The Washington times., 1906-08-12
Gives Up Proposed Trip
From Peterhof to
TSarSkOe-SelO.
OFFICERS IN THE PLOT
Hundred Men of RuSSia'S
Crack Regiment Are
Under Arrest.

ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. H.
Nearly a hundred soldiers of the
Imperial Guards are under arrest
in Tsarskoe-Selo for completely in
the attempt today to assassinate the
Grand Duke Nicholas III the summer
camp. That the grand duke escap-
ed with his life is probably due to
the fact that the men. who used ball
cartridges instead of blanks while
at drill, began firing at too great a
distance and in their haste aimed
badly.
1t is not doubted that the whole
affair was the outcome of a deeply
laid plot, and il is strongly believed
that some Of The officers are invoIv-
ed.
Gar in a Panic.
So great is the panic caused by the
event that the Car, who intended 20
visit the camp the coming week. has
suddenly changed his plans. owing 10
a well-defined belief that his life would
not be safe with the troops,
The men were advancing by rushes
in extended order when the shots were
fired. and for a time IL was difficult i1r
those with the Grand Duke 20 tell from
which direction the bullets came when
they began To whiz about the heads Of
Nicholas and his STAFF.
Tho Grand Duke was observing the
movement of the troops closely when
the firing opened. just back of him
was his suite which included General
Zarubaeff. second in command. a num-
her of orderlies and adiutants and
PARTY of civilians with whom was the
Countess Nirod.
Grand Duke Was Cool
They were thrown into something re-
senbliug a panic as the bullets sang
around them. and all except Nicholas
were visiblv nervous. He merely smiled
and remarked afterwards 20 one OF his
staff.
1T would be much more realistic II
the troops always fired BAH during
maneuvers. but this is objectionable
negligence"
An order TO cease firing was given at
once. and then Il was found upon in
the rifles OF the First Battalion OF the
Life Guards-the crack regiment of the
Russian army. II was learned that more
than 100 shots were fred. but the Inili-
tary authorities are hnding great diff
Guilty IN their efforts to FIX the respon-
sibility on the guilty persons.
Cartridge Boxes Not Searched.
Those in the confidence Of the govern
ment are greatly worried by the occur
renee. Fearing some such episode, orders
were given TO the officers before the
sham fight which Nicholas was watch
ing 10 take all the ball cartridges away
from the men and TO carefully search
their cartridge boxes. That this evil
IDENTIFY was not done gives color TO the
suspicion that the officers were IN the
plot.
The first intimation the Grand Duke
had of the attempt TO shoot him was
when the bullets began 10 fly close ABOUT
his head Surrounded by a numerous
staff. he was seated on his horse watch
ing the men who We're attacking an i'm
aginary intrenched position He was
W1rncd Dy an aide-dc-camp Of TIE dam
ger, but he displayed not the least ner-
vCusness. On the contrary, he turned
cColly 70 a stan officer and asked him
10 see that an order was sent to cease
firing. When this was done, he rode
slowly TO the general in command of the
attacking force with the request that he
institute an immediate investigation.
Then he ordered the men back 10 their
camp and returned to his own headquar-
ssrs.
Newspapers Censored.
The newspapers here have not been
permitted 10 print a line concerning
The shooting
The Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaie-
witch often has been called the great
est cavalry commander of the world
and has beer noted as about the only
member of The house of Romanofr who
has GeYoted his entire time to military
affairs. Whether or not this high re-
gard for his ability as a leader is
shared In other places. the Berlin mili-
tary experts have stamped him with
their supreme aIproval
He assumed command of all the Rus
sian forces in the Far East to succeed
General Linevitch after Mukden had
fallen He saw almost no active sery-
ice before peace was declared. but he
was at once made president of the
Council for Imperial Defense thus be-
coming the head of all the Russian
forces In Europe and. Asia
Cars Second Cousin.
The Crank Duke is the second cousin
Of the Car and has been the Little
Fathers" closest friend since the as
RassinatiOD OF Sergtus, the Cars uncle.
The rumor that Crank Duke Nicholas
might succeed the Gar in the event
of the latter's abdiCauOn or removal
was a surprise. since Nicholas Nichol-
aievitch has kept out of politics. II
is more than likely, though, that IL any
one of the Grand Dukes were 10 take
The throne the Car would prefer him.
IL was announced that 1900 soldiers
and sailors VIII be cOuTt-martialed for
their connection with the mutinies in
Cronstadt and SveabOrg. Ii is said
that the authorities are inclined 70 put
The greater share of the blame on the
officers.