A TERRIBLE RUSSIAN DRAMA. How The Nhilists Murdered Soudeikin. KILLED IN COLD BLOOD. (From Our London Correspondent.)

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 219, 10 September 1887, Page 5

A TERRIBLE RUSSIAN DRAMA. How The Nhilists Murdered Soudeikin. KILLED IN COLD BLOOD. (From Our London Correspondent.)

London, July 13. The St. Petersburg- correspondent of the "Daily News," supplies some interestingdetails of i!k& fearful crime for which 23 -Nihilists veie last week secretly tried in the Russian <eepital. The story was not allowed to get into the Petersburg papers, but has been pretty freely whispered about. The *' Daily NevvV' correspondent did not trust his "copy *' io the post, but sent it by hand, or, in {ill probability it -would never have seen the light. He say :—: — On the 28th December, 1883, late in the evening, the police wcr<j informed that an accident had taken place at a small lodging house, No. 87. Nevski-proapect, and that groans weie to be heard proceeding from the interior. On proceeding there it was found that though there weio lights in the windows the door was shut, and nobody answered when the bell was rung-. The police then ordered a locksmith lo break open the door, and when an entrance was effected Colonel Soudeikin, chief of the secret police, was discovered lying dead on the ground, and bleeding fio.n se\eral wound?. One bullet had entered his back, and his skull was fearfully smashed. Another person, M. Sudofiski, a nephew of the murdered man, and himself a functionary of the police, was found in n state of complete unconsciousness, but still breathing. He j also had his head biokeu open. But, notwithstanding the terrible nature of his wounds, he recovered, and was able to furnish some valuable information to the police, as he was almost the only person who knew Colonel Soudeikin's affairs, and j could icad the cypher uhich was found at the murdered ofrieci's lodging. This evidence has throve u considerable light upon, the affair. Colonel Soudeikin was a most ambitious man, and \wis anxious to make his way with the greatest rapidity. He was bold to a fault, and reckless as to the means he employed to achieve his ends. Once he happened to arrest a certain Degaieff, formerly captain of the staff, who was a member of the Russian levolutionary paity. Paitly by persuasion, partly by threats Colonel Soudeikin succeeded in inducing this Nihilist to enter into the service of the secret police. Although rigorously watched by the agents of Colonel Soudeikin, who did not place fail confidence in his proselyte, Degaieff found an opportunity of asking the consent) of the Russian revolutionary " executhe committee"' in Paris to remain in the service of the police, and received the desired permission. Colonel Soudeikin concealed fiom the police department the anest of Degaieff and the arrangements which he had concluded with him. Degaiefl soon commenced his double game ; he denounced seveialotthe less impoitant members of his paity, or such members as were not consideied absolutely trustworthy, and took cat c to send compiomi-ing papers, revolvers, poinaid=, &c., to them just before they were arrested, in order that their capture might seem of importance in the eyes of Colonel Soudeikin. The colonel was much pleased at the success of his scheme, and received many congratulations and rewards from his chiefs. He soon became quite confident in Degaieff. On one occasion Colonel Soudeikin told his new friend that a uoiknian named Skriaboff, somewhere in the province of Kharkoff, had denounced a fellow-workman, who was also a member of the revolutionary party. Degaieff made this known at once to his revolutionary friends, and ordered at the same time the immediate minder of Skriaboff. The order was executed by a certain Antoftoff, who was then denounced by DegaiefF to the police, and immediately nrrested. It seems that the Russian levolutionary "executive committee "' in Paris after a while commenced to suspect DegaiefFj and ordered a certain Lopatin to go to St. Petersbmg in order to ! Ascertain whether their suspicions were justified or .not, Lopatin was a man of about 42 years of age ; he had belonged to the Russian revolutionary party since 1866, and it is more than probable had taken an active part in many pf the attempts against the life of the late Emperor. For several years he had lived in Paris, where he was a fellow-worker with the formei colonel of the Imperial Guards, Lavroff, and the former University professor, Tikhomiroff. These three men were the real editors of the well known revolutionary paper Naroddnaia Vollla (the People's Will). Lopatin entered Russia with a false passport, and with full power fiom the executive committee to act as he might think necessary afterhehad examined thecase.Hetookalodging in the Bolshaia Sadvoaia-street, where he lived with a young girl Salova. He soon made himself acquainted with the equivocal relations which existed between Colonel Soudeikin and Degaieff, and he therefore gave the latter orders to murder the Colonel. Degaieff at first endeavoured to escape from carrying out the order, but was forced to submit, and at length declaied himself ready to execute the sentence pronounced against Colonel Soudeikin. All the details of the murder were concerted in common by Lopatin and Degaieff. Colonel Soudeikin had some time before hired a small lodging at No. 87, Nevski Prospect, where he held his secret interviews with Degaieff whenever there was anything important to communicate. This house was selected as the spot where the murder was to be executed. Twice the perpetration of the crime was postponed, owing to unforeseen accidents, but the murder was finally fixed for the 28th of December, at half-past four in the afternoon. Colonel Soudeikin was requested to call on Degaieff, who lived at 87, some minutes before 4.30, the excuse being- made that Degaieff wished to show him the proof-sheet of No 10 of the " Naroddnaia Vbllia, which was to be published within a few days. Colonel Soudeikin came, accompanied by his nephew, M. SoudofFski. and was received by Degaieff. Two accomplices— Starodvorski and Konnosheffski — were concealed in one of the adjoining rooms, ready to enter at any moment. It is a proof of the coldbloodedness which marked the crime that a small place was left blank in the proof-sheet of the journal which was to be shown to Soudeikin some moments before the murder. This space Lopatin had reserved for a description of theassassi- I nation. Two days after the crime was perpetrated this notice actually appeared. Colonel Soudeikin was scarcely seated before Degaieff fired a revolver at him from behind. The colonel sprang up, and, although seriously wounded, tried to effect hia escape. But at this - moment both accomplices entered the room, armed ■with heavy iron bars. Starodvorski smashed in the head of Soudeikin with his fearful weapon, and Konnosheffski knocked Soudoffski down. Colonel Soudeikin did not fall, and tried to get out of tho room, evidently in the hope that he would succeed in reaching the ante- room, where his cloak wae hanging with a revolver in one of the pockets. But Starodvorski followed

him too closely, and ho then attempted to escape by another door, but again Starodvorski was too quick for him, and got between him and tho door. A few more blows with the crowbar and the colonel fell lifeless to the ground, Meanwhile Degaieff had disappeared immediately after he had discharged his revolver, and in his (light had forgotton to shut the door between the ante-room and the staircase, which stood open during the massacre that followed. Degaieff drove to the Warsaw Terminus in order to catch the train which left St. Petersburg for Germany at 5.40. Staroclvorski and Konnosheffski, after having washed their hands, left the lodging, shutting the door and taking tho key with them. They then separated and Starodvorski drove to tho Bolshaia Sadovaia street, where Lopatiu and Salova were awaiting him. There he stayed s>e\eral months as their guet>t. KonnoshefFski, however, drove to the Warsaw Terminus, where he met Dogaieff, who had some few days before received a passport for abroad from Colonel Soudckiu. Provided with this, DegaiefF wenttoGermany but Konnobheffbki only accompanied him as far as Vilna. The following are the names of the seven persons sentenced to death by the court-martial : — Starodvorski, Konnosheffbki. AntonofF, Ivanoff, Vakoupouitch, Lonatin, and the young girl Salova.