The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-09-22
GEN. TREPOFF Dead
BESPOT OF RUSSIA PASSES AWAY
SUDDENLY.
Iyrant by Nature, Education and
Conviction, He Had More Than
Once Checked Tide Toward
Liberalism-Son of a Found
ling.

ing.
st. Petersburg, Sept. l7.-Gen. Dmi-
tri Feodorovitch Trepoff. commaudant
of the imperialpalace. died at O'Clock
Saturday evening at his villa at Peter.
hof of angina pectoris. Gen. Trepoff,
whose name was indelibly linked with
repression in Russia, was remarkable
man. He was natural despot, q ty-
rant by inclination, education and
conviction. He was one of those men
who have constantly appeared in Rus
sian history just at the time when
conditions were most promising for
putting an end to despotism to turn
Russian rulers from liberalism to reac-
tion.
It was he who became the guiding
spirit Of the reaction after Nicholas II
has issued his manifesto in the fall of
1905, promising the people share in
the government. Holding the position
of master of the palace, in league with
the court intriguers who were deter
mined to restore the old regime, he
constantly had the emperor's ear.
Father Was Founding
Like his father before him, Trepoff
was police master, and the story of
father and son was full of dramatic
incidents.
The elder was founding. Who
his parents were was never known.
He was found one morning on the
back doorstep Of German family, by
whom he was playfully named Trepoff
(tre-hof, German for doorstep.)
During the height of the Nihilist
conspiracies IN the late '70s, it was to
the elder Trepoff that Alexander II
confided the task of running down the
terrorists plotting against his life.
The fight between liberalism and re-
action then, as later under Trepoff' 8
son, was in full swing, and then, as
later, the energies of the police we're
directed against the student agitatio on.
Dmitri followed his fathers foot
steps. He attracted the attention. of
Grand Duke Sergius, then governor
general of Moscow, and by him was
named police master of Moscow. Ire
pof soon became Sergius' right arm
in fighting the revolutionary student
agitation, of which the ancient capital
was the hotbed.
Many Plots Frustrated
During those trying weeks plot after
plot to kill him was discovered and
frustrated. Two of his own nieces at
tempted to execute the sentence.
but in his dungeon like room in the
center of the palace, where no bomb
could reach him, save by SCATTERING a
dozen walls, with the telephone con-
stantly at his side, he issued orders
and received reports.
His personal courage was beyond all
question. He had almost a contempt
for death. 81 am no fool" he said to
the Associated Press correspondent a
few days after he assumed the dicta-
torship. 81 am no fool to be potted
in the street. I have work to do and
I propose to do it. have given my
word to my imperial master to main
tain the tranquility of the city and l
will answer for the preservation of or
der with my life.''
The strain told upon him and dur
ing those memorable weeks the lines
of his face deepened and his hair and
beard became streaked with gray. He
continued at his post throughout the
summer, and although there was much
political excitement, no riot occurred.
Witte Yielded to Him
Trepoff made pretense of acqui-
escing in the manifesto of that year
and Whites elevation to the premier
ship. But in reality he was only wait
ing favorable opportunity to give bat
tie to the new regime. And when the
orgie of liberty which followed the
manifesto was in full blast, threaten
ing to sweep away the foundations of
the government, even Witte was glad
to turn to the great police master to
restore order. He accomplished his
task and was hailed by the reaction
aries as the savior Of the situation.
The emperor was made to believe that
Trepoff alone was capable of safeguard
ing the life of himself and the impe-
rial family, aid so, with the press
bowling at his heels, he retired to
Tsarkoe-Selo to become master of the
palace.
There, amid congenial atmosphere,
he took the direction of the campaign
for the restoration Of the old order.
Six actual attempts on the life of Gen.
Trepoff have been made within the
last three years, and only last year
Gen. Kozloff, of the headquarters, was
assassinated at Peterhof by terrorist
who believed he was firing upon Gen.
Trepof.
Will Pay IS Per Cent of Losses
San Francisco, Sept. 19.-Accord-
ing to he officers of the Hibhernia
bank, the London and Lancashire Fire
Insurance Company has issued notice
that it will pay to its policy holders
who suffered losses in the San Fran
III u