New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-01
THE CARS WATCHDOG.
crvrRAL TCHEREvINE CLIMBED
No HIS UNENvIABLE POST.

,ooet Of the countries or lhe Old "oi'N
official OF Cabinet rank ihtrusteu WIZ"
ia s,tv Of providing for what is known as pun
'"' -,atv and who bears either the ute ol 'e0''
III =, State for the Interior or that OF Min's'e'
tai! ~ Prussia enjoys the unique dlsuhcuo"
Oh .assne a dignitary styled the minister
OF p.,o1 Safety" To him is coniided the
OF .as,, Of protecting the Car from all peril
on'Nossination. and it is he who IS primarily
o. ~, f,r the immunity Of the Emperor
.,srv harm His appointment is Of quite
HoN' a,.s and his power practically unlimited.
fe''". o,.thing Is obliged to yield to TINS III
f0' arst and most vital Of all Considerations
h'''. ..sonal security of the autocrat Nothlng
lH' f.,,,e1 to stard in the way thereon and
u MT only all the other members or the
n'"N TIA Administration. all the great diGni-
NJ. W.. ~ the naval military and civil services
'a'''' the very princes and prncesses OF the
p"' o,s constrained to defer to the eXigencies
DI'U" Minister Of Personal Safety. on the under
% ling that his demands are prompted by the
s'' for protecting the Car. no matter at
what cost ,..u.o,
Il Is General Tcherevine who has been invested
u;., these extraordinary powers. and VINO at
a.. nresent moment Is assuredy the most In
aortial man in the Empire, next TO Alexander
1rr himself And. knowing the General as DO
>, IA q most ambitious and unscrupulous man.
though honest in purely financial matters
.,nnot help thinking that TO obtain this post the
General must have worked upon the apprehen-
.,ons Of the Car. and especially those OF the
c,or,na much In the same way that the Beys
ond Effendis at Constant!nople are accustomed
% trade upon the fears Of the Sultan when they
dssre 10 become Pachas or TO obtain some lucra-
tive office I have reason 70 know that he has
ling been intriguing TO obtain this particular ap-
no,ntment and quite number Of years ago.
uh,lA a mere subordinate functionary Of the De-
,artnent Of the Interior. he addressed memorial
% the Grand Duke Vladimir. who was in those
DAVIS his sole patron. urging the creation OF
snecial Ministry of Police. But the moment
vas the reverse of prOpitious for any such
scheme. Tcherevine being just then seriously COM
nromlsed in connection with the absurd vagares
Of the so-called Holy Band" and ne had the
modification Of not only seeing his report pigeon
holed and pooh-poohed. but also came within an
ace Of FORGETTING his position.
Subsequently. however. he had the good for
tune to be shot at by a N!hilist. For II IS
impossible 10 regard as otherwise than a piece
of good luck this unsuccessful attempt upon his
life which left him unframed and served TO
attract popular attention to him and to earn for
him the admiration and good will Of the Car.
who expressed himself as much struck by the
eoolness and courage which he manifested on that
occasion Promoted shortly afterward he was
shrewd enough to discover that the imperial
favor which his chief. General Ignatieff had
up till that time enjoyed was on the wane and
accordingly took advantage Of several acts OF
nalfeasance and even downright dishonesty OF
which Ignatieff had rendered himself guilty
while Minister OF the Interior, 10 bring them 10
the notice Of the Emperor. Alexander, who had
conceived an instructive distrust for that emil
rent statesman who while Ambassador at Con-
stantinople used 10 go by the name OF Inc
Father Of Lies" was. If the truth We're Known
glad 10 find his suspicious verified. since II gave
evidence Of a perspicacity with which he Is not
generally credited But anxious as ever 70 make
no mistake and 10 do NJ injustice 10 man VINO
had served his predecessor for 50 many years ne
confronted the two generals with the result 'h@'
Ignat!eff for once In his life lost couh'eha"ce'
was forced TO make full confession OF MS many
dishonesties. and fell In such manner as u
nrAclude anv possibility Of his ever again nod
ing Office under the crown. This OF course
carved still further 10 attract Alexander toward
Tcberevine whom he took for granted must De
q man Of sterling honesty. and whom he for'h-
With amounted one of his aides De camp generals
Bv degrees the General has managed to convince
the Gar that he alone is devoted body and soul
10 his Imperial master, that his Is the only
lovalty that Is absolutely disinterested ana SIN
cere and that it is he above all others VINO IS
qualified to act as the watchdog and guardian OF
the Car.
Ihave never been able TO quite understand no"
he can have brought Alexander TO beheVe '"'7'
As stated above. he Is both ambitious ana uH-
scrupulous. besides which he Is noted IOr ''i'
debaucheries which are on par Win ''oSo
OF the late General Skobeleff, and In ~. feters-
burg he IS known as the principal protector Oh
those beautiful Siuscovite Tziganes who consul
,pte one Of the least reputable features OF the
p,ss,ar ca,,ts, In one word he enjoys the
notorIety Of being one OF the worst mauVa's
srtats ~ eoc,etv ON the banks Of the Neva. ana
would certainly have been far more in his place
at the court Of the Tuileries in the days OF
Napoleon III than as the most influential me''oer
of the household of 50 eminently respectable ana
domestic a monarch as the present autocra' Oh al
the Russias.
With regard 20 the Holy Band" or whlch
mention has been made above. 1t was secret
society similar In every respect to the Nlhiilst
conspiracy and formed with the sole OBJECT Vi
combating the latter. Composed Of the best Dlool
OF the land, its aim was to insure the safety -
the Imperial family and at the same time 10 ell
counter the Nihilists with their own weapons
that Is TO say. by secret organization Inc
necessary resources were raised by suoscriptlo'S
from the nobility. Paul Demidon. Prince Oh ID"
Donate, paying the larger part OF the expense
Of the new society. The Grand Duke Viaui'''.'
and Count Woronzow obtained the Emperor
approval Of the statutes Of the association WIZ
began its operations about two years "i'e.
Alexanders accession. Veterans or the Ioi"'v
Napoeonic secret police. among others. tne We"
known NJ Hyrvoix, were engaged to 90 tne 81 81
young bloods who declared themselves READY u
accept any kind Of subordinate position ana tr
perform any amount of work when ulis UNI ~ '
had ho.p II Seefntu do