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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1905)
THE HORNING 0REGO2J1AJS', SATURDAY, FBBRtj AR if 18, 1905. , DETAILS OF GRIME GRAND DUKE SERGIUS AND VIEWS OF THE KREMLIN TO WHICH HE WAS DRIVING WHEN ASSASSINATED MUST FIGHT IT OUT Grand Duke Done to Death With Hail of Iron. Japanese Want Nothing but Enduring Peace, ASSASSIN CONCEALS IDENTITY WILL NOT HAVE A MERE TRUCE Crotod -No Sooner Gathers, on. Scene f Than Revolutionary Proeiama- j iiomj Are Scattered, and Riot " Almost Breaks Out. Japanese Diplomat Says if Russia Should Gain Victory, Japan Would Continue War THI She Was Finally Victorious." MOSCOW. Feb. 18 (4:20 A. it.); Within the walls of tho far-famed Kremlin "Palace, and almost underneath the historical tower from which Iran the TerrHj'l watched the ieads of his enemies falling Length the az. or. the . famed Red Square, and -within a stone'j, , throw of the great boll of Moscow, Srarid Duke Sergius. uncle and brother-in-law1 of Emperor Nicholas, met a ter rible death shortly' before 3 o'clock yes- terday afternoon. : The deed was committed by a single j terrorist, who threw" beneath the' car-, riage of the Grand Duke a bomb ! charged with tho same high-power ex- ; plosive which wrought Minister von Plehve'a death. The missile was pack ed with nails and fragments of Iron, and Its explosion tore the imperial vic tim's body to ghastly fragments, which ktrewed the snow for yards around. Every window in the great, lofty fa cade of the Palace of Justice was shat tered and bits of iron were imbedded floeply in the walls of the Arsenal, a Hundred yards away. The assassin belongs to the noted fighting group" of the Socialist Revo lutionary party, which has removed other prominent officials and long 'since passed a sentence of death upon Grand Duke Serglus. The Grand Duke knew that he stood in the shadow of death. He was the recipient of repeated warn ings and elaborate precautions were taken to Insure his safety: but all the fesources of the secret police and sol Siers proved unavailing against an at tempt almost exactly duplicating the procedure that caused the death of Minister von Plehve last July. Killed as He Left Retreat. i It was the irony of fate that Serglus, ifter -taking refuge in his country villa luring the strike troubles of a month lgo, and later seeking even roore secure shelter In the palace within the Krem lin walls, should be killed while pro ceeding to the Governor-General's Palace, beyond the walls, and which he had abandoned to enable the police to better protect him. Grand Duchess Elisabeth, who has been" engaged dally In the task of pre paring comforts for the sick and wounded Russian soldiers in ; Man churia, was about to drive to trie pal ace to Join her husband. "When she hear.d -w"hat 'had befallen the Grand' Duke she was driven in haste to the tcene of the tragedy, and knelt, hat less and- coatless, on the bloodstained Snow and murmured prayers for the welfare of the soul of her slain con lort. The scene of the crime was the great open triangle within, the Kremlin, bound ed by the arsenal, treasury and courts of Justice, in one angle of which is the Nicholas, or Little, Palace, where the Grand. Duke dwelt. At the opposite cor ner is "the Nikolsky gate, the exit to the town beyond the ramparts. A few min utes before the bell of tho gate sounded the hour of S the equipage of the Grand Duke emerged from the gates of the pal ace and proceeded, followed by sleighs containing secret police. It swept at a Bmart pace toward the gate, passins the Choudoff cloister. Ivan's tower, the great Czar bell, and long rows of cannon cap tured from "Napoleon in the "Winter re treat of 1S12. Bomb Throws Hail of Iron. Tn a moment the carriage was in front of tho court's of Justice, where the walls of the triangle approach, forming a nar row entrance to the Nikolsky gate. There a man clad in workman's attire stepped forward from the sidewalk and threw a bomb which he had concealed beneath hip coast. A terrible -explosion followed snd a hail of iron pelted the grim stone walls of the arsenal and .courts of Jus tice. A thick cloud of smoke, snow and debris-arose. When it had cleared, a ghastly sight was presented. On the snow lay fragments of the body of Grand Duke Serglus, mingled with the wreck of the carriage. The Grand Duke's head had been torn from his body and reduced to a shapeless pulp, and the trunk and limbs were frightfully man gled. A finger bearing a rich seal ring was found lying several yards away. The crimson tint and the smell of blood wore everywhere. Only a few fragments of clothing Indicated "that the body, had been clothed. The coachman lay moan ing with pain beside a deep hole In the pavement. The horses, dragging the front wheels .of the carriage', had- dashed "bit maddened with paln.'to sink dying before they reached the gate. 'Grand Duchess on "the Scene The sound of the explosion 'was heard throughout the city and beyond the river. A crowd began 16 assemble and to' handle grin; eyjdence of the tragedy while they discussed the affair In awe-stricken voices. Officials rapidly gathered, but be fore anything could be done toward col lecting the scattered fragments of the body. Grand-Duchess-Elizabeth drove up In an open carriage. She had dropped her'work at the headquarters' of thc4Red Cross and hurried to the scene, without waiting to get her wraps. She broke down at the sight and dropped to her knees sobbing. After a few minutes she was led away. Then a stretcher was lirou'gth and, covered with a plain sol diers cloak, the remains of Serglus were borne to the Oudaflf Cloister, where offi cers and members of .he Grand Duke's suite had' assembled. Assassin Is Captured. Th,evassassln was, thrown to the ground and. stunned by- the force of the explo sion,, but he Immediately rose $nd ran toward the gate, attempting to escape. Hls-haste, and the blood streaming from his face, where he. had been wounded by fragments of the bouib, attracted the at tention of a sergeant of police, who seized him lvfnr hn rntiM ilwur n rovnli-or "c"1 V Vl the-contrary gloried in Its success, expressed his satisfaction that he had been able to kllr the Grand Duke without Involving the Grand Duchess; He avowed his .membership in the Social Revolution ary organization, but refused 'to give his name, and at the jail lils papers were found to be forged. Tjie revolver with which the assassin was "armed wasaiv automatic magazine pistol, tho same type as the weapon em ployed by Hoheiithal, the assassin of Soi liln'tfn, Procurator-General of Finland. The assassin's wounds are not serious. - The, Grand Duke's coachman, who was sovcrely . injured, was removed to a Tios pital." X,ato last night" he was'still liv ing. The news of the tragedy spread rapidly to cvory quarter of Moscow, aided by ex tra 'editions of all the newspapers, which appeared with deep black borders. The atrical performances and all forms of so cial observances were immediately aban rfoned. and theaters ordered to remain closed until further notice. ' Riot Scarcely Averted." immense crowds galherd "near the IprenUnjJirfltre. 'some factions began an attack'on students and-other- xepresentar - tives of the Liberal movement, while oth ers eagerly grasped and read a revolutionary-proclamation, which had appeared as if by magic. So threatening became the attitude of the crowd that the author ities felt obliged to order the Kremlin j cleared and the gates locked. The gates were closed all night, obliging pedestrians and carriages to take roundabout routes. The pollco measures to preserve order have proved effective up to this hour, and the city Is quiet. - Early accounts of the tragedy attrib uted the crime to three men In a' sleigh, but later it waa developed that the three men were police agents appointed to guard the Grand Duke. Shortly after the murder. Grand Duch ess Elizabeth, the two adopted children of Grand Duke Sergius, his staff officers and immediate servants assembled in the chapel, where a solemn requiem mass was solemnized. There was another service in the evening. A military guard of honor kept guard during the night. No arrange ments have yet been announced for the funeral services. ASSASSINATIONS BY TERRORISTS. Executions of Balers for Political Causes 1b Recent Times. George Darboy, Archbishop of Pari, was assassinated by Communlcta on May 24. 1S7L While the Commune of Paris waa not actually anarchistic, there were doubtless many anarchists among its controlling spirits. William I of Prucsia and Germany was the object of three different attempts at assassi nation, namely, Oscar Bccheis, on July 14, 1601; Hoder. on May II, 1876. and Dr. Noblllng's. on June X 1878. Alexander II of Russia was killed a4 St. Petersburg on March 13, 1SS1, by the ex plosibn of a bomb thrown by c man who was also killed. Previous attempt on the Czar's life had been mad a by Kamlioson at St. Petersburg. April 10. 1800; by Bere zowskt at Paris, June 6, 18C7; by Alexander Solovleff, April 14. 1870; by ths under mining: of a railway train, December 1, 1870. and b7 an explosion In the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, February 17, 1SS0. While these crimes were perpetrated ,sy nihilists, it Is to be remembered that there Is an alliance between nihilism and an archism. An attempt wan made on September 28, 1883, to explode a dynamite bomb at the un veiling of the Nlederwald monument In Ger many, at which the Emperor William, the Crown Prince and other eminent personages were present. The fuse failed to burn. Remsdorf. Rupsch and ICuehler, anarchists, were tried lu Lelpslc the followlns year, convicted of the crime and sentenced to death. Jules Perry. ex-Premier of Prance, was shot at on December 10, 1887. Seven per sons were wounded by the explosion of a bomb in the Rue Cllchy, Paris. Prance, on March 27, 1802. Ravachol and one of hi accomplices in the 'Crime were sentenced, to life imprisonment. Meunler. an anarchist, on April 23. 1602. threw a bomb Into the Cafe Vers, In Paris, Prance and six persons weri wounded by Its explosion. Meunler was sentenced to penal servitude for life. . An anarchist threw a bomb into a crowded church in Warsaw, Russian Poland, on Sep tember 7. 1802, but was himself the only person killed by the explosion. In March, 1803. a Belclan anarchist named Joseph Pauwcls, planned to throw a bomb tntn tK. fhurrh nf t?i Ms4ln In Parts. p Prance, during a service, but a swinging door struck his arm. causing him to drop tbo bomb, which killed him in its explosion. No one else was Injured. Twenty persons were wounded In Grenoble. Prance, on March 21. 1803, by an anarchist bomb exploded at the entrance of a church. An attempt was made on September 24. 1803, to kill General Campos in Spain by means of a bomb. A bomb thrown by anarchists in the Ly ceum Theater. Barcelona, Spain, on No vember 8. 1803, exploded and killed 30 peo ple, lnjurylng 80 other. On December 0, 1693. August Valllant, an anarchist, threw a bomb Into the Chamber or Deputies, in Paris, France, and seven Deputies were wounded by - Its explosion. Valllant was guillotined February 5. 189. Enjlllc Henry, an anarchist, on February 12, 1804. threw a bomb Into the cafe of the Hotel Terminus, in Paris. France. Twenty persons were wounded, Henry -was guillo tined May 20. 1804. In Rome. Italy, on March S. 1804,-elght persons were injured, by the explosion of a bomb thrown In front of the Chamber o. Deputies. On May 3". 1884. several persons were wounded by a dynamite explosion In Liege. Belgium, for which crime two anarchists were subsequently given life sentences. Premier Crlspl, of Italy, was shot at on June 10, 18S4. Marie Francois Carnot, Presldeut of the French Republic, was mortally stabbed at I Lyon, by Cesare Santo, an anarchist, on On .Ttin T. lROfJ a hnmn thrown tntn i ploded. killing 11 persons and severely wounding 40 others. More than 300 anarch ists were arrested and 31 of them were Rlvn death sentences, many others" being deported. President Faurc. of the French Republic was shot at on June 13, 1697. Antonio Conovas del Castillo, Prime Hin-: ister of Spain, was shot to death by Michael Angoliilo. alias Colli, an' Italian anarchist, at Santa Agueda.-Spain, on. August 8, 1807. King Geprge I and Princess Marie of Greece. w2re shot at on February 26. 1898. Empress Elisabeth of Austria was-stabbed to the heart by Luccbenl. a Franco-Italian anarchist, on September 10, 1838, while go ing from a hotel at Geneva, Switzerland, to a boat. King Humbert, of Italy, was shot to death at Monsa, on July 20. 1600. by An gclo Brescl, an Italian anarchist, who went from Patereon. N. J.. -where the Tnurdcr was planned, to Italy, where it was exe cuted. "William II, the German Emperor, was struck and wounded In the face by a mlsstla thrown at him, on March 0. 11)01. Privy Councillor Pobledonostcff. Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, was fired at four times, on March 22. 1301. while- writing in his study, at St. Petersburg. Tho assas sin was out of doors, and two of his bullets, came through a -window, narrowly r missing t QppJ -POftflP 0F MOURNING I f' ' JH' '1 N0BLES KEEP ALL-NIGHT VIGIL I fJ'. : ijJfBL'; rtM Czar Too Prostrated With Grief to I itf ' " IHIHk 'VtmB&l Arrange Funeral Rebels Rejoic- I (00 IBBM Ing Over Serglus' Death Sing their aim. The others did not enter the room. An Italian boy, named Slpido, attempted to kill the Prince of Wales (now King of England), shooting at him as be was about to enter a train at Brussels. William McKlnley. President of th United States, was shot at the Pan-American Exposition, In Buffalo, N. Y., on Sep tember G, 1801, by Leon Czolgocx, an an archist, during a public reception. Mr. Mc Klnley died from the effect of his wound on September 14. WAS THE CZAR'S EVIL GENIUS Sergius Was Leader cf Reactionary Party and Cordially Hated. PARIS. Feb. 17." The assassination or Grand Duke , Sergius caused a sensation here and Is everywhere discussed as another of the long scries of Russian horrors. The officials referred to the tragedy as being part of a singular line of fatalities. The Temps says: "It is easy to see why Grand Duke THE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL FAMILY Living Members of the Romanoffs, of Whom Grand Duke Sergius Was One. Nicholas IL Emperor of Russia, was born May 18, IMS, and succeeded bis father, the late Emperor Alexander III, November 1, 1KM. He Is mar ried to the Princess Alice CAUx) of Hesse-Darmstadt, daughter - of the Princess Alice, of Great Britain, and has four daughters and one sonOlga, born In 1?5: Tatjana. born in 1SS7; Marie, bom in 1599; Anastasiar born in 1901. and Alexis (the Czarevitch), born August 12. 1901. The late Emperor Alexander IDT, born In 1S13, married in 1656, the Princess Dagmar, daughter of the present King of Denmark, had issue three sons (1) Nicholas, the present Emperor, (J) Grand Duke George (tho late Czarevitch), born 1S71. died 1899; (3) Grand Duke Michael, born December 4. JS7S. and two daughters (1) Grand Duchess Xenia. born April 6. 1875, married August 6. 1SS4. her cousin, the Grand Duke Alexander, has two sons and a daughter; (2) Grand Duchess Olga, born Juno 13, 1SS2. married to Prince Peter of Oldenburg Tho uncles and aunts of the Emperor are: (1) Grand Duke Vladimir, born 1M7, married 1S74. the Princess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and has three sons and one daughter. Grand Duks Boris, who was In America In 1902. Is the second son and was born in 1S77. (2) Grand Duke Alexis, High Admiral, born 1S50. He is unmarried. (3) Grand Duchess Marie, born 1S5S. married the late Duke of Edin burgh and has had one son (deceased) and four daughters. " (1) Grand Duke Sergius. born 1S37; -married, 18S4,- Princes Elizabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt, daughter of Princess Alice of England, and had -no Issue; assassinated February 17, 1905. (5) Grand Duke Paul, born 1S50; married. 1883, Princess Alexandra, daughter of the King of the Hellenes. She died September 24, 1SS1, leaving a eon. the Grand Duke Demetrius, and a daughter. The Emperor has one grand uncle (son of the Emperor Nicholas I), Grand Duke Michael, born 1S32, Field Marshal in the Russian army; mar ried, 1S57., Princess Cecilia, of Baden, and has Issue six living children, the eldest daughter, Anastasia, born 1S00, being the widow of the Grand Duke x: Mccklcnburg-Schwcrln. A grand uncle, the Grand Duke Constantlne. born 1827, died January 12, 1S92; married, 1S4F, Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altcnburg, and had issue live children, the Grand Duke Nicholas, born lS50t being the eldest, and the Grand Duchess Olga. born 1851, the eldest daughter, being mar ried to the King of the Hellenes. A third grand uncle, the Grand Duke Nicholas, born 1SS1. Field'Marshal in the Russian army; died in 1B91 married. In iW, the Princess Alexandra of Oldenburg, and had Issue two sons, the youngest of whom, the Grand Duke Peter, married, in 1SS9, Mflitsa, daughter of the present Prince of Montenegro and slster'of Queen Helena of Italy. The Russian reigning family Is descended! from Michael Romanoff, elected Czar In 1C13. The members of the family for over two centuries, however." have married so generally Into the German royal house that the present Romanoffs are practically, by blood, Germans, as much so as their kinsman, the head of the German Empire. , Serglus was marked out -as a victim of the revolutionists, as among all the uncles of the Czar. Serglus had the great est influence upon him. It was known that the Emperor's various liberal ef forts were checked through Sergius, and In particular recently opposed the ap peal of the provincial delegates. The Grand Duke was unpopular in Moscow, owing to his haughty demeanor and hard reactionary spirit. Although the Grand Duchess Elizabeth was poplarly adored, she was warned not to appear with her husband, which meant that his assassina tion was decided upon. It is significant that the assassin pursued the same plan as on the occasion of the assassination of the late Interior Minister Von Plehve." King Edward Expresses Horror. LONDON. Feb. 17. King Edward, as soon as he was informed of the assassi nation of Grand Duke Sergius at Mos cow, telegraphed to Emperor Nicholas expressing his horror" and sympathy. I Lies in State. ! SPECIAL CABLE. MOSCOW. Feb. IS. The remains of Grand Duke Serglus, Czar Nicholas uncle, who waa assassinated Friday within hailing distance of Nicholas' pal ace in the Kremlin, whither he had sought refuge some weeks ago, now lfe In state In the chapel of the Chudnov monas tery. The coffin rests on a high catafal que hung with blade and silver draperies and Rus3'.an flags. Twenty candles arc burning in a semi-circle around the head of the coflln. Within lies a covered form tbo headless body of the man who, by virtue of his great influence over the Czar, has ruled the destinies of Rus sia and her people for years. The head, so recently filled with the very essence of the reactionary Idea, filled with It to the' exclusion of every other sentiment and every other consideration than the one that autocracy must be pre served and must rule, no matter what the cost, that head has vanished. It was blown to atoms by tho bomb thrown by the hands of a student, and only the mangled remains of the Grand Duke, cov ered so that their gaping wounds may not be seen, are left to tell of the latest tragedy In the bloody history of the Romanoffs. Widow Mourns by His Sler. At 8 o'clock Friday night the first fu neral services were held over the body. A great gathering of Moscow's nobles filled the chapel and mutely watched the grief of the widow, who for more than an hour lay In grief too great for tears on her knees, her head renting upon the lower step of the catafalque. Then she was led out of the chapel. All night the nobles remained In the chapel, keeping the vigil duo the victim. Early this morn ing, several hours before the cold TVlhter sun shone upon Moscow's snow-covered street, silent monks took the places of the distinguished watchers, who tiled out of the chapel, their heads bowed, their faces pale from the strain of the vfgil and the awful thoughts begot by the tragedy. The terror which may be In their hearts finds reflection in the minds of the citi zens. "Without giving utterance to the thought, they all seemed Imbued with the Idea that' tho strike disorders were Insig nificant as compared with what the Im mediate future may have in store for Russia. For there is no doubt that the labor leaders have been superseded by those who claimed for many yeara past that only "tho propaganda of deed" can accomplish the ends of the Radicals. The body of the Grand Duke will be re moved to St. Petersburg, there to be in terred, in the Petropavlosk fortress, where many of the dead Czars of Russia and their immediate relatives are at rest. Severe Repressive Measures. Every street In the city was patrolled Friday nlgbt by large bodies of troops and the great number of arrests made within the hours following the assassina tion of Grand Duke Serglus, the favorite uncle of tho Czar, are a. sinister indica tion of repressive measures which the government will employ as a result of the crime. Iu-is stated on good authbrlty that, no matter what the consequence?, largo portions of General Kuropatkln's army will be withdrawn from the Far East in order to enable the authorities throughout Russia to Inaugurate an Iron rule of Internal administration. There can now be no doubt that, before another 4S hours is gone, thousands of men and women throughout Russia, who are suspected of anarchistic or even only radical tendencies, will be arrested. Like wise Is every hope gone that a liberal policy will mark the future actions of the Czar. CZAR'S GRIEF IS UNBOUNDED Unable to 8peak or Attend. to Busi ness Rebels Rejoice at Crime. SPECIAL CABLE. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 18. The grief of the Czar over the assassination of Grand Duke. Serglus knows no bounds. When the first news reached His Maj esty, he was so overcome that speech failed him and medical attendance be came necessary. For more than an hour be was completely prostrated, unable to shed a tear and "unable to receive the reports which, setting forth in detail how his une'e had been killed by a bomb, had been specially prepared for him. Later in the afternoon the Czar some what recovered and-cailed a special ses sion of the Council of Ministers, to take place at 6 o'clock Friday evening. But when the Ministers arrived the Czar was not able to receive them, and sent word to them that he would see them Satur day. The Czarina Is In a deplorable con dition as a result of the events In Mos cow and throughout the palace conster nation, reigned. ' .The citizen's of Sty Petersburg: received - th first news . of . the. catastrophe by means of a telephone message to one of the newspapers. The news spread with amazing rapidity, but amid the populace It did not create much surprise. For many weeks It has been accepted aU a foregone conclusion that the Grand Duke was doomed and Saturday's papers print the story that the Grand Duchess had received many lettera Imploring her not to accompany her husband on his drives through the city, as hi3 fate was sealed and his enemies did not wish to spill Innocent blood. According to unavoidable precedent, the Czar and all the Grand Dukes and other members of the Imperial family must attend the funeral of Grand Duke Serglus at the Petropavlovsk fortress. Public opinion credits the terrorists with an intention to attempt a grand battue on that occasion, and the fact alone that, when apprised of Impending dangers, the Russian Government knows how to take precautions, somewhat al lays the fears of those who see no bright ray !n tbe future. Revolutionary demonstrations occurred Friday outside of the Anltchkoff Paiaca and the house which the Grand Duke Ser gius occupied during his recent stay In St. Petersburg. Chanting the "Marseil laise" and singing other revolutionary songs, tbe mobs surged up and down In front of these buildings, and. as quick as they wero dispersed, new ones took their places. Many arrests were made In the course of the afternoon and evening. A double reign of terror la feared as a consequence of the assassination, a ri valry between the government and its measure of repression and cruel reprisals, and the anarchists, the students, strik ers and other malcontents, with their al leged determination to "leave the women and children, at home and carry some thing in the pockets," as It la put In one of tho revolutionary proclamations dis tributed last night. MOST HATED OF GRAND DUKES Terrorists Sentenced Sergius to Death Last December. ST, PETERSBURG, Feb. 17 (4:50 P. M.). The news o the tragedy in which Grand Duke Serglus was blown up created a tre mendous sensation in St. Petersburg, where the announcement by telephone from Moscow arrived during the after noon. Owing to tho intense excitement prevailing at Moscow, few- particulars are ascertainable. The tragedy in reality was no great surprise, as it was known that the terrorists had already con demned the Grand Duke to death, and ever since the affair of January 22 the inauguration of a bombthrowlng cam paign had been anticipated. Grand Duko Sergius, who was a brother-in-law a3 well as uncle of the Em peror, and who exercised an immense in fluence at court, was regarded as "the most reactionary of the Grand Dukes. As Governor-General of Moscow he was Intensely unpopular. His advent as Governor-General of" Moscow was followed by expulsion of the Jew3 from the center provinces, and throughout his adminis tration his rigorous and harah measures aroused the greatest Hostility, especially among the students. Two years ago. after the student riots. In which many were killed or wounded, several hundred expulsions to Siberia fol lowed under the orders of Grand Duke Serglus and General Trepoff. now Governor-General of St. Petersburg, but who was then Chief of Police of Moscow. Aa there were many threats made against his life, the Grand Duke was obliged to flee to his Summer residence, 20 miles from the city. During the recent strike disturbances the Grand Duke left the DIakoutohny Palace, on the outskirts of the city, where he had been living, and took refuge inside the ramparts of the Kremlin, where ha has since lived in what Is known as the Little Palace, op posite the famous statue of Alexander II. The trip to the Kremlin on that oc casion was made at night, between solid lines of troops. Grand Duke Sergius was the wealth iest member of the imperial family. Ho was tall, handsome, and cordial in man ner, in spite of the ruthless fashion In which he exercised his authority as Governor-General. He was childless, hut adopted two children of his brother Paul, who was banished on account of a mor ganatic alliance. Sergius' record as a sol dier was not brilliant. He suffered a dis astrous defeat at the hands of General Kuropatkln during the famous Koursk maneuvers. At the time sentences of death were pronounced by the terrorists upon Grand Duke Sergius it was reported that Grand Duke Alexis. Procurator of the Holy Synod Pobledonostleff and General Trep off. then Chief of Police of Moscow, and now Governor-General of St. Petersburg, were also condemned to death and accord ing to some reports a similar sentence was Imposed upon the Dowager Empress. Marie Fodorovna. Much of the responsibility for the ca tastrophe at the coronation of Emperor Nicholas in Moscow, when several thou sand people wera crushed to death at the time of the distribution of the imperial gifts, was laid at Grand Duke Serglus' door. It was held that be had not taken sufficient precautions. The Liberals, after the affal" here of January 22, placed the major portion of the blame, on his shoul ders. The sentence of death otf Grand Duke Serglus was contained In a proclamation issued by the Socialist Revolutionists of Moscow after the demonstration on De cember II of last year at St. Petersburg was put dowm It read: "If our "demonstration at Moscow (De cember 18 and 19) is crushed in as bloody a manner as that of our brothers of St. Petersburg, then be the guilt thereof upon the. head of Grand Duke Sergius and General Trepoff, and we, the committee. In that event, have foreordained their deathV" SPECIAL CABLE. BERLIN", Feb. JS. Count Inouyc. Jap anese Minister in thi3 city, djscussing the peace rumors which persist in circulating In responsible European quarters, espe cially in Russia, said today: "Russia has permitted the impression to get abroad that peace Is Impossible until she has won aNgrcat victory. That pre-supposes that, after suffering such defeat. Japan will be more ready to make peace than now. That is obviously a mis conception. "Wo are anxious that the war come to an end, but. if Russia wins a great vic tory, the Japanese people will demand prompt and complete revenge. Any Rus sian successes, therefore, will spur us on to continue the struggle until we recover the ground lost. "What we intend to avoid at all costs is the conclusion of a mere truce. We will entertain nothing but enduring peace; for we- are determined to preclude for all time the recurrence of such a situation aa made this war necessary, the robbery of fruit3 of our victory over China." NO CHANCE FOR MEDIATION Secretary Hay Answers Request of Universal Peace Union. PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 17. Alfred H. Love, president of the Universal Peace Union, has received a letter from Secre tary Hay. In response to Mr. Love's -suggestion that the Government should make an. effort to bring about a cessation of hostilities in the Far East Mr. Hay's let ter la as follows: "I have had tho pleasure to receive your letter of the 9th instant, in which, expressing the appreciation felt by the Universal Peace Union of the Interest this department has shown in the cause of peace in the Far East, you ask renewal of efforts in that' direction at this time, which you think is opportune. "This Government has naturally watched the course of the struggle in Manchuria, and within all proper limits has endeavored to cause tho neutrality ol the neighboring territories to be respect ed. The President has been equally so licitous to see the war closed by an hon orable peace, and If an opening for his friendly offices to that end should appear, he would gladly act In whatever sense might be practicable. "So far no Indication of any disposition by the belligerents to Invite or accept the kindly offices of any power has been ap parent on the contrary, each has made it known that suggestions to. that end from without would be regarded as Inadmissi ble. This Government, however, does not relax its watchfulness nor abate Its deslr? to see peace prevail and to do toward that end whatever humane duty may counsel or opportunity might give." WOMEN PETITION FOR PEACE They Tell Czarina of Nation's Woei and Ask Her to Intercede. ST. PETERSBURG. Feb. 17. The Em press of Russia has received from the women of Moscow an address pltcousl appealing to her as a woman and a mother to use her Influence with the Em peror to secure peace. "Oh, sovereign," the petition says, "we believo your mother-heart feels all the horror of war as we do. Peace is vio lated not only; beyond the frontiers, but even In the heart of the fatherland. We see In recent troubles, the beginning ol calamities that may crush all Russia If the Emperor does not seek to avert them. "All the bases of life are shaken. Moth ers who have to bring up the young gen eration are saddened by seeing that it is impossible to train up children 6n the basis of truth. love and duty when the social life of the country does not rest thereon. Mothers wnoso hearts are break ing cannot remain silent. More lives will be sacrificed by the results of earlier ca lamltles. "The Emperor can still save Russia. Be our pleader. Pray the Emperor to listen to the voice of the country. If the Em peror leads the country In paths of great ness. Its women will help in the work of organization by guiding their brother? and children into the new way and a life of light." IS READY TO 8UE FOR PEACE Czar Considered Terms at Recent Council of Ministers. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 17 (6:40 P. M. The Associated Press learns on excep tional authority that the question of peace was formally considered by Em peror Nicholas and his Ministers at the conference held at Tsarskoe-Selo yester day. No particulars are obtainable, as before the discussion began the Emperor exacted from each one present a solemn promise not to divulge the slightest hint of what transpired. The belief Is, how ever, that the posslblo conditions and terms were under consideration. It Is suggested in high quarters that some In timation of terms has reached the Rus sian government from Japan, although It Is certain that It did not come through the regular diplomatic channels. PREPARING TO ATTACK AGAIN Activity of Russians Indicates Ag gressive Movement Soon. TOKIO, Feb. 13 (10 A. M.)-According to reports from the Shakhc River, the Rus sians are showing increased activity on both flanks, and are extending and strengthening their right. They also seem to be concentrating a heavy force on their left in front of General Kuroki. Fushun Is the. base of the late operations, and It la estimated that the Russians there num ber six divisions. The Impression exists .that General Ku ropatkln is preparing to assume the ag gressive. The weather Is still unfavor able, but the excessive cold will soon bf over. Chinese reports to tho effect that Gen eral Kuropatkln is preparing to abandon the Shakhe River line and retire north ward are 'discredited here. Russians Capture Villages. MUKDEN, Feb. 17. Volunteers recon nolterlng the right flank dislodged the Japanese from the villages of Valnta shan, Tadzepu, Koitai and Two-Mound Hill. Tne villages were burned. Kuropatkln Changing His Base. LONDON, Feb. IS. According to the correspondent at Shanghai of tho Daily Telegraph. General Kuropatkln apparently 13. changing his base, from Mukden to Fushun, . .