The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-12
AN IMPERIAL MONSTER.
Facts About Great Ruler Who Was Half
Hog and Half Tiger.

Facts About Great Ruler who Was Half
Hog and Half Tiger.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Mr.. Eugene Schuyler, equally well known as
diplomatist and scholar, has recently added to
his literary record by the publication of about
thousand pages devoted to Peter the Great 1t
is to be presumed there was large and loud de-
mand to provoke such liberal supply; though
when, twelve years since, the 200th anniversary
of the famous Car was ceebratedi in Russia, the
government ascertained, by special inquiry, that
since his death more than thousand distinct
works--some of them in several volumes-had
been written concerning him and his deeds in
other languages than the Russian. If these are
re enforced by similar works in his own Ian
| guage, it would seem as if Peter had been sufi-
| GENTLY biographical without the generous con-
| tribution of Mr.. Schuyler But this feature
OF the case is foreign to our purpose; nor have
we any intention of discussing the political
achievements which are supposed to authorize
! the much-abused title of Great" Giving Peter
full credit for all that has been claimed in his
behalf as an organizer and ruler, though much
might be subtracted without serious detriment
to historical truth, let us see, if we can, what
manner OF man was he whose name and fame
have gone trumpet-tongued the wide world over.
Let us look at him, so to speak, in his undress
uniform; as he appeared to those who saw most
| OF him and knew him best in all his various
moods-in all the phases of a character which
never has been duplicated and, we may hope,
never will be- IF, after thus looking, the reader
is not more than ever convinced that fact Is
stranger than fiction then he is proof against
the strongest evidence on this point to be found
in ancient or modern annals
Voltaire, in his Philosophical Dictionary"
| says that Peter was 'shalf hero and half tiger"
| Half hog and half tiger would be nearer the
| truth. Macaulay declares that ito the end of
his life he lived in his palace like hog in sty,
and, when he was entertained by other sOvef-
/ eigns never failed to leave on their tapestried
walls and velvet state beds unequivocal proof
fhoto hsaA IInr
swinish in his tastes and habits, and displayed
his swinishness regardless of circumstances or
consequences WheH Villa III Il visited HMM
L6s 81, arr of the room was so foui that q
window had to be opened before the English
king could enter. The nastiness of himself and
suite almost ruined Evelyn's villa at Deptford,
where the imperial party were lodged, and the
owner applied for and received compensation
from Parliament Twenty years later the pretty
little 'Monbijoun palace in Berlin suffered in
the same way from the same party. The
sprightly Margarine of Baireuth says that "the
desolation of Jerusalem was everywhere in it,
and it was so ruined as almost to need rebuild
ing" Every one has heard of the important
part played by the cane in the domestic economy
of Frederic William /, of Prussia but that &C.
centric monarch was nothing in comparison to
his Russian brother in the Gaming line. Peter,
when the fit was on him, literally caned every
body-from his cook to his counselor. from the
| meanest peasant to the highest noble-sparing
neither age nor sex. He would get up from the
table and fog the host who was unlueky enough
to entertain him. He would stand at the door
Of the Senate-house and fog each senator that
went in. Lefort was an intimate and trusted
friend, yet ON slight provocatlon he was knocked
down and brutality kicked by his imperial guest
But all this fogging was in the way of
recreation. When Peter meant business, 1t
was more serious matter Incredible as it
may seem, it IS nevertheless well authenticated,
that one of his own sisters=it is said more than
one-received hundred strokes Of the whip on
her bare back in the presence e6E otheewhole
court In IT'S, Alexis ;his, only son Whel out
lived infancy. was, for some otfense of no great
seriousness several times tortured I'M the Spres
| ence of the diabolieal father, and a few hours
later died-either from the effects Of the torture
or by assassination. For sympathizing with
! Alexis the Princess Golitsyn, the bosom com
panion Of the Empress Catherine was publicly
whipped by soldiers. For the same reason, the
brother Of his first wife, Eudoxia-whom he had
! thrown into prison-was tortured and then
broken alive on the wheel An alleged lover of
Eudoxia was tortured in Peters presence almost
daily for six weeks-by the knout by burning
Goals and by red hot IRONS by being tied down to
plank full of sharp spikes, and finally impaled.
Nothing ever told of Nero is more horribly gro
tesque than this:
Catherine. After casual intimacy with Peter, she
bestowed her tenderness elsewhere without interfer
ence his part; but when to extIicate herself from
resulting embarrassments she took to infanucide he
brought her to trial Condemned to decapitation she
mounted the scafod in address, of white satin trimmed
with bows Of black ribbon looking more lovely than
ever. But not alone; Peter appeared at her side and
stranng her to his breast lamented that the divine
law forbade him to spare her. A moment after the
beautiful head rolled from the block at his feet and
lifting it by the ear he imprinted last kiss upon the
quiyering lips.
The Prussian ambassador, Prinz, asserts in
his official dispatches that during the memorable
suppression of the Streltsi revolt Reterdgave
banquet, sent for a score of rebels; and every
time he drained glass struck off head, in