THE SKETCHER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2059, 10 August 1893, Page 41

THE SKETCHER.

THE KILLING OP THE CZAR.

A ,Lately-Published of Nihilism's Greatest Obime. A pamphlet purporting to give the true details of the assassination of A'exander II of Russia has recently been published in Paris by Nikolaus Notowitch. The title of the pamphlet is " Czar Alexander 111 and His Entourage." The part of it relating to the tragedy of March 1, 1881, tells the following story : in the last days of February 1881, St. Petersburg was in a fever of unrest. The people talked and acted as, if calamity pervaded the air. On February 28 there was a family dinner in the Imperial Palace. During the conversation the Czar became irritated by a frivolous remark of one of the Grand Dukes and reproved him openly. As the present Czir made some excuse for the embarrassed young man, Alexander II commanded: . " Silence 1 Nobody asked for your opinion. You would do better to, occupy your mind with affairs of State. To-morrow you may X6I&D " After the dinner Count Loris Melikoff appeared and requested Princess Juriewski to persuade the Czar not to attend a cert am military parade on the following day, but to defer the review in deference to the impression that on March 1 an attempt would be made upon his life. A little later the Czar informed the Grand Duchess Alexandra Josephowna that ho would not attend the parade. " Loris has condemned me to Imprisonment," were his words. •' How unfortunate 1 " exclaimed the Grand Duchess. •' To-morrow my son wa3 to be presented to you in his new capacity of officer of ordnance." ...,.„ " Humph 1 I ' never thought of that, replied the Czar. "la that case I will not obey Loris, for nothing in the world could induce me to cause you needles* disappointment." On March 1 the Czar worked with Count Loris Melikoff until 11 a.m., and signed the ukase concerning: the introduction of the Constitution. He then went to his wife, embraced her, and promised to be cautious during his absence. As he would leave, his little daughter Katharina caught him by the coat, crying; "Papa, you have not given me a single kis3 to-day." "What a terrible creditor you are 1 said the Czar, laughingly. "You do not trust me at all. Well, give me your kiss, and may it bring me luck I " The Czar rode out in a close carriage, surrounded by Cossacks of the Guard. The imperial party crossed, on their way to the parade ground, the Malaja Sadowaja street, under which a mine had been laid by the Nihilists, although as yet its existence was not suspected. The people along the route cheered the Czar as u'dual, and he recovered from the fit of melancholy into which the apprehensions of his family and Ministers had thrown him. The review w f as undisturbed by accident. The Czar received and congratulated the new ordnance officer, son of the Grand Duchess Alexandra, and Bent to the Grand- Duchess word that all had gone well, and that the apprehended attack upon him appeared to have, been contemplated by nobody. After the review the Czar passed a few minutes with his old aunt, the Grand Duchess Katharina Michailowna ; then he proceeded homeward. The coachman, at his command, drove through the less - frequented streets, where the least danger from the Nihilists was apprehended. At the quay of the Katharina canal a.young man' disguised as a "peasant threw the first bomb. There was* a terrific report. The imperial carriage lay in ruins on the pavement. The Cossack who had sat beside the coachman was dead. Two of the mounted guards were lifeless on the ground, and not far away lay the*body of a little boy with the basket of meat that he carried scattered in fragments round him. The Czar, pale but sound, emerged from the wreck of his carriage. General Dvrorjewski, who had driven up in his sleigh immediately, approached the Czar on foot, saluted, and begged his Majesty to hasten with him from the spot. " My place is by the side of the wounded," responded the Czjr firmly, as he turned toward the bodies of the men who were stretched on the reddened snow.' The crowd had caught the murderer, and he was brought by two Cossacks to the Czar. _ "Your name? " commanded Alexander. The man gave an assumed name. " Are you not ashamed of yourself ? " The man returned no answer. As the Czar was about to enter General Dworjewski's sleigh he asked an officer, "Are you wounded ? " " No, thank God ! " was the reply. " Don'c thank Gcd too soon 1 " cried a man, disguised as a peasant, from the crowd, and a bomb fell at the Czar's fee f ; For a moment all was hidden in fire and smoke. When the air cleared the Czar was lying in a poo} of blood. " I am cold," he sighed, as he struggled to a Billing posture. He was spattered with blood, and his uniform was 'in tatters. Around him lay 10 officers and soldier?,' some dead, the rest dying. The uninjured soldiers parried tb.e Czar to a s}eigh. *!I ani cold, ! ' he sighed again, as they laid him among the robes. 4 soldier covered the Czar's face with a handkerchief. The young Count Gendrikoff mounted behind, covered the Czar's head with his helmAt, and held his shoulders. Captain Eoulebiakien^ severely wounded, knelt and steadied the body. 11 You are wounded, my Eoulebiakien ? " inquired the Czar faintly. "My God I " exclaimed the captain, weeping, "what must bo your Majesty's sufferings I " The fleigb had hardly started when the Grand Duke Michael hurried up, his face distorted and whjte. ' "Saoha," he called!, using the Czar's pet name, " are you woun jJed 7 " "My son, oh 1 where is my son ? " moaned the Czar. A few minute? Jater he died. Meantime, Count Loris Melikoff sat consulting with his colleagues as to the proclamation of the Constitution. The first explosion sounded in the room lite distant thunder. V What was that 1 " asked a Minister.

"Nothing that we need fear," replied Count Loris. " I assume the responsibility for to-day. Everything is quiet and Bafe, and the Czar runs no risks whatever." Nevertheless, the count sent out General Fedoroff to ascertain whether all was well. The general, sharing the count's assurance, walked away leisurely, humming a song. He had gone but a few steps when the second and heavier explosion came. The shock broke the windows and rattled the contents of the room. Every Minister sprang from his seat. " A carriage I Harness I " shouted Count Lori?, his lips white and his arms swinging wildly. Before the carriage came", Captain Kocb, spattered with blood and staggering, threw open the door. He bad just come from the quay of the Katharina Canal. "His Majesty is mortally wounded!" gasped Koch. He tried to say more, but his words were unintelligible. Count Loris Melikoff's white face became scarlet, then purple, and he sank unconscious to the floor.