Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-07
TO STUFF HIM ALIVE.
4 RUSSIAN OFFICIAL WHO UNDER
STOOD AN IMPERIAL ORDER.
MEANING Of q visIt from an Omcer who
Came TO Carry verv Remarkable
Order into Eject.
detroit FREQ Press.l

GflIH IL.
chat matter. we're never particular or exact
in their orders. even when 1T concerned the
hanging of man or the knouting OF asert
Even foreigners were exposed to the CON-
bined zeal and stupidity of these gentry.V
A rich English capitalist, Sunderland py
name. residing in st. Petersburg, enjoyed
the friendship of the Empress IN conso-
ouence of his having given her an Italian
greyhound, Of which she was very iond'
One morning hetwas awakened. carry ny
his valet who said to him: :, III.
A. Sir. your house is surrounded by soldiers,
and the ChieflofsPolice insists on speaking
with vou." .,,.,.d
What can be want Of me?" exclaimed
| the banker, jumping out Oh oeu. auu , =.
| IN Russia generally has terrible signin-
canoe. ,;.5 .ho a.
| tordant ~ hut n seems to be an affair OK
| the greatest Importance, and wnleh, ac-
| cording to him, can be communicated ohy
| to yourself" :. -, A.. h,rtar
iIet him come in" said the pahAe''
hastily putting on his clothes.
The valet went out and came back IN
few minutes afterward conducting tne
| Chief of Police. A single glance az ms
| face convinced the banker that he was the
bearer of some very serious iniorInaIio.n
| The Englishman did not, however, epa.o
| in the slightest degree his usuaI vi 1"ni ;,,
| in his welcome of the official ohered nun
| a chair and begged him to be seated. but
his visitor declined it with thanks py
| shake of the head. stood upright, ana, IN
az svmpathetic a tone as he knew 10" W
assume. addressed the banker: =,
"Mr. Sunderland, you may well oeieve
| that am distressed beyond telling 10 nav
| inc been selected by her most graclous
Meiesty TO carry out a decree whose seveIi-
~ affIicts me. but which, without douot;
has been provoked by some great criihe'
TERRIBLE PENALTY.
"what great crime? Who has committed
it?n cried the banker. :. :. ..
Won. undoubtedly, sir, since u Is 10
| Won that the punishment is coming. !.
"S;r swear that | have in vain scruti-
ri,ed NV conscience and / can md no.
| thing with which to reproach myseit To-
,orT our sovereign. for You know that L
ann a Russian BY naturalization"
1t is lust because You are a naturalized
Russian that your position Is so terIipie'
if Won we're a ubject of his Britannia Ma.
ias}v Won could call on the English consul
ior protection. and so, perhaps, escape the
rieor of the orders / am charged with en-
| forcing"
orders ?"
YOU" al ..
| of her Majesty"
| "Wbat do you mean? Are they talking
| of sending me to England!"
| eff il were only that do you suppose l
| would hesitate so long about telling your"
| GOOD God! You alarm me. 1t Is surely
| not exile to Siberial"
''Siberia, sir, is a delightful country,
which has been greatly misrepresented.
| Besides, people come back from there
Am /. then, condemned to prison 2"
| prison is nothing. One can leave
"Sir. sir!" cried the banker, moro and
| more terrified. Am L destined to the hor-
rlble knout?"
1.-THE knout is very painful punish
ment, but the knout does not kill" -,
| "By the divine goodness" cried the
| nanic.stricken Sunderland, lit is death
And such DEATH" said the Chief. of
| Police. raising his eyes with an expression
| of profound compassion. -
| "Such a DEATH" echoed the English
man. us it not enough that am to be
| killed without trial, assasslnated wlthout
cause? Has she ordered anything more!"
/
| well: speak, sir. What has she or
dered? / am man Of courage. Tell me-"
| Alas sir. she orders-if she had not
| Given it to me personally l declare. Mr.
Sunderland, never would have believed
"You put me to death thousand times.
Come, let me know what orders she mas
"She has ordered me to stuff you alive"
| rAx1DERMIsT TO DO IT.
The roor banker uttered cry. of dis
tress, teen looking the Chief OF Police
| sauarely in the face, he said:
| But, your Excellency, this IS mon
strous. Have you lost your reason Z"
"No, sir, not at all. but shall go crazy
| during the operation"
But how could you take such an or
| der? You have told me hundred times
| that YOU were my friend. / have had the
good fortune Of being of some service to
YOU. How. then, could you take such an
order without trying to make her Majesty
| comprehend its utter bar barity!"
And them" continued the Chief of Pc:
lice az visited Immediately very skilful
naturalist, who stuffed lthe birds for the
| Academy of Science. for, since the thing
must be done, Thought it ought to be done
| in the highest style Of the art"
"And did the wretch consent"
"On account of the close resemblance
between the human and the monkey
specles, he sent me his brother, who has
stuffed apes"
Welt"
81 did what could. No one In my place
would have dared do as much. l begged
her Majesty TO give up her project. or at
least commission somebody besides me to
carry it out. I did SO with tears in my
eyes. But her Majesty answered IN that
i l. tvo a. N
ply: Go, sir! do not forget your duty,
and fulfllwithout murmuring the commits
slons | charge you with"
And then?"
"Well, he is waiting for you"
Waiting for me! Is it to be done at
once!"
AT once. Her Majesty will permit no
delay"
mot even to give me time to put my
affairs in order. This Is Impossible
1t is go, SIR"
but you will give me time enough to
send note TO the Empress!"
Il ain afraid 1 ought not to-"
"Iisten This is last favor-one that IS
not refused the worst criminal beg OF
you"
II risk my situation"
"But my life is at stake"
"Well, write it will permit il. At the
same time must warn you that cannot
leave you for a single instant"
Thanks, thanks Only have one OF your
officers come to take the letter."
WHAT 1T ALL MEANT.
The Chief OF Police called lieutenant of
her Majesty's guards, handed him the
note. and babe him bring back the reply
with all possible haste. In ten minutes
the lieutenant returned with an order to
bring the banker to the imperial palace.
This was all he wanted.
A carriage was waiting at the door. Sun
derland entered it, the Lieutenant taking a
place by his side. In five minutes they
were at the Hermitage, where she was
waiting for them. The condemned man
was taken into her presence. He found
her almost bursting with laughter. SUM-
derland thought she must be crazy, but.
throwing himself at her feet and Selling
her hand, he exclaimed:
Pardon, your Majesty. In Heavens
name, pardon me, or at least tell me for
what crime have deserved this horrible
punishment?
MY dear Sunderland" said the En-
press, you are not concerned in this
| 81 AZ