The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-24
BY La MARQUISE DE FoNrEyoy
RAND

neral last week at ST. Peters,
ours was noteworthy. owing to the re-
appearancein the metropolis of her cid
est son, Grand Duke Nicholas Con-
stanunovitch. for the first time since
MS disgrace and Punishment to Trans
caucasia in 1876; that is to say, thirty
nVe years ago, following the scandal
IN which he had become involved with
an American adventures. whose Euro
pean nom de guerre was Fanny Lear.
but whose real name. as shown by the
police records of Philadelphia, was
Hattic Blackburn, of that city
Inc grand duke Is now man of
considerably over sixty, much broken
IN health, and although prepared for
many changes at ST. Petersburg by
the illustrated newspapers and by
photographs. also by moving picture
SHOWS, which are very popular
throughout the length and breadth Of
Russia, yet he seems to have been
dumbfounded by the altered aspect of
the metropolis and by the innovations
of the last three decades
The scandal which brought about the
grand dukes long imprisonment and
Punishment was one which also led
to demand by the Russian govern
ment for the recall OF the American
Charge dAftaires, Eugene Schuyler.
one OF the cleverest men in the dip
lomatc service OF the United States
but who in this particular instance
made the mistake of. his lifetime by
attempting to shield with the Amer
lean nag the unsavory adventures in
question, and to protect her from the
punishment which she so richly de-
served for running the grand duke in
money and in morality, to the extent
OF inducing him to steal not only his
mothers jewels. but even some of the
jeweled ornaments of the imperial
chapel in order to present them to
his inamorata.
Thanks to this Intervention of
Schuyler, and prompted also by n de-
sire to avoid emphasizing the scandal
that would have been caused by
public trial OF the woman. the Russian
authorities contented themselves with
recovering from her the stolen jewels
and all the grand dukes papers which
they could find, and with eXpelling her
from the empire. She betook herself
TO Paris. where she quickly spent her
iU-gotten gains. attracting attention
by her Russian equipages when driv
ing in the Bots. published in London
book OF her Russian experiences, con-
tanning the fac smile OF some letters
managed to retain. and in which he
spoke disparagingly OF the members
of his family and ultimately returned
TO this country, to die in the utmost
penury
Emperor Alexander II. instead OF
treating his nephew. Nicholas Constan-
tinovitch, as afflicted with mental aber-
ration. dealt with him as II he had
been in the full possession OF his
senses, and. horriiied bey ond all meas
ure by the sacrllegious character of
the theft. consigned him to close i'm
prisonment in one of the most remote
OF the fortresses OF Southern Asiatic
Russia. Alexander III. declined to par
don him, but relieved the strictness
of his captivity by permitting him to
live under surveillance at Oscenourg.
where, however. he got into fresh
trouble by marrying, without the En-
perors' consent. the daughter of the
police official intrusted with the duty
of keeping watch upon him, and was
in consequence RELOCATED to Tashkend
the capital OF Russian Turkestan. This
woman bore him two children. She is
now divorced from him, and. having
been created Countess Eskender. lives
with her children on an annuity of
$4,000 year. which she receives from
the Russian crown.
The present Car. less severe than
his father and grandfather. yielded TO
the entreaties OF the banished grand
dukes favorite sister. Queen Olga OF
Greece, and brother, Grand Duke Con
stantine Constantinovitch (being on
terms OF great intimacy and close
friendship with the latter). and par
doned Grand Duke Nicholas TO the ex
tent of permitting him TO take UP his
residence in the Crimea, on the estates
there OF the late Grand Duchess Alex
andra Joscfowna. and to divide his
fine between her country seat there
and the city OF simferopol, which is
the capital of the province OF Taurida.
The Emperor also restored to Grand
Duke Nicholas his Order of St. .ANndrew,
though not his military dianities, and