The San Francisco call., 1905-04-01
POLICE FOIL
PLOT TO KILL
Arrest Terrorist Who Was
Watching for Opportunity
to Assassinate Trepoff
THIRTY PERSONS TO DIE
st. Petersburg Authorities
Learn That Grand Duke
Alexis is on Doomed List

ST. PETERSBURG, March 31.-The
authorities continue to find evidence
Of terrorist activity in St Petersburg,
and In spite Of the precautions of the
police another tragedy may occur al
any moment. The fighting organiza-
ton is known to have on its condem-
nation list thirty persons, headed by
Grand Duke Alexis and Governor Gen
eral Trepoff. but the police, although
they have arrested several persons
with bombs in their possession, and
have taken many suspects into GUS
tody, have been completely baff1ed in
their efforts to discover the invisible
hand which is directing the campaign
of the terrorists. The police theory
continues to be that the central or
ganizations Of those engaged in the
conspiracies are at Geneva and In
Paris, and that the men arrested in
Russia are agents selected to execute
the sentences.
When arrested these agents invaria-
bly, are true to their oaths and refuse
to divulge anything, no matter to what
ordeal they are subjected. Only yes
terday the police by chance foiled what
is believed to have been a plot to kill
Governor General Trepoff.
A man was observed during the
morning lounging at the corner of
Great Morskaia street, about a block
away from the entrance to General
Trepoff's chancellory. He attracted no
attention at first, as he wore the red
cap which is the distinctive mark of
the employees of the messenger COM
pany, whose messengers stand at every
street corner, but at last a policeman
noticed that the mans face was not
familiar to him, and approached the
supposed messenger with the object of
interrogating him. The man thereupon
became alarmed, drew revolver and
fired at the policeman, but missed him.
The policeman then overpowered his
asSailant and arrested him.
Almost at the same hour that the
bogus messenger was being arrested on
Great Morskaia street the police, who
have been keeping sharp lookout at
the hotels and lodging g-houses, discov-
cred several bombs of the terrorist pat
tern in trunk belonging to a stranger
who occupied furnished rooms in a
house on Pushkin street, but who was
absent at the time the police searched
his apartment. The man was taken
into custody when he returned, and
last night two men who called TO see
him also were arrested. All the prison
ers declined to give any account of
ln6uiSClNcS.
Although the police are reticent, re-
fusing to furnish any information or
give the names of the prisoners, the two
incidents-the arrest of the man on
Great Morskaia street and the finding
of the bombs-are undoubtedly con-
nected. The man captured by the po-
lice ,on Great sMorskaia street probably
was on the lookout for some mark by
which to distinguish General Trepoff' S
carriage, as several vehicles of the
same style ain constantly before the
Governor General chancellory, and
when he drives out they circle around
and leave in different directions so that
it is almost impossible in the confusion
to determine definitely which carriage
contains the Governor General. 1t is
said that General Trepoff a fortnight
ago received a letter informing him
that this ruse was unavailing, as he
would be killed in his bed.
The police have instructed all lodg-
ing-houses to provide themselves with
duplicate keys Of all rooms, drawers
and closets in order that the effects of
suspects may be freely searched.