Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-04-22
DAILY STORY
CHASING A RUSSIAN ASSASSIN.
[Original.l


Odessa on the Black sea, was known
by the revolutiOnists to be in the pay
of the police. Once or twice ''politi-
Gals" trying to get out of the country,
had begged him to conceal them on his
engine and take them to Odessa, where
they could embark. One had tried to
bride him. Invariably the engineer
had gone Straighs to the police with
the information. One night IemSky,
who had day run, was preparing to
go to bed when there was a knock or
his door and a we'll dressed young man
with light hair and blue eyes stepped
in.
Il wish to go south to Odessa on to-
morrOw'S II o'clock train. You. / am
told, run the engine of that train. Will
you slow up just beyond the limits to
enable me TO get on? 1t will be very
easy for you and would be worth
hundred rubles to me-
Lemsky thought a moment. Should
he take the bride without earning it,
He would receive its double from the
police for his information. No; it
would be too risky.
Tee next morning Lemsky when he
went to tie roundhouse dropped in on
the police and informed them that
suspicious character had tried to bride
him to slow his train that he might
get on. The police ordered Il couple Of
detectives to go on the train and watch
for the suspicious character as Ge-
scribed by the engineer
At half past 10 O'Clock a report was
heard in the governors palace and
attendants entering found the governor
blown to atoms. There was no sign
whatever of the perpetratOr of the
deed. There was an awakening at the
police office, though it came late. The
information of the engineer suddenly
appeared to be very important. OF
course it was only a clew, but the more
they thought of it the more they con
sidered it the true clew. Had it not
been the assassin himself who. intend
ing TO kill the governor not long before
the train started. had wished to take
it outside the city limits? But, failing
to bride the engineer to stop. had he
not taken the train ut the station?
1t was o'clock when the police got
the idea into their stupid noodles, and
the train had been gone two hours.
They at once went to the railway Of
fees and directed the SUPERINTENDENT
to catch the II o'clock train by tele-
graph and direct the detectives on it
to stop it till it could he certainly
known if the assassin was on board.
The superintendent gave them two
pieces of information that astOniShed
them-firSt, the telegraph line to OdeS-
sd was down; second, Il police official
had only half an hour ago hurried into
the office and in the name of the gov
ernment demanded an engine with
which to follow the II o'clock train.
An engine standing ready on the
track had been given him and after
taking in oil the coal and water it
could carry had left not ten minutes
before with the officer, the engineer
and Stoker
The officials were puzzled. Exchans-
ing opinions, they concluded that some
one high in rank and more energetic
than themselves had got ahead Of
them. But they could only wait for
Information. The telegraph line being
down, there was no way of reaching
the train or the engine.
And now let us follow the police off,
cial who had distanced his fellows.
He was black eyed man, with dark
hair and beard. He stood. with a
watch in hand. timing the train. ana,
though it covered a mile minute. lie
ordered the engineer to go faster
Catch the II o'clock train before it
reaches CrakOv.' he said to the cngi-
neer, land | promise you in the name
of the car a thousand rubles."
The engineer ordered more coal into
the furnace, and, with increased
steam, the engine bounded over the
time table in his pocket and noting the
time of day. told the engineer that he
should overhaul the train at Kursb.
And he did. When the locomotive roll
ed into Kursk, there stood the train on
| the track. 4 switch was set for the
locomotive, and it rolled alongside the
| train. Then the officer of police or
| dered the engineer to pull on.
But l thought you wanted to catch
| this train" said the engineer
II did-and pass it. Pull on thun-
dered the officer
The engineer let on steam, and the
| locomotive was soon dashing on again
at the same terrific rate as before.
| New for Odessa" said the officer.
| I'VE must reach it by 10 o'clock to-
night, in time to catch the boat for
Constantinople."
The engineer now began to wonder
at this singular man who had been SO
anxious to catch a train and when lie
had caught it passed it without com
municating. But he held his peace
lie was in Russia, and the officer talk
ed in the name of the car. He SPOKE
as one in authority, and it was plain
that he was not to be questioned.
1t was still long journey to Odessa
and had they not been going at an