The Russian Nihilists have again become active. They have, it
is said, recently deputed a lady, who is named, to assassinate the Emperor, but she was arrested at the railway-station. The secret is supposed to have been discovered by Colonel Soudaikin, Chief of the Secret Police ; and on Friday week (December 28th), he was decoyed to the house of a trusted agent, one Jablonsky, who had, he said, made important discoveries. Jablonsky, though high in the Department, was a Nihilist; and on Colonel Soudaikin's entrance he was struck down with a heavy crowbar. The Colonel, a very powerful man, rose, and with an assistant made a fight for his life ; but both were shot down with revolvers. Colonel Soudaikin died on the spot, and his assistant after his removal to hospital. Jablonsky fled ; and although some ten men are believed to have been engaged, none have as yet been arrested. The act, whatever its motive, proves that the Nihilists have again deter- mined to employ terror, and the alarm in the highest Russian circles is extreme. It is believed that the Czar is aimed at; but instead of appealing to the people, whose vigil- ance would be his best defence, the Government uses every effort to suppress information about the crime, of course use- lessly. The newspapers are silenced, but the facts fly from month to mouth.
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