Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-21
THE CZARINA'S INSANITY.
Alexander Alone i'm His Grief and on
Bad Terms With All His Family.

| St. Petersburg Cor New York Tribune. Jan. g
II is fortunate that Alexander III is man OF
| herculean build, and of mind almost as pow
erful as his physique. Otherwise he would end
by being crushed under the accumulation OF
sorrows which have cast their shadows over his
reign and have blighted his whole life. Sighted
I by both father and mother, who for some
reason loved him far less than any of Their
other children. his infancy and youth were ex.
ceedingly sad. He became still more distaste.
full to his parents after the death of his elder
brother, who expired at Nice on the eve of his
marriage from the effects of a malady due to
an unintentionaf blow inflicted by the present
| car in the course of some rough horse-play
man OF incorporating honesty, he made
no effort to hide his indignation at the i'm
morality and corruption which we're rife both
among the imperial family and at court here
during the closing years of the last reign. He
was thoroughly out of touch with the regime
which then prevailed. The disgraceful neglect
to which his mother was subjected. and which
ultimately led to her death, created deeu
impression on his mind, notwithstanding all
her GOODNESS toward him; and when, a few
weeks after her demise, her husband actually
went so far as to contract a morganatic alliance
with his mistress, the Princess Jurieffsky, the
relations between father and son became more
strained than ever. The tragedy which brought
Alexander III to the throne eight years ago has
been followed since then by repeated attempts
to assassinate both himself and those most dear
to him, and though the efforts of the would-be-
murderers have in each case been frustrated,
the constant peril and the frequently we'll
founded dlstrust of those with whom he is
brought into contact have had a very sadden-
ing effect on his character and appearance
The GROWING sorrow of his life has. how.
ever, just come upon him. His wife, to whom
he Is passionately devoted, and who is the most
gracious and captivating woman that has ever
adorned European throne, has become en-
tIrely insane. Her nervous system has already
been completely shattered by the attempts on
her husbands life, and since the terrible rail-
way accident at BOrki, a couple of months ago,
when SO many of her favorite attendants lost
their lives, her mental depression has increased
to a most alarming degree. She passes whole
days In absolute silence; on other occasions she
refuses to touch morsel of food, while at times
she even fails to recognize the members of her
family. Her dementia has assumed the same
aggravated character as that which two years
ago necessitated the detention of
her majesty's younger sister, the
Princess Thyra, in a private lunatic ASYLUM
near Vienna for the space of eight months
The extreme gravity of the cZarinas case can
best be estimated by the fact that at the re-
quest of the emperor and of his physicians Dr.
Charcot. the famous Partisan mad-doctor, and
Professor Won Leidesdorf the director of the
celebrated lunatic asylum at Dobling near
vienna, who had charge of the duchess of
Cumberlands case, have both arrived in this
city en- route to Gatschina. Serious fears are
entertained that the empress may attempt to
destroy herself and she is watched day and
night without intermission by the physicians
and trained nurses. Her recovery is extremely
doubtful, for as long her husband remains
on the throne the danger of his assassination
will subsist; and hence she will never be per-
United to enjoy any permanent relief from the
horrible anxiety which has wrought such havoc
in her brain