Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-07
A QUEER GRAND DUKE,
STRANGE LIFE or A COUSIN OF
THE GAR.
General Baranooks Death Probably Insllgaled
by Him-How He Followed tho hoio-
rous Mrs. BlackIoFd.

Odessa, Jan 1.-Geueral Baranok,
who recently died at Tashkend, Is gem
orally believed TO have been poisoned 20
prevent administrative reforms which ne
was about to introduce in Turkestun
He had been deputed from a high quar-
ter to investigate and report upon the con-
duct of the Grand Duke Nicholas Con-
stantnoyich. the czGr's cousin, who has
lived in exile in Central Asia since the
painful drama which twenty years ago
brought about the disgrace of the prince.
Tho grand dukes manner of living in
the remote Central Asian city is descith-
ed as strange beyond measure, SO extra
ordinary, indeed, that many people sup
pusc him to be either dementcd or adj
dlcted "a habits OF intcmpcrance. Ills
tyranny ~ those about him Is excessive.
and all his people tremble at their mas
tcr's approach
Lately the grind duke has had a mag
nihccat palace built az lushkcnu, hut ne
lives la an old aud dilapidatcd building
with his wife. u person whom he mar
riel in nc of ecccntricity, aud whom ne
constantly beats.
More than once II has happened that
the prince. to punish people who have Of
frudcd him. has had them buried up 90
their nccks in the sand. while thor hQnus
were left exposed to the sun. Not long
ugu "a doctor who was subjected 10 TINS
treatment suffered 80 terribly that hc
went ONT of his MUD. The ear ~ sup
posed 90 have ordered mn invcsuEaton OF
the acts Of the august exile 10y 6enef9i
BArunOk. who has just died OF poison
The Grand Duke Nicholas CONSTANT
novitch is son of the Grand Duke Con-
stnntiuc. brother Of the late ear. ne
Is consequently cousin Of Alexander
III, and was horn In 1871.
This scion of an Imperial house mas
been constant disgrace 60 his fanny
His most famous or infamous exploit
was the stealing Of his mothers diamonds
In 1874 to present 90 the notorious Mrs
BlnckfOrd This woman was che daugh-
ter of q well known Preshyterian clergy
man. Rev Mr.. Ely of philadelphia. Be-
fore she left this country her career
had boon one of continual profgacy Tor
tlOzcn or more years, during Wln'h
time she had been twice married her
first husband dying suddenly IN West
! Virginia, aud her second. young Now
! Yorker. hnyng married her iu Paris and
| nftcrward separated from her.
The grand duke Frequently beat Mrs.
| Blnckford. ana one night during the time
| that the prince of Wales was staying 40
| ST. Petersburg In january. ISL, the
| &C d." In n iit of jealousy hluCkeutd
| her eyes aud bruised her from hcnd 30
| heel Mrs Blncliord, holding an Amor
| lean pnsspOrt claimed the protection OF
! the United States Minister, VIZ. lowell.
| which would have been afforded her
| hnd she not at the last moment decided
! upon keeping quiet.
which She presently melted hcr royal
| lover. brought affairs TO crisis The
car banishcd his disgraced nephew Ia
I the Caucasus.
lie had barely got through the trouble
before he incurred fresh disgrace 10y
secretly marrying the daughter of the
chief OF police of Oronburg. The beauti.
| ful daughter of the Orcnburg clliei
| Travelled To st. Petersburg, managed "a
| get nm interview with thc car and on
ucnted him 10 give his sanction TO the
marriage of his nephew The imperial
l,iusman could not openly yield, but
before the young lady departed for hei
home he created her Countess of Orcn
burg This was taken as a proof that
her appeal had made a favorable i'm
preston upon him. and when he died tllC
grand duke was tempted TO ask Alex
nndcr III 90 lot him return 10 the capt
tai. The request was refused.
After this, the grand duke was allowed
TO return 10 ST. Petersburg society nm,
imperial favor. He took q prominent
part in the Russo-TWrkieh war and re-
ccived several distinguished marks oil
| honor from Tire car soon Uiter the
latter was assassiuted hc agnin fel
into disgrace and on April 5.1SSl, wa,
sentenced TO imprisonment for life Onj
confined for some time In the fortress
Of Dunaherg Six months later his sen
tenoe was commutcd To banishmcnt {,
Turkcst0n. whore lac has since been com
| PEELED 10 live. Later In the same year
1883 he ATTEMPTED 10 secure his free
dom from restraint by escaping 10 British
India, He had already mounted for thi
escape when he was oycrtaken anC
brought back;