Who Would be an Emperor?

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 143, 18 June 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

Who Would be an Emperor?

The Czar leads the life of a prisoner, with the exception' of an occasional glimpse at the outer world. Uulike a prisoner, he is nob safe in his prison. The only place where he feels any security, is at Gatschina, seven miles away from St. Petersburg. The palace itself lies within a triple defence ot walls, palisades and ditches, and n0 one is permitted to enter even the pa r k outside the palace without a written authority, which is changed in form every eight days. The whole place swarms with police and guards, and the Emperor is not allowed to escape for a moment the eyes of his keepers. It is not surprising under such conditions that madness should so often break out in royal families. Even with all these precautions, the fate of the Czar is almost certain ; for his enemies, by the prodigal sacrifice of their own lives, seem to be capable of breaking through every obstacle. It is reported that 485 officers of the Russian army have arrived at Odessa,under a strong military escort, and being accused of participating in the last attempt on the Czar's life, they will be transported to Eastern Asia. According to some details of the attempt on the Czar's life, hi 3 Majesty was walking in the park at Gatschina on March 29, between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when a shot was fired at him from behind a tree. The bullet struck the Czar in the arm,but, nothing daunted, his Majesty darted in the direction whence the shot had come. A second report followed and a bullet whizzed closely by the Czar. A soldier belonging to the so-called Golden company, who was on duty near the spot where this took place, seeing a man in a red bloure running away, fired at him and wounded him. The man was then arrested and carried into the guard house. The Czar behaved with great courage and presence of mind throughout the whole incident, and after the arrest of his assailant his Majesty walked to the guard-house, and gave strict orders that the affair should bo kept secret. It reached the ears of the Empress, however, and on returning to the Palace the Czar found her in violent hysterics. Since this a Nihilist proclamation has been issued announcing that although two unsuccessful attempts have been made to carry out the sentence prononnoed against the Czar, he will be executed within three months. The. proclamation admits that a general revolution is at present impossible, but adds that the Nihilists hope to pave the way for it by the assassination of tyrants.