The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-10
,wn SYNONYM for pitiless and grinding

own, a synonym for pitiless and grinding
oppression.
Gen Count Alexis Araktcheef had been
the most faithful and the most brutal
agent of the tyranny of the Emperor
Paul, G796-lS0l) He was the terror of the
army by reason of the savage punish
ments with which he visited the smallest
offense or the most trifiing inaccuracy
Baron Pahlen, the principal conspira-
tor against Paul, succeeded in procuring
the removal of Araktcheef from about his
masters person. Too late Paul recalled
him. Before the restored favorite had
time to gather into his hands the threads
of the conspiracy the Emperor was MUIR
dered. March 1901
The passionate sorrow with which Arak
tcheef received the news sorrow which
be showed openly by always wearing on
his breast a portrait of Paul, had the un-
expected consequence of procuring for
him the favor of Alexander l., GsOl-25D
in whose interests. and with whose con-
nivance the late revolution had been ac-
complishcd
Happily. the accession OF Nicholas
brought with il the downfall of Arakt-
cheef. Fearing that the event might he
followed by general amnesty, Arakt-
cheef FASTENED to put to death twenty
four of his peasants who had been direct
ly or indirectly concerned in the death of
his mistress, Anastasia Mnkin, to whom
he was passonatey attached. This ar
bitrary step gave otfense to Nicholas and
brought about Araktcheef's immediate
disgrace He was ordered TO travel
abroad, was deprived of all his offices,
and finally vanished to his own estates.
There he survived till 1884 leading life
of charity and devotion, and there he died
with his eyes fixed to the last on the
portrait of Alexander I. whom he hoped
to rejoin in heaven.
The one good point i'm this strange COM
pound of fanatcism and cruelty was de-
votlon to his masters and he carried his
love for Alexander beyond the grave, as
is shown by the remarkable bequest to
which | alluded above.
A sum of $1,000 rubles was set apart to
be allowed to accumulate at compound in
terest in the Imperial Bank till 1925.
This sum-" to quote the words of the
will, lis intended as a reward for that
Russian writer, who, a hundred years af-
ter the death OF his late Majesty, of bless
ed memory, shall write. in the Russian
tongue, the best. that Is, the fullest, most
trust worthy. and most eloquent history of
Alexander /, Car of all the Russas, and
shall be awarded by the highest literary
institution in Russia, under whatsoever
name then existing" This clause was
in accordance with the testators injunc-
lions published in the London Paris and
Berlin newspapers ''to the end that my
pious and patriotic bequest shall not pass
into forgetfulness." and 1t must again be
published in 1915. ''in all papers a the
time appearing both Russian and for
eign" @
Calculated at 4 per cent the $1,000 ru-
bles will in 1928 amount to 1,9S,960, or
rather more than f2O0.0OO. After all de-
auctions have been made. in accordance
with the terms of the will, the fortunate
man whose work is approved by the
judges will receive fully 100000 rubles
or about f160O00. II will be curious to see
how the writer deals with Araktcheef
himself, under the circumstances, and how
far he will be BILE to maintain the i'm
Partially Of the historian in estimating
the part played by the generous testator!