participate
in tho elections for the dolma.
Lewis Nixon. OF New York. was re-
ceived in audience by Emperor Nlcho-
las. The audience took place in the
palace Mt Tsarskoe-Selo. and was un-
usually long for an audience Of prt-
vate character. lasting over half an
hour. Vice Admiral Birilef, minl1ter OF
marine. was present
His majesty displayed not the slight
est trace Of the gloomy detection in
which he IS pictured as being plunged.
but on the contrary showed neither
physical nor mentGi traces of the great
strain he Is UNDERGOING. Such reference
as he mado 10 ~ ITS in Russia indi-
Gated that his majesty had a complete
grasp Of the situation.
The opportunity OF talking to an
American seemed TO be particularly
welcome ID the emperor, who spoke in
an extremely appreciative vein Of the
United States, its people in general
and It's great men in particular. linking
the names Of Lincoln and Roosevelt
He referred pleasantly to the visits to
him Of various Americans, including
Rrigadier General Thomas II. Barry
and other officers who were attached to
tho Russian armies in Manchuria. es-
necially 10 the visit in December. 1903,
Of william Jennings Bryan, whose per-
sonality somed 70 interest him very
greatly.