3-070-938 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Conspiracies in St. Petersburg: searching for mines in front of the Winter Palace, 1881. 'The trial of the six persons, two of them young women, concerned in the recent fatal conspiracy to murder the late Emperor Alexander II., took place last week, occupying Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and the verdict was given early on Sunday morning. They were all found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged...A Sketch by our Special Artist, made last week, represents the operations that have been going on to search for hidden torpedoes and mines in front of the Winter Palace. The police tell everybody who inquires that the workmen are only employed to dig a well, or to do something in the way of waterworks, but everybody knows better. A strong force of police, gendarmes, Cossacks, and other soldiers constantly patrol the ground, and forbid the people to assemble there'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.