The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-11-02
CAR ALEXANDER DEAD.
The Peasant Emperor Taken From
All His Greatness by tho
Grim Reaper
He Had Held tho Peaos or Europe
In His Hands for Many
MonthA
Grand Dahs Niohois, WIN Asessd the
Throne 20 Ruis In AIsEandsr's
stoad-GArrisohs Loyal.

lions, was borne away. Calmly and
peacefully. as a sleeping babe, he who
by his slightest word could have plung-
ed Europe into war the horrors OF
which would defy description, fell into
a becalmed sleep, which he feared not.
He, though the head OF church whose
members number over 10000. 900 persons,
took his last rites few days before
death claimed him from all his great
ness.
Tt 2l5 o'clock this afternoon the
summons came, and few hours later
the thunderous booming OF cannon at
Llvadia and st. Petersburg announced
that the czar WAS dead. and that he who
had been Grand Duke Nicholas, reigned
In his stead. on lightning wings the
news of Russia's loss spread through
out the world. and II IL safe 10 say
everywhere the intelligence created
sympathy for the family OF him who,
by his policy, had maintained the peace
OF Europe. From America came words
OF sympathy, for the dead ruler had al
ways been the friend Of the great repub-
lie of the west, and Americans have not
forgotten how well his fathers friend
ship sustained the north In the war Of
the rebellion.
Among the peasants OF Russia he will
be mourned with deep and abiding sor-
row. for was he not the peasant czar?"
None of the grandiloquent titles borne
by him was thought as much of as the
one bestowed upon him by his lowly sub
jects, whose virtues were magnified in
him and whose vices in him were en-
tirely lacking. He who denies the pop
ularity of the czar among the lowly
classes OF Russia is blinded by preju-
dice. His kind acts to them i'm their
seasons Of plague and famine will never
be forgotten, and tonight In thous-
ands upon thousands of homes, from
| Vladivostock in the Pacific to the fort
resses OF the Caucasus, millions of peo-
| pie as they kneel, will pray for repose
of the soul of their ''little father"
There will be sincere mourning, too.
In the royal and imperial families OF
Europe. Not the conventional mourn
ing prescribed by rule, but the mourn
ing of little children. For who has not
heard of the annual visits OF the czar
TO Copenhagen, the home of his beloved
cZarina, when, with the children OF EN-
perors, kings and princes around him.
he was the biggest child of them all,
Joining in all their sports and romping
with them like a big boy. His death will
be a most bitter loss TO the wife he
loved so well that II was proverb in
st. Petersburg that he was 1.-THE only
Russian who was true to his wife" His
home was an ideal one. and all his
pleasure was found with his own family.
/ But as the cZar, and not the man,
he could be as stern, as unrelenting as
fate itself. He has banished men and
women TO Siberia, but they were men
and women who sought TO kill him. or
TO overturn the government of which
he was the absolute head and which he,
/ by most solemn oaths In the mother
city of Russia-Moscow-had sworn TO
maintain In its integrity.
Since Tuesday when the doctors in
formed the czar there was no longer
room for hope, his majesty had COM
posedly waited for the end, attending
to necessary state and family affairs
In the short intervals of consciousness
and freedom from pain. on Wednesday
the cZar was still able 10 be taken to
the window of the palace. whence he
gazed out upon the country he loved
The night passed with all the aggra-
waiting symptoms and the dry cough.
DIR. Zaccharin remained In attendance
upon him throughout the night. As the
day advanced weakness increased so
rapidly that the czar himself recognized
that he could only live a few hours. He
expressed desire 10 receive the sacra-
ment, which was administered to him by
Court Chaplain Yanishoff and Father
Ivan In the presence OF the whole fam
lily. The czar then conversed long and
earnestly with Father Ivan, concluding
lby asking his family 10 again gather
around him. He spoke TO each member
separately, and In the greatest length
with the czarina. He blessed all his
/ children present The scene was one Of
deep pathos.
After taking leave of his family, he
grew gradually weaker, and his voice
became so indlstnct that It was scarce
ly audible. About noon convulsive Mt
Of coughing was followed by slight
rally. Thence until the end the czar re-
malned quiet. seemingly free from pain
At 2:l5 o'clock he heaved deep sigh
and breathed his last In the arms OF
the empress, who then broke down with
the weight of her grief
IL II believed the remains will be em-
barlSed on the imperial yacht Polnr Star
at Yalta. where the Seventh army corps
will render military honors, The whole
Black sea fleet vii escort the yacht To
Odessa, whence the body Will be con.
veyed by railway to ST Petersburg
stopping at important towns en- route
10 enable troops to render honors TO
the dead. State mourning will com.
mence on Saturday. The funeral will
probably be held two weeks hence.
An imperial decree announcing the
accession to the throne of Grand Duke
Nlcholns is expected from Livndia In a
few days.
It Is reported here that the populace
OF Moscow. indignant at what they be-
lieve the malpractice OF Or. Zaccharln
In the case OF the c2ar. are wrecltiug
| the doctors house In that city Tclc-
graph Offices here are crowded with
| newspaper correspondents seeking To
send their reports, and merchants are
waiting for the latest news from LiVn-
dln. The Bnrrlsons at Cronstndt and 81.
Petersburg have taken the oath OF allie
glance to the new czar,
on March ~, 1881, Alexander IIczur
Of Russia, was asaassinated by the M
hlllntH. md his eldest son. the man who
died to-day NJ Llvadln. succeeded him
on the throne under the titlo OF AlcNnn-
der III. Tie was not crowned. however,
until May. issg
Alexander III. was born Marcn N.
lsi5, lIia mother wnn the Princess Ma.
rim. daughter OF the late grand duke of
Hessc- -DnrmBtndt. He was thoroughly
educated In the universities OF his ma
tive country, In 1896 he married tho
Princess Maria Dagmar fourth child OF