The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01

" got rid OF the children that were the results Of
these intinacies. In her desire to retain her hold
upon one Of her fAithless lovers, a man named
Orloff. an ancestor OF tho favorite Of Catherine
H., che stole Catherine Troubatshof's money and
Jewels. A chance brought about a discovery OF
these crimes, both mall and great. A some
what important document having disappeared
from the Cars cabinet, suspicion fell on Orion,
and no was brought into the sovercign's pres
ence. Being questioned, no lost his head, and,
imagining his intercourse with Hamilton to be
the roal object Of the inquiry, foil on his knees
and confessed everything. both tho thefts by
which he had proftod and tho infanticides at
which ho had connivod. In tho ensuing trial the
unhappy R!rl was convicted, besides her other
crimes. OF having made spiteful remarks about
her sovereign lady, and OF having jokingly re-
forred to the pimples on tho imperial coun-
tonnnce. Catherine, whatever her own faults
may have boon, showed considerable kind
ness on this occasion. She intercoded for
the culprit, and induced tho ex.Czarina
Prascovia widow of Peters oldor broth
or, lvanl. who enjoyed considerable credit,
TO follow her example. 1t seems that,
according to ancient Russian idoas, In
fanticide was a crime which circumstances
might be held to palliate. and the cx.Cznrlna
Prascovia WINS, In many respects, an old-fash-
toned Russian. But Peter was memorable. for
tho reason. our author thinks, that he fan
cied himself to have been cheated by tho
crimo of several soldiers. Tho upshot was
that, after having been put TO torture time
after time. and after having steadily refused
TO give up the name of her accomplish, whose
only thought had been to clear himself by cast
Ing the guilt on her. Mary Hamilton mounted
tho scaffold on March Ia. 1919. dressed. SO an
cye witnnsa tella IN .sip m vrhite silk pOyyn.
trimmed with black ribbons" Our author DO
licycs that Potter, with his love Of theatrical
effect, had something TO do with this last piece
OF CHASTITY coquetry. He was present ut the exc
cution. and even played an active part In
it. Ho embraced the condemned woman
ut tho foot OF the scaffold, exhorted
her to pray, and supported her in his
arms when she bent forward ~fainting. Then
he stepped aside. When she raised her eyes
the hcadsman Ind taken the Cars place.
Scherer. one Of those who described the scene.
adds some terrible details. According TO him
tho Gar reappearod whom tho axe had done its
work. and. picking up the bloody head, which
had rolled into the mud, calmly began an ana
tomical discourse, drawing the attention Of
those present to the number and nature OF the
organs severed by the steel. especially pointing
out the section Of tho spine. When this was
over he touched with his own the pale lips
which he had often kissed. let the head drop.
crossed himself and departed. MIR. Waliszew-
ski Is not inclined to credit the assertion tina;
Menshikot thought it wise to push on the prose-
cution and execution OF this unhappy woman In
the interest OF his own protectrcss, Catherine.
Mary Hamilton was never n dangerous rival.
II was in another quarter that Catherine had
serious cause for alarm. In one OF tho French
ENJOYS dispatches, dated June g. 1872. appear
tho following lines: Tho Czarina fears that. II
the Princess bears n son. the Gar may be in
duccd by the Prince OF Wallachia to repudinte
his wife and marry hs mistress" The Princess
in question was Maria, daughter of Prince Dem
titus Kantemir. formerly Hospodar of Walla-
CHA. who had been one OF Peters allies during
the unfortunate campaign against the Turks in
I'LL, and who had lost his sovereignty by the
Treaty Of the Pruth. He had been Hospitality re-
ceived Mt ST. Petersburg. but had to wait for the
compensation which had been promised. For q
considerable time his daughter appeared moro
than likely to obtain it for him. When Peter
started for his Persian campaign in 1929
this love affair had lasted several years
and threatened n denouement fatal to
GATHERINGS interests. Both tho ladies start.
ed with the Gar, but Maria, who was
near her confinement, was Obliged 10 stop at
Astrakhan. Her condition increased the con.
fidence felt by her partisans. Since the death
Of little Peter Petrovitch, in 1910. Catherine
had no son whom refer could make his heir. and
1t was generally believed that II his mistress
bore him one during this expedition. he would
not hesitate to get rid Of his second vito as he
had got rid OF his first. GATHERINGS friends. II
the testimony OF Schercr can be accepted. took
reprehensible means TO avert the danger. When
Peter returned. he found his mistresG in bed,
suffering from the effects OF a miscarriage by
which her life had been imncrilled. Thus Cath
crime triumphed, and tho love affair which had
so nearly overthrow her fortunes ended in the
same commonplace way as had 80 many of its
! predecessors. 4. short time before the sovcreign's
death. II complaisant individual WAS found rcady
to become The nominal husband OF the Princess.
who. though still much courted. had lost her am
bilious hopes.
Thus Catherine came victoriously out of all
her difficulties. and in May. 1924. a solemn
coronation seemed TO set her above all attack.
She had been publicly married, indeed, twelve
years earlier. as is proved by a despatch written
from Moscow on March .. l7l2. By Whitworth,
the British Envoy: YESTERDAY the Car pub
licly celebrated his marriage with his wife,
Catherine Alexicvnn. Last winter. about two
hours before his Czarisch Majesty left Moscow.
he summoned The Empress nowager tPrascovia).
his sister. the Czarevna Nathalia, and two
other half sisters. tn whom he declared this lady
to be his Empress. and that they should pay her
the respect due to that quality. and. in case any
misfortune should happen to him in the cam
paign. should allow her the same rank. privi-
leges. and revenue as was usual with the other
dowagers. for that she was his real wife. though
he had not had the time 10 perform the ceremony
according to tho custom OF tho country. which
would be done at the flrst opportunity" Whit
worth goes on TO say that preparations had been
making for some time. and that. two days
before tho ceremony, a Lord OF the Admiralty
and the Adjutant-G General had heen sent about
to invite the company TO his Majesty's "old
weddinR:' such was the term they were ordered
to use. After the wedding there was a great re-
ception at tho palace. n state dinner. a ball. and
a display Of fireworks. Thus the event was
marked by a certain amount OF publicity. Itmay
be objected that, as no ecclesiastical authority
had broken Peters first marriage with Eudoxia,
and as tho latter was still alive. the second ALI
anco was void. Nevertheless, Catherine was uni
versally accepted az a legally married woman.