Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-04-08
IVAN THE TERRIBLE
MOST CRUEL OF RUSSIA'S
CZARS.
4 Vivid Picture of His Awful Crime.

=
In the Cathedral of the Archange,
within the walls of the Moscow Krem-
lin, is the tomb of Ivan the Terrible
the first sovereign of Russia to bear
the title of Tsar Gn our day Czar)
The sepulchres of rulers and ROYALTIES
of less degree may here be counted by
the score. Even in the annals of his
own country, Ivan (John) ", has
always figured under the sobriquet
"The Terrible" There is tragic
interest in the name; even horror is
not without its fascinating aspect.
This man mounted the throne in 1916.
He was possessed of marked ability.
His natural instincts were cruel, but
his reign gave ample proofs OF the
highest talent, as well as the most fe-
rocious temper-a remarkable contrast
of character embodied in one man.
Ivan was human paradox. His first
wife exercised q wonderfully happy
influence over him, and during her life
time he never failed TO show forth the
better qualities of his nature, but after
her death the arch hend of which he
was possessed broke loose. In reign
OF thirty years he conquered Siberia,
Astrakan and Kazan, and taught the
Tartars the indelible lesson of subiu-
cation. He made war against Poland
because her king refused him his daugh-
ters hand in marriage. He pillaged
the churches of Novgorod, the ancient
capital, and in 1870 put to death moro
than SO, 900 of her unsrmed citizens,
because they were suspected of seeking
an alliance with a Swedish prince.
The bodies of the slain choked up the
waters of the River Valkhof. Famine
followed in the footsteps of massacre
and destruction. This forced the
starving inhabitants, in few instances,
10 alleged acts of cannibalisn, which
so enraged the Car that he ordered
the entire surviving population, SO, 900
or more, to be wiped from the face Of
the earth. This same monster caused
the acts and epistles of the Apostle to
be translated into the Russian LAM
guage, and literally disseminated them
among his people. He likewise granted
his subjects an admirable code of laws.
A messenger oil one occasion presented
himself TO the Gar as the bearer of
dispatch from one of his generals.
The opening sentence betrayed the
fact that his arms had sustained de-
feat, which, like thunderbolt, caused
Ivan to plunge the pointed steel of his
stock through the foot Of the poor mes
senger, pinioning him to the floor.
Ivan then commanded him to go on
reading, aduonishing the unhappy man
that If ne manifested any signs of
pain he should at once be deprived of
his life. This famous staff of Ivan the
Terrible, which he ALWAYS carried, was
a heavy baton, about two inches in di-
ameter and fully four feet in length,
with a weighted ball about the size of
q goose egg OF the top, the lower end
being furnished with sharply pointed
steel prod several inches in length,
something after the fashion of an Al
pine stock, but altogether more for
midable affair.
Thi. description of Ivan's stock Is
pertinent not only because It was the
plaything with which he was wont to
amuse himself in pinuing to the floor
the feet of those who brought un-
welcome news, but that it was the
, instrument of occasional private kill
ing. With this was committed his
historical crime, the murder of his own
SOFIA deed due sorely to hi. un-
: goveruable temper, The act itself Is
presented to US in one of the most vivid
of pictures. Even that master of the
horrible, Vereschtschagen, whose per-
soual experiences of the dreadful in
real life have been equalled by few
| L.,
put upon canvas stronger scene than
this by Repiu, in the Tretidkoff collec-
ton al Moscow. We have before us
al audience room in the palace. The
furniture is limited in quantity, the
walls and carpets are in bright colors,
the curtains and all interior decorations
are exquisitely done. A large arm
chair is vacant. The young son, not
much more than lad or 20 years or
thereabouts, has entered and stands
before his father. The offense (God
alone knows what it was) has been
given, and 60 has the death blow.
lvaR's stock lies upon the rich carpet.
The blood Is yet dripping from the
pointed steel, the exact imprint of
which is seen in the left temple Of the
|
Of life is gushing. The father is on
the right knee, while upon the left the
dropping form of his son is supported.
The pallor of death is fast suffIsiug
the countenance. It's Icy print Is
already upon the iace-a face IN which
all the features or the father are stI.ik-
ingly reproduced. Ivan places one
hand over the wound, IN the vain
effort 10 stop the flow Of blood. He
seeks TO undo the hasty act of five
seconds ago, but "too late" Is written
upon every line Of that awful face.
The bloodsflot eyes are glassed, as II
for the first time they had been turned
within 10 gaze upon tho horrors that
had already brought destruction upon
his own soul. The expression Is
frightful as every finger OF that hand
is gradually thickening with The warn
blood of lis own child.
The tomb Of Ivan the Terrible Is
covered with black pail. He lies
near TO the main altar, and lights are
pe-Petually burning before his picture,
close at hand. He Is said to have
taken monastic vows IN the closing
days Of his life, which Is recorded BY
tradition 10 have ended in convent
! walls. The sanity honors over his
body are still continued for the repose
Of his soul. Let none begrudge him
these prayers, for 1t would seem that
If anyone ever needed them this mon
sch did.
Boris Gudenof, the husband Of his
!. sister, succeeded Ivan ss regent for
the young Demetrius, the only surviv-
ing son Of the Car and heir TO the
throne. This boy, when scarcely ten
years Of age, was murdered by order
OF his cruel and ambitious uncle, and
his body now rests with the royal dead
thn GnAhnS,.nl ,S tIa r.rl,..r,rr.