Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-08-17
ATTEMPT TO
ASSASSINATE
RUSSIAN GRAND DUKE HAS
NARROW ESCAPE.
IS FIRED ON DURING REVIEW
Ball Cartridges Fired by FIRST Bat
talon of Sharpshooters. It is Not
Known How Ammunition Was Sc
cured.

st. Petersburg An attempt was
made to assassinate Grand Duke
Nicholas Nicholaivitch, president of
the council of National Defense, while
he was reviewing the imperial guards
in the guard camp at Krasnoye-Selo.
The troops were being put through
blank firing practice when the grand
duke was startled by the hiss of bull
lets above his head. The troops were
Immediately marched to their quar-
ters, and after an investigation it
was determined that the shots were
fred by the first battalion of sharp
shooters of the guard, who advanced
in rushes while making a sham attack
on an intrenched position. Fully a
hundred shots were fired but the i'm
patience of the eonspirators frustrat-
ed their object.
The bold attempt on the grand
dukes life caused an immediate
change in the plans of the emperor,
who had arranged to go to Krasnoye-
Selo Monday and spend week with
the soldiers of his imperial guards.
A representative of the Associated
Press visited the guard camp a Kras-
noye-Selo and ascertained that though
several arrests had been made respon-
sibility for the shots fired at Grand
Duke Nicholas had not definitely been
brought home to any particular cul-
prits.
1t was only after a long investiga-
ton that it was determined that the
ball cartridges were fired by The first
battalion of sharpshooters, one of the
elite corps Of the Russian army. Sus-
picion was directed towards the one
year volunteers, recruits who, In con-
,sideration of educational qualifca-
tions and social positions escape with
only one year, instead of four years
service. Many of these men are for
mer students at universities and are
the principal spreaders of the rev.
olutionary propaganda among the
troops. The officers Of the regiment
concerned are extremely retice1t con-
cerning the affair, but, from a mem
Der of the grand ducal escort the As
sociated Press learned that the iu-
CiuenU occurred during movement
of the Ismailovsky guard and the
guard Of sharpshooters against a po-
sition held by the Seminovsky regi-
meat. Grand Duke Nicholas was sit
ting ON his charger and observing the
maneuvers from the top of an in
trenchment. The troops were advanc
ing by short rushes in open order
across a wide, level field, firing blank
volleys by squads as they came. A
few yards behind the grand duke was
his suite including General Zarubieff,
second in command Of the guard corps
adjutants and orderlies and several
civilians, including the Countess Nj
rod.
Suddenly when the first eschelon of
the attacking force, consisting of
sharpshooters, was from 450 to 500
yards. distant, bullet sang high over
head, followed by another and still
another. The cry was raised "They
are firing ball." and the group was
thrown into great confusion. After
frantic signaling "cease firing" was
sounded, but the shots continued fol-
some time.
Grand Duke Nicholas remarked
when he joined his suite: "It would
be more realistic if the troops al
ways fired bali during maneuvers, but
this is objectionable negligence"
The attack on the position held by
the Seminovsky regiment was imme
.diately stopped. The troops wer,
marched to their quarters and inves
tigation was begun. How the con
'spirators obtained ball cartridges ha.
not been ascertained as ammunition
lis always called in after the men re.
turn from patrol duty, but it is con
| jectured that the cartridges were Sc
cured after the dissolution Of parlia
ment, when supplies Of service am
munitlon was issued in anticipation
of trouble, and that the troops sue
ceeded in holding them out after tht
collapse of the strike.
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