The San Francisco call., 1906-09-16

tation of which the ancient capital was
the hotbed. When Sergius was assas-
sinated Trepoff was named Governor
General of Moscow. Later he was sum
moned to St Petersburg and given the
command of the Imperial Guard and
made Governor General of the city.
he took up his residence in the Winter
Palace and became. in fact if not In
name, dictator of Russia
Anarchy prevailed when he arrived
An uprising on a large scale was mo-
mentarily expected. Thousands had
fed the city. But with Trepoff in COM
mand the aspect of affairs changed
Troops filled the streets and dead walls
were placarded with notices that the
street disorders would be suppressed
without mercy. And under his iron
hand the city became quiet
During those trying weeks plot after
plot 10 tkill him was discovered and
frustrated. Two of his own nieces at
tempted-to execute the sentence.
WORKS IN A DUNGEON.
But in his dungeon like room in the
center of the palace, where no bomb
could reach him save by shattering a
dozen walls, with the telephone con-
stantiy at his side, he issued orders and
received reports.
HIS personal courage was beyond all
question, but failed him in the end II
en- no fool he said to the Associated
Press correspondent a few DAYS after
he assumed the dictatorship IT am no
fool to be potted in the street l have
work to do and 1 propose to do it.
nave given my word to my imperial
master to maintain the tranquility of
the city, and / will answer for tho
preservation of order with my life"
The strain told upon him, and during
those memorable six 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.
Trepof made a pretense of acquies-
cling in the manifesto of October of that
year and in Witte's elevation to the
Premiership. But in reality he was
only awaiting favorable opportunity
to give battle to the new regime And
when the orgie of liberty which tol-
lowed the manifesto was in full blast,
threatening to sweep away the founda-
tions of the Government, even Witte
was glad to turn to the great police
master to restore order.
HAILED AS THE SAVIOR.
He accomplished his task and was
hailed by the reactionaries as the
savior of the situation. The Emperor
was made to believe that Trepoff alone
was capable of safeguarding the life of
himself and imperial family. And so.
with the press bowling at his heels, he
retired to the Tsarkoe-Selo to become
master of the palace. There, in a more
congenial atmosphere. he took the di-
rection of the campaign for the resto-
ration of the old order.
In. all, six actual attempts on the life
of General Trepoff have been made
within three years, and only last July
General Kozloff of the headquarters
was assassinated at Peterhof by a ter
rorist who believed he was firing upon
Trepoff.
General Trepoff would have been 81
years old in December. Several months
he had been suffering from heart af-
fection and asthmatic troubles, and
some time ago was forced to abandon
a large amount of his routine work.
The revolutionists can claim partial
responsibility for his end as his illness
was superinduced by strain due to con-
stant fear of death. which, with the
lack of exercise and recreation durin g
the last two years, wore down his orig
inally splendid constitution. He had
become so nervous of late that recently,
when a military attache of a conti-
mental power was unexpectedly ushered
into his room, General Trepoff sprang
to his feet in an attitude of defense.