THE ST. PETERSBURG ROBBERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1968, 2 January 1907, Page 4

THE ST. PETERSBURG ROBBERY.

£37,000 STOLEN. GIIIL ESCAPES WITH THE MONEY. Tlio St Petersburg correspondent of the London Daily Mail states:— St. Petersburg lias long been exompt from tlio outrages, armed assaults, and robberies, details of which in the provincial towns fill the newspapers of the capital. But lately St. Petersburg has been the scene of a series of acts of brigandage, mostly at small shops and private flats, where malefactors with revolvers forced the inhabitants to deliver cash. All, however, have been of minor consoc|Uoiicg and non-poTitical, except a well-planned attempt a few weeks ago to rob a bank messenger outside the Exchange building, which was frustrated by the vigilance of the police. But recently, in broad daylight, in a busy street in the contrc of the city, took place a robbery which for impudence and hardihood leaves all similar crimes in the provinces far behind. A vehiclo conveying £OO,OOO, and escorted by gendarmes and police, was attacked by a gang of determined young men with bombs and ] revolvers. A regular fight ensued, resulting in the killing, wounding and , arrest of several persons and the loss : of £37,000 of Government, money.

I was leaving my house about halfpast eleven in tho morning, when I heard at some distance two detonations, followed shortly by a third. Guessing that a bomb outrage had occurred, I walked in tho direction of the sound, and arrived at tile Maria market place. Here I heard revolver firing, and saw a young man fleeing, pursued by policemen and gendarmes, firing as they ran. Near tho Emperor Nicholas monument I saw him fall, evidently Ywounded. He was quickly arrested and taken to a hospital. PANIC-STRICKEN CROWD.

I learnt that a bomb outrage bad occurred near tho Katherine Canal, and hurried thither, hearing on the way heavy firing, which stopped bolero i arrived <m tile spot. turning into Oilizierskaia street, 1 met a pan-ic-stricken, pale-faced crowd, some shrieking, some weeping, coining from Fonasny, or Lantern Lane. I walked down Lantern Lane, which ends on tho Northern quay of the Katherine Canal, over which at this spot is a narrow footbridge. A little further down is the large Vosnesenski bridge, At the corner of the quay and Lantern Lane stood a closed landau, with the box broken, the windows smashed, and in front of it a large pool of blood and a dead horse. The other animals were being unharnessed and led away badly wounded.

Every window in the vicinity, even on the other side of the broad canal, was smashed. Droshkies, carriages, and automobiles now arrived in considerable numbers with police officers and higher officials, and small detachments of soldiers and gendarmes, foot and horse, came ui). The crowds were driven back, the street was blocked, and the whole neighbourhood was surrounded by a military cordon. This is what had happened. Large sums are often transmitted to tho Government. Treasury on the Katherine Canal from different Government oificos. The money is conveyed in closed freight waggons or landaus, and lately, on account, of the disturbances, those have been strongly escorted. Yesterday, at eleven o’clock, £OO,OOO was sent from the Imporinl Exchequer. Tho money was packed in three leather hags, one containing £360 in gold, the second one £36,800 in bank notes, and the third £22,840 in securities. They were placed in a closed landau in which were seated a cashier named Herman and two assistants, escorted by six mounted gendarmes. The lapdau was driven slowly along tho quiet Lantern Lane to tho corner of the busy quay.

A PITCHED BATTLE. Here ill small groups siugu or m -.muyuts ami a Coupie ui oCuer civilians. n ns arrival me ianuuu was ..wl'tlilllUoU 111 a .1 lUv VUVUC. j.-I'uui an aujueciic uoer-snop a lew more men erne, gen alia joineu me groups. ouuuemy ono oi mem mrew u

t oouio, tvmcu oxpioueu uuaei* die uuraos, junmg one iina severely .vounuiiig rue other. As tne carriage was not uamagetl, a seconu uomu was mm>n'ii. Tins leu a little distance , on, and did not do niucli Harm. nut tne Horses ol tne escort, mad witii irignt, spauipeaea. The cashier and Ins assistants, one of wliom was slightly wounded, completely lost their Heads, and rushed away. The xiamcatricken passers-by hurriedly lied, and the criminals were left tree to tlo as they would. Some rilled the carnage, and some kept up a violent fire With revolvers on tne fleeing cashier and gendarmes. In the adjacent Ivins, Restaurant, in .Lantern mine, a well-dressed young lady was quietly sipping tea, Hearing the explosions, she hurriedly left, and mounted a light cart, to which was harnessed an excellent liorso. Towards her ran two of the criminals. They throw two bags into the carriage, which instantly dashed off 'm a .!‘- , *V J V s s heod, and disappeared, the third bag, containing tbo securitjes, was thrown away on account of the risk of exchanging tlio contents, and was later found uoar the place ol tlio outrage. A man in student uniform, fearing to be overtaken, threw a third bomb 5 severely wounding a doorkeeper and a passing servant maid, and slightly wounding hinnjolf, Unable to run, be was soon captured. ' Two others readied the corner of Oflizierskaia street. Hero a doorkeeper threw himself upon tliem, rapidly stunning them with blows on the head from a spade. They fired at him with revolvers, wounding him severely, before they were captured. An officer pf the Neiclilot Regiment, a policeman, and a soldier, who had run up on hearing the shots, were joined by two more doorkeepers, and barred tlio path of two fleeing criminals, wlio were hotly pursued. With the courage of despair, the robbers attacked the superior force, first exchanging shots and then joining in a violent hand-to-hand fight. Tlio soldier shot one dead and broke the other’s skull with his rif|e butt. The two doorkeepers were wounded with four and six bullets respectively. A filth robber, trying to pass a life-guard regiment’s barracks, was shot by tlio sentry at the gate. A sixth, choosing tlio same road, and pursued by soldiers and policemen, reached tlio Emperor Nicholas Imonument in the Maria market place, and seeing himself surrounded, sliq't himself dead. He was tbo man 1 daw.' Tlio remainder of the robbers tried to escape across the two bridges over the Katherine Canal. Most of them succeeded. ROB BEILS MERE LADS.

Another robber, trying to escape by tiie footbridge, was pursued by '» mountedgendarme firing from tile saddle without hitting bis mark. Another gendarme met tile fugitive followed, ending in victory for thp gendarme, and tlie arrest of the malefactor. During the different fights three gendarmes were wounded, and one was killed.

The majority of the criminals were mere lads of from 10 to 20 years of age, and evidently of the' better classes, probably students. The killed and arrested are all Jews. One of the captured is a student who is believed to be a revolutionary leader long wanted by the police. ' He declares that he is a Maximalist, or member of the most violent section of the Social Democrats.

Undoubtedly the crime is political. While file jobbery was in progress a student in the university building, on the other side of the Neva, told his comrades that “to-day there will be a large expropriation from the Exchequer.” The money is still missing, hut the police believe tlmt any attempt to make use of it will lead to detection. Most of tlie notes are new ones for 1000 roubles, and tlie numbers are known.