The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-06-25

Imperial FaIn1ly..feCerl ILL., Ter
ribIe Interview With Ivan III
One Of the Bloody Crimes of Cath
arine III. .51g16.
The night of the25th of November,
l741, was bitter cold in the Russian Cap
tai on the Neva. 1t had been owing
Ill day, and at setting in Of dusk furi-
ous gale had sprung up, and rendered
.he cold almost intolerable. Neverthe-
ess, the Annikoff Palace, where the
Brand Duchess Elizabeth, Peter the
Greats daughter resided, was the scene
of gay festival.
1t was the birthday OF the Princess,
aid her sumptuous apartments were
crowded from an early hour in the even
ing with elegantly dressed gentlemen,
who congratulated her with all the sub
usually displayed toward
crowned heads. n
) Elizabeth herself was radiant. She
was not exactly beautiful, but still most
woman Her form was perfect,
her complexion was dazzling white, and
face, dotted with two flashing hazel eyes,
wore commanding, majestic
expression. She looked very much like
her illustrious father, and on the present
joyous occasion more so than ever.
The large bell on St Isaac's dome pro-
claimed the hour OF nine, when an elder
ly gentleman with Machiavelian face
and whispered to her in
French: sThey are in the cabinet Of
Your Imperial Highness."
The Princess replied smilingly: 81
shall be there in few minutes"
She bowed graciously to the assembled
guests and said, with the most engaging
smile: "Gentlemen, / have to retire for
short time Will you meanwhile drink
my health p 5rt 9.es
5 Strangely enough, they responded to
her by shouting in an enthusiastic man
ner: M s .a#iw 4
s eLoYa LIVE OUR CxARINA!"
She kissed her hands to her guests
and disappeared A few moments later
she entered her private cabinet, where
she found DR.. Lestocq, her French ply
sician, and NJ, de Ia Chetardie, the French
Minister to Russia, beside several supe-
rior officers OF the famous Life Guard
Regiment Preobrazensky.
every thing is ready, Your. Imperial
Highness," said the Doctor to the Grand
Duchess, The latter looked at the Off
GERS OF the Light Guard Regiment.
Can trust your regiment ? she asked.
ave will 60 through fire and water
for our Czarina : they replied enthusias'
tically. -
"You know II we fail, officers she
rcjoined, slightly inclining her proud
head, "the scaffold awaits you. II we
succeed each of you will receive three
hundred thousand roubles and regi.
men of his own"
eve shall succeed, Czarina!' cried the
officers.
"Then proceed to the Imperial Pal
ace" she said "Dr. Lestocq will go will
you and tell you what to do" They
wrapped themselves up in their costly
furs and left the room, shouting enthu
siasticaIly:
Long live the Czarinal' r.
She returned to her guests, and the OF
GERS, headed by Lestocq, hastened to the
barracks Of lie q .i
THE PREoBRAszENsKY GUARDS.
They found their soldiers under arms
ready to march. sForward to the Impe
rial Palace! = shouted Col. Seminoff to
them. .;4.-.r...-.- .!....-
They tramped silently through th'
deep snow. Upon their arrival at th'
Imperial Palace they dismissed the sen
tinels, and with crossed bayonets rushed
up the grand staircase. At the landing
they were met by a beautiful, fair-hairet
woman, who held an infant in her arms
"What do yon want p she said in ter
ror, to the officers who headed the col
umn. "How dare you invade the palac,
of.Your legitimate Gar ?"
She held up her infant. 1t was only
three months old, and yet it was unde
the name of Ivan the Third, Emperor o
all the Russias. ..,.
HE is not the Czarr' shouted Les
tocq. brutally. sour Czarina is Eliza
both !" -
"Traitor!!" replied the lady, who wa
no other than Anna of Lourland, tn
mother of the infant Gar. "You shal
mount the scaffold.
"Enough! enough!" cried Lestocq.-
"Send her and her brat down stains. Pu
her into the carriage"
"What is all this 2" asked a man VIII
suddenly appeared by the side Of AIMS
He was her husband, Prince Anthon,
Uric, of Brunswick, a lazy, indolent sor
of fellow,
"Take him down stairs, too" ordere
Lestocq. Several guarGsmen hustle
Anna, who was speechless with terror
and who closely clasped
HER LITTLE SON, IVAN,
To her bosom, down stairs. Other
dragged her husband after her. In fror
of the palace large travelling coac
awaited them. They were thrust into i
and the watchman, who sat by the side {
the coachman on the box, whispered t
the latter:
"To Riga!" -
! The ride lasted twenty-four houts.-
During these twenty-four hours, moi
withstanding the inclemeney OF til
weather, not morsel of food was give
to the prisoners. AT Riga they were d,
livered, in a truly deplorable condition
to the commander at the citadel.
"Put them into a solitary cell and hav
them watched With the utmost vigilanc,
II they escape you will lose your heat
Such are the orders of Her Majesty, OF
new Empress Elizabeth
In the meantime Elizabeth had bee
proclaimed every where as the .legtima'
Czarina The old Russian party supper
ed her, except the ecclesiastics, who r,
fused to believe in the story that Iva
III. was dead. That story was circul
ted by Elizabeth and her instruments, an
the most rigorous measures were adopte
to prevent anybody from circulating II
report that The young Gar was sti
alive
Meanwhile Ivan and the ill fated p
rents remained for eighteen months
Rigs, then they we're taken to the gloom