National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-17
PAUL'S MURDER.
THE oRANDFArHER OF ALEXANDER.
Details Of Horrible Tragedy in the Cars Family
Many Years Ago-Sm Smashing the Skull
Of King Fighting with
the AssassinS.

In the "Histoire du COnsulat ct de
PEmpire," by the late NJ. Thiers, the story of the
assassination of Paul I, the grandfather of the
Car who now lies murdered in St. Petersburg, is
dramatically told. as follows:
At st. Petersburg the spectacle of an insane
Prince on the throne gave rise TO the most sinister
projects
Count Pahlen had served in the Russian army
with distinction, and possessed a commanding per-
son, concealed beneath the rough and sometimes
familiar manner of a. soldier deep and acute
mind. He was endowed with singular audaeity
and an imperturbable presence of mind. As Gov
ernor of st. Petersburg, and intrusted with the
police of the Empire and admitted into all great
affairs of State he really the principal person
age in the Russian government He held decided
political opinions respecting the public policy OF
Russia, and many actions of his government were
regarded by him as intemperate. In fact, he was
Russian such as existed in the days of Peter the
Great. Being persuaded that everything was has
tening toward ruin unless the reign of Paul were
curtailed and having conceived alarm for himself
personally, he formed a resolution and eommum-
Gated it to Count Panim, the Fice-C Chancellor and
the head of foreign affairs, who cOincided with
Count Pahlen in the view that it was necessary to
terminate the existing state of things. Count
Pahlen took upon himself the execution of the
The heir to the throne was the Grand Duke Alex
ander, prince giving promise of superior quali-
ties, and who appeared easy to be led He it was
whom Count Pahlen desired to raise to the throne
by sudden catastrophe To do this it was necessary
to have some understanding with the heir, the
Grand Duke, and obtain his concurrence. Count
Pahlen communicated his scheme to the heir. = =
Alexander, after a passionate outburst, yielded
by degrees before the fresh proofs Of the danger
to which Paul exposed the affairs of the country,
and even the Imperial family itself by his arrogant
pride, which he exhibited before the First Consul
and other powerful rulers:
As condition of his acquieseence Alexander
exacted solemn oath from Count Pahlen that no
attempt against Paurs life should be made and the
Count swore to everything required.
The requisite actors in thescene yet remained to
be provided, and the brothers Soubow, upstairs,
raised by the favor of Catharine, were chosen as
the chief instruments of the plot. Plato Soubew,
the favorite of Caharine was supple and reckless,
while his brother Nicholas was remarkable only
for great personal strength and well fitted to play
a subordinate part. Many other accomplices were
engaged and broughtto St. Petersburg under vari-
Gus pretenses and kept in ignorance of their real
duty. The one other individual summoned was
General BenninGsen. q Hanoverian in the Russian
service. who lived in retirement dreading Paurs
anger, which he had incurred. The General was
initiated into the plot no further than the project
of disposing of the Emperor.
A day fixed for the execution of their project
when a regiment of Semenourki, devoted to Alex
ander, should be on duty at the Palace Michael.
They were obliged to wait. Paul's malady made
rapid progress, and became daily more alarm
ing
One day Paul addressed Pahlen in these singular
terms: Were you at st. Petersburg in 1922" CThe
year of the assassination of Paurs father1 YES"
answered Pahlen quite coolly; g was" What
part did you take in the event of that time ?? "That
of subaltern cavalry officer in the ranks of his
regiment. was witness of but no actor in
that catastrophe" WELL continued Paul, look
ing distrustfully at his minister they want to re-
enact to- day the revolution of 1872 Il am aware
of it, replied Count Pahlen, without betrayiDg
the least emotion. ~ know all the plot. 1 am
party to it." What" exclaimed Paul, "yOu
are one of the conSpirators?" "Yes; but to be
better apprised of it, and that may be in posi-
ton more effectually to watch over your safety"
The Counts ealmness disarmed PauIs suspi-
eions, but he still remained discomposed and ex-
cited.
The 23d of March was fixed for the execution of
the plot. Pahlen, under color of giving dinner
party, assembled at his house the Soubows. Ben
ningsen, and seyaral general officers upon whom
he thought he could rely. Wines were served in
profsion and after dinner the project was unfolded
to the conspiratOrs and the terrible plot revealed
They were not told that they must aSsassinaIe
Paul, but that they must go TO the palace and COM
pei him to abdieate. The excited guests with
three four exceptions agreed to the project, and
in the evening about sixty conspiratoFs sailed
forth in two bands. with Pahlen leading one
party and Benningsen the other The Palace
Michael was similar to fortress, but everything
was thrown open to the eonspirators. Benning-
sens party marched first and proceeded direct to-
ward the Emperor's apartments. Pahlen re-
mained behind with his reserve body of eonspira-
tnrs
Two heyduks the Emperers body guard at
tempted to defend their sovereign. One was struck
down and the other fed. A valet was compelled
to open the door of his masters chamber. All es-
cape being cut off the Emperor hid in the bottom
of his bed. Plato Soubow ran to the Imperial bed,
and, finding it empty, cried out: 4" The Emperor
has escaped; we are lostr' But Benningsen
caught sight of Paul, rushed toward him, sword in
hand, and presented to him the act of abdicaton.
You have ceased TO reignr' he exclaimed to him;
the Grand Duke Alexander is now Emperor; l
summon you in his name to resign the empire, and
sign this act Qualification. On this condition alone
answer for your hfeI" Summons were made by
other eonspirators. They then pressed upon the
unhappy Paul, who struggled, expoStulated, and
implored them in vain Footsteps of other con-
lieying that assistance arriving the eonspira-
tors about the Emperor fed, except Bennington
He remained infiexible, with his sword pointed at
Paurs breast. The conspirators returned and
hemmed in the Emperor, in order to enforce his
abdication. The Emperor endeavored to defend
himself and In the scuffie the lamp was extin-
guished; Benningsen ran to procure another, and,
on his return, discovered Paul expiring under the
blows of the two assassns; one had broken in his
skull with the pummel of his sword while the
other strsngling him with his sash.
During the scene Pahlen remained outside and
when told that all WAS over ordered the body to be
laid out on the bed, placed the guard of thirty
at the door of the apartment, with orders not to
admit any one, and then repaired to the Grand
Duke to announce the terrible occurrence. =
The grief of the Prince was profound, and loaded
Pahlen with bitter reproaches, which the latter
received with composure. TheEmpress expressed
deep grief, but having for an instant recovered
from her first paroxysm of grief she felt the rising
impulse of ambition awaken in her breast and
wished to reign. She impaired her desire to Alex
ander.
1t was necessary to leave no time for reflection,
and it important that the accession of Paul's
successor should be proclaimed at the same time
Pahlen approached the young prince
You have wept sufficiently child said he
"eome now and reign He tore him from this
house of mourning, and, followed by Benningsen,
fastened to present him TO the troops, and the
young Emperor was proclaimed and placed in
possession ofthe throne.
The impression the catastrophe created proved
that the manners of the Empire had undergone a
change, and that since 1762 Russian manners had
become modified by the influence of European
civilization, and may be said TO thehonor of Rus
sia that she has equally advanced since 1900. *%
The Russians feared Paul l. and his insanity
more than they hated him, as he was not of san
culinary character
The assassinated Emperor's body lay in state ac
oordinp tn usaoa but iutnite nrecautious were