Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-09-29

The shadow that falls across the path
OF the ears may extend the world
round. Wherever the ruler OF all the
Russias may happen To be. there the
shadow OF fear ties.
once in Paris. once In the palace
gardens. Alexander III. was fired at
Again In the Winter Palace square
one Solorieif. wearing the uniform OF
an Official passed the guards one day.
and again the car was fred upon
Alexander ran for the palace. Solo
rien followed him and fred three
times. The car ran I'm zigzags. how
ever, and SO escaped. Not long after
ward two mines were laid TO blow up
the imperial train. One did not ex-
plode. but the second wrecked the
train. Once more the car escaped.
Watching eyes had saved him. their
owners having persuaded the ruler to
take another train.
Later Alexander II. owed his life IN
the fact that he came late In func-
ton Mt the palace. y bomb blew clean
out n large portion OF the imperial resi-
dence. but the car was not present.
But OF all the attempts on the lives
OF Russia's rulers two stand ont most
clearly for their amazing ingenuity.
One tells the story OF a little unpre-
tenuous shop I'm Malaja Sadovaja
street. Kobozef. then unknown TO
the police took the shop and set out
TO Impress the police. who were al
ways making sudden Inspections OF
premises along the thoroughfares
through which Alexander ii. passed.
that he was nothing but provision
dealer Nearly every one IN that
street was n paid spy. but Kobozer
Joked with his customers. pleased his
purveyors and was most affable and
apparently harmless.
The dealer inspired confidence. and
his custom increased gradually. No
wonder. for most OF the parcels that
his customers were carrying away bv
day contained nothing but Garth
earth that during the night hours had
been scaped by the man and his
wife from beneath the street, IL was
by such ingenious method that n tun.
mel was followed and cleared under
the thoroughfare and n mine laid be-
meath the way the car often passed.
an innocent couch upon which the
housewife slept covering the entry 10
the tunnel
Yet all the work was useless. On
the day the scheme was TO be carried
out the ear upset all the arrange
ments 10y going of 70 lunch with the
Grand Duchess Catherine Michaelovna.
Among those who were watching on
behalf OF the terrorists was n beaufi-
ful girl-a countess, too-named Pc
rovskaya IL was she who. seeing the
altered arrangements. gave warning.
The car would return 10 the palace
another way. Along this route four
men carrying bombs were stationed.
One threw his Men aud horses were
killed all around. but the car stepped
from his coach unScathed. 4 second
man holding bomb came forward
and threw Il. This time the effect
was awful" says Waclaw Gasiorow-
ski, who describes the incident i'm his
book. Tragic Russia" The car Zen
as II cut 10y Il scythc. His legs were
shattered 10 pieces" So died the ear
who had escaped rs ny miracle
many times.
Alexander III. followed. and there
were attempts upon his life. The
fourth was one of the most senss
uonal i'm the entire list OF nihilist plots.
On bright autumn day the impe-
rial train Travelled at full speed on the
track we'll guarded by soldiers. Ii was
toward noon. The imperial family
were in the dining car. where lunch
was about 10 be served. The cook and
his help were making the last prepara-
lions for il when an assistant was
taken tl
The court physician attended the
man and. having stated that he had
fever. with symptoms Of some mex
plicable ailment, decided that the man
could not remain in the imperial train.
and he was left at the next station.
The train moved forward toward
Borki. travelling at the speed Of eighty
kilometers an hour Then the cleo
trical bell notified the cook that the
imperial family were ready for lunch
con. \ few seconds after the ben
sounded 4 terrific noise was heard.
and violent explosion changed in the
twinkling Of an eye the luxurious i'm
perial train into n heap Of broken
iron, Of wrecked cars, of mutilated
cOrpSes, enveloped In smoke and made
all the more narrowing by the moan
ing and cries for help Of the wounded.
Yet the czSr escaped, The dining
room car that the nihiliSts had in
tended should he 4 grave for the car.
his family and his suit saved him, for
although its roof and floor were
wrecked its sides were preserved
They inclined toward the center. prop
ped each other like two cards and re-
manned in that position. protecting
those who were there from being
crushed.
The cook who had been put of the
train had worked the whole thing. He
nad placed an Internal machine In
cone of sugar and had faxed his i'll
ness. thus getting clear away-Phila-
delphia Ledger.
Mercy turns her back to the unmerci-
ful.-QuariPS