National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-19
MURDER OF PETER ILL.,.
ALExANDER,s GREAT GRANDFATHER.
How He Was Brutally Slain, as Was His Son and
His Great GrandsOn-DetaiIs and Incidents
of the Assassinati0n-An Inter.
estiRg Article.
HrRten for The RepuWicdR.

Hrtten for The Republican.
The Empress Catherine II. of Russia
was the Princess Sophia Augusta Won Anhalt before
hermarriage TO her cousin, Charles Frederick, Duke
of Holstein Gottorp, whom his aunt, the Empress
Elizabeth of Russia, had chosen for her successor,
having created him Grand Duke of Russia. In
adopting the Greek communion he took the name
of Peter, afterward Peter ILL., and his eonsor that
of Catherine Alexiewna. She was born in May,
1729, and brought up by her mother in the most
simple manner. Her union with Peter was an
ill-assorted and unhappy match. Catherine
was handsome, fond of pleasure, and at the same
time clever. ambitious, bold, and unprincipled.
Peter was greatly inferior to his wife in abilities,
irresolutc and imprudent. In consequence of many
disagreements with his wife, as soon as he came
to the throne by the death of the Empress Eliza
beth, he began to talk of repudiating Catherine,
who was then living in retirement at Petefh0ff,
some twenty miles from st. Petersburg, on the
shore of the Gulf of Finland. Since that time the
Emperor Nicholas has rendered it, by the expendi-
ture OF vast sums of money the most
BEAUTIFUL AND CHARMING SPOT
i'll all Russia Peter had caused a large building
to be erected, which il began to be surmised that
he designed for the reception and Imprisonment
of Catherine after her disgrace and enforcement
The suspicious ofthe Empress Catherine were now
converted into alarm. Peter dismissed her from
the court and sent her into one of the most re-
tired apartments at Peterhoff, where she passed
her time in meditating how to escape from the
fate that threatened her by hurting her husband
from the throne. In the meantime a conspiracy
had been formed by the enemies of Peter and the
friends of Catherine. The five brothers 0rlof
formed the center of this conspiracy, among whom
Gregory played the chief part. The Princess Dash
kof, the warm friend of Catherine was, moreover,
the soul of the whole conspiracy. They first gained
over Count PGAin, who was the chief tutor of the
Grand Duke Paul, and several other men of great
influence. The conspirators had at first no fixed
PLAN they postponed the execution of their project
from time to time. The King of Prussia warned
Peter of what was about to be attempted, but
Peter had sunk at that time into an inconeeiv-
able degree Of apathy and supineneSs. Sud
denly an event occurred which threatened in
slant discovery and destruction to all engaged
in the plot, Passik. who had offered to assassi-
nate Peter, had imprudently half revealed
the conspiracy, and was Immediately ar
rested and imprisoned. He was placed in a room
under strong guard, but he contrived to write
with pencil on scrap of paper:
PROCEED TO EXECUTION THIS INSTANT, or WE ARE
UNDoNE."
Giving the paper to a man at the door, who was q
spy in the employ of the Princess Dashkof the man
hurried with the paper to his mistress. Convinced
VI TIC udHBeEt Tue SIGISctC IE1uCSSS, ulnS uloluS
herself in mans great-coat, hurried forth, and
caused orders to be conveyed to the officers in the
conspiracy to repair, without moments delay, to
their regiment, the IsmaelofSki Guards, and re-
main at their posts In order to receive the Empress
at the suburbs Of the city. She also desired 0rlo
to ily like lightning to Peterhof, and entreat the
Empress to place herself instantly in post-car
rage, which she would find in readiness, and
drive to the quarters of the Ismaelofski Guards,
whom she would find waiting to proclaim her as
sovereign, and to escort her into the capital.
Alexis 0rlof undertook the dangerous commits
sion ofgoing to bring the Empress from Peterhoff.
1t was two o'clock in the morning when Catherine
was reused from a profound Sleep To enable her
the easily TO escape in the event Ofdiscovery
of the conspiracy, Catherine had taken up her
lodging in a summer-house in the grounds of the
palace Gregory Orloff had given his brother
Alexis a key to this summer house, and he it was
who had aroused the Empress. "Your Majesty
has not moment to lose," he exclaimed,
'GEr READY TO FOLLOW Me-
and then instantly retired. The Empress, somewhat
alarmed called herconidant,T vanova. They hastily
dressed themselves in such a manner as to avoid
being recognized by the sentinels about the pal
ace; a carriage was waiting, belonging to the
Princess Dashkof. Catherine trusted her safety to
the conspirator; she and her companion reached
the carriage unobserved. OrIoff then took the
reins and drove off with the speed of a mailman
reentlessly did he urge the horses forward that
after a time they fell exhausted upon the road,
and remained unable to move. The distance to
st. Petersburg still considerable, and such WAS
the imminent danger of delay that they resolved
to proceed on foot Before they had gone far they
met peasant driving light country cart Alexis
Orloff seized the horses, the man ran away in
alarm, the Empress and her attendant got into the
vehicle, and again they started, with such speed
as they could urge the animals to accomplish.
Soon they were met by another carriage, contain
ing Gregory Orloff, who, on the rack of expecta-
ton, and alarmed at the non-appearance of the
Empress, had hurried forth to meet her Recog-
nizng her in an instant he called that the con-
spirators only waited for her presence to proceed
to action, and then hastily drove on to receive her
in St. Petersburg. There Catharine arrived atseven
in the morning. Proceeding the soldiers quarters
she addressed them, asking their assistance. She
spoke that the Gar had intended to put her to
death that very night, together with her son, and
that she had so much confidence in their disposi
ton as to put herself into their hands The whole
garrison of St. Petersburg was in a few hours
brought over to her cause, and. followed by i'm
mense masses, proceeded to the cathedral where
The archbishop of Novgorod, in waiting, placed
the Imperial crown upon her head and proclaimed
her sovereign of all the Russias, by the name of
Catherine ii.
PETER, IN THE MEANTIME,
seems to have been perfectly ignorant of the revo
luton which had taken place in st. Petersburg. |
By the advice of the old Marshal Munich, Peterre
solved to go overto Cronstat in full view of ST. Pc
ersburg, where his large feet lay at anchor. Two
yachts were hurriedly prepared for the departure |
IF himself and court; but it was too late. Cathe- |
ine, aware of the importance of securing the feet
N her favor dispatched Admiral Talitzen to take |
he command of it in her name. On the 10Th of |
June 1862, the imbecile monarch wrote and |
olemnly signed his abdication and remuneration |
If the crown of Russia. The self deposed |
monarch had been placed in the custody /
If Count Alexis Orloff and an officer named
CapIoff, who entered his apartment and asked per-
mission to dine with him. The unSuspicious mon
rch readily consented, and, according to the Rus
ian custom, wine glasses and brandy were brought
n before dinner. When Taploff amused the Car
With some trihing discourse 0rlef secretly
,oured some poison into the glass intended
or the Gar Peter drank the deadly poison
'fered to him without mistrust and was immedi-
tely taken with most acute palms. The unhappy
nan then discovered their terrible design; a
truggle followed. Orlof, man of
reat strength, had thrown the En-
eror on the floor, when Barinski terminated his
ife by strangulation. The following day it was
ublicly announced that the Emperor was dead.
he same day Catherine published a manifesto,
nd legally took hold of the reins of the govern
nent. She ruled the Russian empire till Noyem
er 1896 which day she died suddenly from
troke of apoplexy. After her demise her son
'aul assembled the throne of the Romsnoffs, who,
wing to the hatred of the nobility, was sssas
mated In his bed room, and afterward left his
hrone to his son, Paul III the brother of Nicholas,
aft, IF tIo Lotto S1oip
ALBERT Won MOTIF
THE CZAR'S WIVES.
lis Morgn1stic Marriage with the Prin-
cess DOlROarki.