The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-07-30
TERRORIST, THEN SPY
General Harding Admits Part in
Death of Alexander III.

tical police abroad, who recently was
denounced by M. Bourtezeff as being
implicated in the plot to assassinate
Emperor Alexander I'LL, has been in
st. Petersburg for the past two weeks
arranging his affairs. He has been
retired from the police service, at his
own request, OH an annual pension
Of $4,000.
In an interview today, which was
secured with much difficulty, General
Harting, who was known also as
Michael Landesen, made the impor-
tant announcement that Azef. lead
er of the fighting organization of the
revolutionists and a noted police spy,
whom the Russian police profess to
be seeking throughout the world, is
now in Russia occupying an impor-
tant post in the so-called third Sec
tion, or political police.
General Harting is residing in one
of the apartments maintained by the
police, where they can meet the rev.
olutionary agents, but the servants
there denied all knowledge of his
presence. He was at last encounter
ed, however, in the imperial summer
garden, a fashionable promenade. and
consented to talk when convinced that
he was recognized.
| Hud Part Uf Regicide Plot.
He readily admitted his identity
with the terrorist Landesen, saying
that in early youth he sincerely be-
lieved in the principles of terrorism,
and participated under the name of
Landesen, in planning with others
the assassination of Alexander Ill. in
1890. He denied. however, that he
had betrayed his comrades to the
French police, as Nj. Bourtzeff has
charged. &
His ideas changed after he secur-
ed employment as clerk in the en-
| bassy at Paris Later he was trans
ferred to the public service, but never
citing as proof his continued friendly
acquaintances. He served the Rus
and faithfully, and his services were
recognized by commentator from
high quarters on his retirement.
General Harting was very bitter
against Bourtzeff, who, but for Cen
eral Harting, according to the latter's
assertion. would long ago have per-
ished in French or Russian prison.
The French government repeatedly
had proposed to arrest or expel
Bourtzeff. On such occasions General
Harting had interposed, and now
France was in possession of evidence
that Bourtzeff was hand in glove with
the active terrorists and had again
decided to expel him.
| Harting Defends AZef.
| He talked about the famous govern
ment agent Azef, who from central
position in the revolutionist councils
had for years kept. the government
informed on terrorist plots against
the emperor and high officials. Gener-
al Harting. who had longer and more
intimate relations with Azef than
anybody else. declared that Azef had
never played double game with the
government nor sacrificed the life of
a single official to further his own
ends. He asserted that Bourtzeff' s
charge that Azef had participated in
the assassination of Won Plehve was
absurd. Azef owed everything to Won
Plehve, and sincerely loved him.
Continuing, Harting declared that
Azef was clever, hardworking, and
honest, and had repeatedly risked his
life to serve the government, and that
he was still highly appreciated at st.
Petersburg, and was rendering val
liable services at the present time, al
though in what capacity he had no
right to state.
During the interview, the former
police chief displayed no embarrass-
ment, which perhaps might have been
expected in view Of the charges lodg-
ed against him. He said he was now
gathering documentary evidence for
the full rehabilitation of his char
acter, which would be published
shortly, in order to justify his reten-
tion of the honorary Russian title
of chancellor of state and member
ship in the Legion of Honor. He ex-
poets to reside abroad.