San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-10-26


| the conspiracy were discovered at Char,
koh, Kletf, Warsaw, MOSCOW, Odessa
! and NOvo Tcherkask.
About the same time a military plot
was discovered In the Caucasus, and as
result of the discovery over a hundred
officers were arrested. The chief con-
SpratOr in this case was an ola officer who
had served more than 81 years, and whose
breast was covered with decorations.
They were all tried by court martial at
TifliS over which presided the Prince
Dondukoff KorSakOff.
These nihiist murder plots excited the
police agents of the imperial government
belonging to the famous Third Section"
Of the administrative system TO extreme
activity in preventive and detective meas
ures, and IL has been said as many as 500
persons were arrested on suspicion of be-
ing concerned in this conspiracy, the
widespread one under Alexander III
Five hundred of the arrested suspects
were subsequently released, there being
not sufficient evidence against them. and
the days are past when they could be SEN
fenced without a regular trial.
Alexander Ill. saw his own father mu-
tilated and bleeding to death. His own
train and carriage were blown to shreds,
and as result his own nerves were no
longer of iron. He was many times por-
trayed as a coward. The impression was
a strong one, and the elaborate system of
espionage and the immoral practice of
employing agents who sometimes organ
lied the crime which they discovered,
contributed to impart consistency 10
charge which his creditable officer as an
officer could amply refute. Personal
istics of the Romanotfs, and of moral
courage the Car certainly possessed
enough for hero or martyr
Being absolutely unappr0achable and
seldom seen by ordinary mOrtalS, the
widest stories have been printed about
Alexander. He was for years desert Oed
In the English papers as a great coward,
a drunkard, a man of wild, vicious, and
uncomfortable temper, monarch alto
gether diSreputable, a li6ertine. her
writer's, though, declare that all such
statements as these are the Outgrowth Of
English malice. Nearly all the evil
things said against him have been vehe-
mentlg denied. Severa years ago all the
newspapers OF the world printed accounts
of how d loyal young officer alone with
the Car made a sudden, unguarded
movement. Alexander thoucht II
was an attack and struck the Off
Ger dead with terrible blow of his sword.
This story is declared by the traveller,
William EIeroy Curtis, to be an absolute
falsehood. Another story widely printed
represented that Alexander beat the sec
rotary of the German Legation over the
head with a cane. There were continual
accounts of his wild plunges into de-
bauchery, of his efforts TO free his trou-
bled mind from its constant fear. 1t was
said that Alexander was growing insane.
On the other hand, accounts are told of
the freuuenb display of courage that
amounted to raShnesS. Russia Swarmed
with NihiliSts, each one OF whom would
have felt himself glortied to die on the
gibbet If he could get one shot AT the
Car. In many of his travels, so says
some chroniclers, Alexander used no more
precautions than are thrown about
railway Journey OF Queen Victoria or any
other European monarch.
Once when Alexander was in Moscow
the walls of the city blaZed out one night
with posters announcing that the com
mittee'' had declared that at certain
hour two days later the Car should die.
Arrests by the wholesale were made, but
the police could get no trail of the per-
sons who had posted the threats.
At the hour announced for him to die
the Car announced that he was going to
the Church of the AnnunciatiOn within
the walls Of the Kremln. His famil y
and his head of police begged him to do
nothing of the sort, but Alexander said II
his time had come he was ready 10 di
like soldier. So he arrayed himself 10
the splendid uniform Of Field Marshal,
ordered the police guard dismissed, aud
walked quietly, unattended, across the
parade ground to the church, half mile
from his palace. While mass was being
celebrated and the Gar was at his devo-
tions news Of his rashneSS spread over
the city. Great crowds fOcked into the
Kremlin. AT least 10000 people were
there. After the mass, Alexander. haY-
ing committed his soul to God, walked
calmly out of the church and into the
throng which opened lane for him. His
elbows brushed the people as he walked.
There would have been no need OF bomb
or pistol-a thrust of pocket knife
would have made an end of Alexander
AleXandroVitch.
But not a hand was lifted against him.
Alexander reached the steps of the pal
ace, turned, facing the great crowd, and
spoke. He said that he had been warned
not to come to Moscow; that since he had
come there mad been threats from some
mysterious enemy; that he had therefore
done as all men should who expect dan
ger: he had gone TO the church to ask
forgivness for his sins, and for protection
from on high. This protection, he said,
had been given him; his body, like his
soul, was iD the hands Of God-he feared
no harm. He believed that as long as he
governed the Empire with wisdom he
would be allowed 10 live. Then the
Car thanked his people for their loyalty.
and entered the palace amidst great
cheering.
At home he was always the essence of
kindness and good natured jollity, and
took such delight with his family AMI in
Inmates who we're never sure OF what was
in store for them when the Car was In
one of his "roIlicking moods" He was
always a devoted husband, whom not
even his worst enemies ever accused of
single fault against his wife, and he was
such an affectionate father that his chill
dren fairly adored him. In fact, all chill
visits To his wife's parents in Copenhagen
he was always the heart and sosl of the
Young peoples entertainments. He would
suDerintend all their sports, and was the
"upSi - - - -, tbo yyhoIa lot Of