The Mount Holly news., 1917-01-23

asked him if he had any intention of
visiting my country he replied that he
had not.
We reached Thun about 5 o'clock,
and, after refreshing ourselves with
a glass of beer in the gardens of the
Kursaal, went to my hotel, my COM
panion going knew not where. One
meets all kinds of people travelling
abroad, especially If one likes to form
acQuaintances, as l do. OF all those
I have met In any of my tours the
person who made the most impression
upon me was the young philosopher
about whom learned nothing.
went by rail from Thun to Paris
from there to Nice and from Nice to
Mentone. l found at Mentone General
A., who had been minister of the in
terror In Russia. Indeed, stayed at
the same hotel with him. Those who
knew told me that several attempts
had been made upon his life by revo-
lutionists, or, as they were then called.
nihilists, and that he was closely guard
ed. During his incumbency in office
he had sent hundreds of people to
Siberia, besides those he had executed.
He had been prescribed by the nihil-
lists, they having vowed to kill him. !
asked why he should dread his enc
mics so far from home and was told
that they could work to better advan-
tage beyond the Russian borders than
within them. In Russia the govern
ment could act directly In other coun-
tries more or less red tape SraS neces-
sary to arrest suspect, and before it
could be done an assassination might
take place. General A. was spending
a season at Mentone for his health, be-
ing afflicted with some nervous disor-
der. 1t seemed to me that man liv-
ing in fear of his life would be likely
to have nerve trouble. He was very
regular in his habits, going out to walk
In the morning and to drive In the aft.
ernoon, always attended by men In
citizens dress, who closely eyed every
one who approached him.
Notwithstanding the precautions TAX
en- the general was assassinated at
Mentone, and at the time l was there.
1t was In June, and the days were
long. About half past o'clock one
evening l went up to my room after
dinner and, lighting a cigar, stood for
a moment at my window, which was
on the north side of the hotel. Several
buildings were near, and from win
dow of one Of them saw puff of
smoke and heard a crack. There was
nothing to be seen In the window, for
the blinds were closed. If shot had
been fired it must have been from be-
tween the STATS
The occurrence did not make much
impression on me, but an hour later,
on going downstairs, I found the hotel
proprietor, the servants, the guests, all
horror stricken On asking the cause
I was told that General A. had been
shot by some one who had fred bull
let into his room through an open win
dow Upon asking the time the affair
occurred l was told that it was about
half past g.
l knew perfectly well that 1 had
seen the smoke OF the weapon tnat mad
done the deed and could point out the
window from which it had been fired,
but l held my peace. Some one had
revenged a long list of barbar1ties Wis
tied upon those who had dared to at
tempt to build up an oppressed people,
and was not interested In taking any
part In the affair. 1 inquired II 1t was
known from what point the shot was
fred and was told that it was believed
it had come from tree that grew
near the generals window. By this /
knew that 1 was the only person who
had witnessed the firing. By giving
the information possessed the police
would have a description of the per
son or persons occupying the room
from which the assassin had done the
work, and they would be pretty sure to
make the arrest. confess that, sym
pathizing with the reyolutiOnists, l had
no intention Of talking.
was pleased, however, possessing
such a secret, that the time had come
| for me to leave Mentone. My steamer