Arizona republican., 1905-01-20
That Near the ROmdnOff Dynasty to Destruction
A STRANGE OCCURRENCE
During Religious Ceremony the Pal- ace Was Shelled by ShrapneI-The Authorities Engaged in Inquiry as to Whether It Was Accidental.


 mony of the blessing of the waters this year was accompanied by an event more mysterious, unprecedented and extraordinary than any afforded by the annals of Russian history. For a Rus sian sovereign to fall by the hands of an assassin is no new thing in Russian records, but that the emperor should narrowly escape death by a shot from his own artillery while he was engag- ed in a solemn religious rite, surround ed by the priests of his church, is so difficult to realize as to be almost in credible. Yet this is what happened today and the Russian public is left wondering and mystified. By the mer- est chance the imperial family escaped unhurt, but public opinion is stunned by what might have been the tragic result of the affair
 Whatever may be the solution, it is a strange fact that the shot came from the BCurse Esplanade, where was sta toned the first horse artillery of the guard, the premier artillery company of the empire and one of the most noted regiments in the whole service.
 The festival of the Epiphany, the blessing of the waters, had just con- cluded at 1 o'clock this afternoon when simultaneously with a salute fired from St. Peter and St. Paul fortress, either a rain of bullets or shrapneH swept over the little chapel built over the frozen Neva in front of the water pal ace, where Emperor Nicholas and ev- cry member of the Romanoff family were participating in the service The missiles went high, entering the win dows of the splendid row of salons along the water front, from which the empress, the ladies of the court, the members of diplomatic corps, including Ambassador Mccormick and the American secretaries, all high dignita- ries of state and the army and navy were witnessing the glittering specta- cIe below Fortunately the bullets passed over the heads of all present. striking the wall and clattering down upon the parquetted floor of the white salon. The greatest excitement reign ed within the palace. One of the mis- siles picked up was the size of a birds egg. It Is believed that the shrapnel was fired from a battery located on the Bourse Esplanade and which replied to the salute of St. Peter and St. Paul fortress, and it is explained that the gun may have been charged with a loaded cartridge by mistake.
 The emperor displayed splendid nerve and showed not a trace of ex- citement The correspondent of the Associated Press was about entering the white salon when the missiles flew directly over his head. The police are trying to clear the mystery. The as- sembled populace, unaware of the oc- currence, was not excited. There is a feeling of high tension among all classes due to the existing critical strike situation. News of the at tempt made upon the emperor's life spread like wild fire and greatly in creased the tension.
 The Associated Press obtained the following statement from the police at , o'clock this afternoon: With the second or third shot from the Bourse battery on Basil Island a very large number of shrapnel bullets struck the chapel of the palace. Two entered the interior where the emperor was stand ing. The bullets have very low velo- city. The two which entered the cha pei fell harmlessly to the floor. Sev- eral policemen about the chapel were | struck. With the exception of one man | named Romanoff. who was severely l wounded, they all escaped with con tusions. Inquiry is being conducted | by Grand Duke Sergius Michaelovitch, | inspector general of artillery. It has l not yet been established whether it was | an accident or was due to premedita ! ton.
 From an authoritative source, it ap- l pears that doubt of the existence of a | plot arises from the fact that shrapnel 1 was distributed to the battery in an- ticipation of possible trouble with riot CTS, most alarming reports having |
 IL, To-. xNF proposed attempt on the emperOr's life today. Upon this fact rests the theory of a possible mistake made by the gunner.
 "If this was a deliberate plot" said an officer especially charged with safe guarding the person of his majesty, 'ItI was very ingenious. We have been for an anarchist attempt in any form we could conceive, but an attempt to kill the emperor with one of lis own guns under the guise of firing salute was never dreamed of It is new departure against a repeti- ion of which we must take precau- ion. If the gunners of the emperors picked guard can be enlisted in such lastardly conspiracy serious possibil- ties are presented
 The official account of today's shoot ng affair is as follows: During the ceremony of the blessing of the waters if the Neva today, in the presence of he emperor, as the usual salute was 'eing fired an accident happened. A harge of grape instead of the salut- nE charge was fired from a gunboat elonging to one of the batteries sta toned near the Bourse. Some bullets truck the facade of the winter palace ear the quay gardens breaking four 5indows. A policeman belonging to he St. Petersburg force was wounded. according to information to hand at resent, no other attack occurred. In uiry continues" Additional particulars show that the mperor had miraculous escape. No