The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1879-12-27
THE CARS PERILs.
Alexander's Three Previous Escapes from
Assassination.

the CZar SUOOu ~ the QOOT VI tnc hdstn
Cathedral, aud giving his hand to the
officials of the Empire, said: "This is
the third time that God has saved me-"
Exactly Is years before, on the same
day of the month, he had knelt in that
Cathedral and had given thanks to the
" Holy Mother of God of Kasan" that
through the agency of a peasant, one
Osip IvanOyitch KOmmissaroff, he had
been saved from the assassin's knife.
Osip Kommissaroff was young man
Of %, born in a village belonging to
Baron Kuster, to whom Kommissaroff
stood in the relation of liberated, an
anticipating serf. Having been allowed
to 90 to St. Petersburg and work in a
hatter's shop he rose in his calling, be-
came foreman, and married a peasant
girl. He was celebrating his birthday
on April IA, 1866, and went to say his
prayers in chapel near the house OF
Peter the Great. Coming to the river
side close to the marble palace he per-
ceived that the bridge was removed and
the passage temporarily interrupted.
Retracing his steps he made his way to
the summer garden, at the gate of which
crowd was assembling around an i'm
perial equipage. Knowing the carriage
to be the Emperor's he joined the throng
waiting for the monarch's arrival.
Presently there was stir and anima-
ton in the crowd and he saw his Males
ty in an overcoat The Car approached
the carriage and was putting on his
cloak when young man who had been
standing behind Kommissaroff tried to
push him aside. This individual had
repeatedly attempted to make his way
through the surrounding crowd and get
nearer the carriage; but Kommissaroff,
wishing to see the Emperor, wonld not
suffer him to pass. At last the individ
ual succeeded in squeezing through.
Kommissaroff followed him closely.
Hardly had the assassin got to the front
ranks when, drawing pistol from I'M
der his overcoat, he leveled it at the
Emperor. Kommissaroff, who had no
ticed the movement, caught up his arm,
and, turning the pistol from its aim,
caused it to discharge in the air. In
another instant the assassin, student
named Karakasoff, was arrested, and
kommissaroff was lost in the strging
crowd. The Gar at once drove to the
Kasan Cathedral. In the evening all
Generals, officers, and persons having
access at Court assembled in the Winter
Palace. The Gar was greeted with tu-
multuous enthusiasm. He at once sent
for Kommissaroff. The peasant was
brought before him. He was youth of
middle size and boorish in his manner.
H., n Cd fol hot
he was raised to the rank and dignity of
q nobleman. Then all present repaired
to the Preobrakhewski Cathedral. The
town was Illuminated, and an immense
concourse thronged around the palace.
1t was the first murderous attempt on a
Gar that was ever known in Russian
history.
The second was made at grand re-
view given at Paris in honor of the EN-
peror of Russia and the King of Prussia.
The Gear had been riding down the Bots
de Boluogne beside the Emperor Napo-
leon. On his breast was the grand cor
don of the Legion of Honor and many
other decorations. Instead of the rich
saddle-cloth, such as the other sovereigns
rode on, he had simple bear-skin I'M
der the saddle, the spoil of one of his
hunts in the wilds near st. Petersburg.
Tall, well formed, and of graceful car
riage, the Gar had not his equal ON
horseback in the entire field. Officers
of every civilized nation swelled his
cortege. Cossacks of the Don, oficers
of the Imperial Guard, and Arabs from
The deserts trotted behind him in the re-
MI 1,<
rage with the French Emperor. Four
horses, ridden by positions, drew it.
Squadrons of gendarmes cleared the
way. The Imperial equipage moved on
through the leafy avenue between the
Cascade and the Pre- Catalan. Suddenly
a young Pole, Biazoofki by name, took
deliberate aim at the Gar and dis
charged double-barreled pistol. The
shot failed to take effect. The second
tube exploded in the Poles hand. The
carriage checked its progress for an in
slant, but neither Napoleon nor the En-
peror Alexander changed a muscle of
the face. They were perfectly
cool. The Emperor of France quietly
ordered the positions to move on.
4" Forward" said he, and the carriage
resumed its usual speed. A soldier of
the Cents Gardes had meanwhile cut
the assassin down. The crowd, para
lyzed for moment by the shot, sprang
forward upon the culprit like famished
wolves, and assailed him with blows,
kicks, and maledictions. He was imme-
diately beaten almost to death. A SOL
der grasped him by the throat and
strangled him, while the enraged popu-
lace seized him and beat him until he
fell unconscious to the ground The
Emperor repaired, as usual, to the
Russian Church. Next day magnif-
cent ball was given in honor of his es-
cape.
The third attempt is fresh to memory.
The Car received his warning at eel
ebration of the last Easter festival at
Al Al