Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-04
TERRORIST KILLS
POLICE PREFECT
Assassination Is Accomplished with an
Ease That Frlghtens Russian Off.
claldom-SIayer Turns Pistol
on Himself After Deed
BV Associated Press

BY Associated Press.
ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 3.-The po-
lice have not yet succeeded in identi-
| flying the terrorist who killed Major
General Won der Launitz, prefect of
police of st. Petersburg, at the insti-
tute of experimental medicine this
afternoon and who coolly turned his
revolver on himself while he was fall
ing under the sabers of the prefect's
escort
The authorship of this crime. how
ever. like the recent assassination OF
Count Ignatieff and the unsuccessful
attempt to blow up Premier Stolypin
with a bomb, has been traced to the
fighting organization of the social
revolutionists who recently resolved to
resume full terroristic activities
The organization tonight issued the
| customary pamphlet avowing and JUS
tifying the killing of General Won der
Launitz, which was accomplished with
an ease and simplicity that has struck
terror into the hearts of all other Of
ficials on the revolutionary death list.
The man who committed the crime
was about % years old and apparently
belonged to the intelligent working
class.
The police affirm that he was a Jew.
He was provided with a card of admis-
sion to the dedication of the church,
but this card bore no name. The
authorities have not been able to learn
how he obtained this invitation to the
ceremonies. which were extremely Sc
lect. only $50 cards having been issued.
Prince Peter Alexandrovitch, duke
of Oldenburg, is a patron of the insti-
tute. Among the guests present We're
his wife, Grand Duchess Olga, youngest
sister of Emperor Nicholas; Princess
Eugenia Amilianova and a number of
other persons prominent at court.
Evidently Had Spy
The fact that General Won der Lau-
nitz was to attend the conservation of
the church was not generally known
and the terrorists must have learned
of this fact from sources within the po-
lice department.
The prefect was accompanied by his
usual bodyguard of secret service men,
but not one of these had the slightest
suspicion of the murderer, although his
toil-stained hands were completely in
contrast to his faultless evening
clothes which persons attending recep-
tions in Russia must don.
The fall of Gen. Launitz was followed
by scene of indescribable confusion.
The duke of Oldenbur2, one of the few
men who retained their composure,
seized the assassn's hand after ne had
fired twice and several succeeding shots
were discharged into the ceiling. But
before the duke could disarm him one
of the officers who accompanied the
prefect drew his saber and struck the
assassin a powerful blow which COM
pletely cut out portion of his skull.
AS the man was falling he shot him.
self in the stomach with the last bull
let in his revolver. His death was in
stantaneous, but several officers con-
tinued to hack his PROSTATE body un-
| til the duke of Oldenburg struck UP
| their swords and forced them to de-
| sist.
| In addition to two arrests made with
| in the church the doors of which We're
closed afte: the shooting, several Other
| persons were taken into custody in e
neighboring instrument factory, which
| Is believed to have served as headquar-
ters for the terrorists.
1t was while General Won der Laun-
itz was governor of Tambov that there
| occurred the terrible repression of thj
agrarian disorders in Tambov province
and it was retribution for these thai
Mariel Spiridonovo shot Chief of Po'
lice Luzhnoffski, one of the subordi
mates of General Won der Launitz.