The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-15
Morganatic Widow of Gear Alex
ander II. Acquires Unenvi-
able Notoriety.
BY LA sIARaUIsR DE FoNTENoY.

ander IL. Acquires Unenvi-
able Notoriety.
BY La MAReUIsE DE FoNrENoY.
DRINCEss CATHERINE YOUR
EFFSKA. WHO Is suing Victor
CARTE. New York lawyer. of
IS Broadway, for having retained what
she regards as an excessive legal fec
for his services In recovering a certain
amount OF money from a concern
known as the American Motive Power
Company, in which she had been In
duced to invest, is the morganatic widow
of Car Alexander IL, who was blown
to pieces by the Nihilists at ST. Peters
burg In 1881. and who Immediately af-
ter that Emperor's funeral was exiled
from Russia by her stepson. Alexander
Ill, never having been permitted to
set foot on Muscoyite territory since.
While the princess may be perfectly
justified In her claim. the fact remains
that she has acquired an unenviable
her home and. indeed. throughout
Europe. for her extraordinary avarice.
Indeed. her closefistedness in money
matters keeps her engaged in litiga-
tion all the time, and 1t may possibly
interest her former New York attor-
ney. Mr. Gartz, that is to say the de-
PENDANT in the present case, to know
that among other of her legal advis-
ers whom she has sued for withhold
ing for their fees, from recovered
moneys. amounts in excess Of what she
considered they were entitled to, was
M. " Bazilewsky. against whom she
eventually succeeded in obtaining a
Judgment from the Paris courts to the
tune of some 100000 rubles.
Princess Yourieffska was a maid of
honor Of the late Czarina Marie when
she managed to attract the admiration
fsf nd RI
was then Princess Catherine Dolgor-
ouka. The Cars infatuation for her
was a source of great sorrow to EN-
press Marie. embittered her closing
years and undoubtedly contributed to
the decline which eliminated in her
DEATH Less than six weeks after her
demise, Emperor Alexander II. con-
tracted a marriage with Catherine Dol
gorouka. on the understanding that she
did not thereby become Empress and
that none of the three children whom
she had already borne to him, nor
others of whom she might thereafter
become the mother would have any
right of succession to the throne. He
bestowed upon her on that occasion the
title of Princess Yourieffska, with the
understanding that her children should
bear the same name and title.
Aware OF the resentment of his cid
est son and the latters consort towards
the princess and approaching that she
would have to suffer after his death
for the sorrow that she had brought
into the life OF Czarina Marie, he plac-
ed TO her credit in foreign banks, no.
tably in the Bank of England, sum
which IS known to have been superior
to S25.000.000 so as to provide for her
own welfare and that of her children.
arranging. however, that she should
have entire control thereof.
Her marriage was of brief duration.
fau he ~ mi
vate ceremony the Emperor was assas-
sinated on leaving her house after
luncheon; and before even the funeral
took place she was forced by Alex
ander III. to leave the country, together
with her then elevenyear-o son
| George. her cight-year- daughter
Olga, and her threeyear- daughter
Catherine, who was the last one to be
embraced by her father. the Inflated
monarch, before he drove forth to his
shocking death.
1t has always been thought that one
of the principal reasons which caused
Alexander III to withhold the grant OF
the Constitution. which his father was
| to have signed on the very evening of
tho day OF his assassination. was the
| fact that 1t had been drawn up and
discussed by him with his Armenian
born Premier. General Loris Melikoff,
| in the salons of Princess Youriefska
also was disgraced by Alexander Ill.
almost Immediately after his accession
| for the part which he had played in
| assisting instead of obstructing Alex
ander lis marriage to Catherine Dol
gorouka.
| After her expulsion, Princess Your
ieffska and her children established
their residence in France. where she
has mansion in the Avenue Klober.
at Paris, suburban villa at Neuilly
| and chateau near Nice.
| In course of time she developed the
most extraordinary closefistedness in
| money matters She has been quite the
reverse of generous towards her child
| rem. The engagement of her daughter
Catherine to Bosom de Ta1leyrand-
| Perigord, soi-disant Due de Vaiencay,
| was broken off because she declined to
give any dowry whatsoever or even to
assure a satisfactory allowance. and
Bosom thereupon married instead, Levi
| p. Mortons daughter Helen, who di-
vorced him three years later. Young
| Catherine afterwards married the late
Prince Alexander Bariatinski. But
sooner than help them In the financial
difficulties In which they eventually
became involved, Princess Yourieffska
preferred to allow her son-in-law Bar
| iatinski. to be gazetted a bankrupt at
st. Petersburg, In Italy and in France.
and to be sold out
| Several suitable matrimonial alli-
ances for Princess Olga. the eldest
daughter. were also broken off in q
sensational manner. owing to the Mig
| gardliness of her mother In the matter
of pecuniary settlements; while as for
Princess Yourieffskas only son George,
she has restricted his allowance to
$4,000 a year. and has repeatedly an
nounced in advertiser ents Throughout,
| the European press that she will not
be responsible for any or his debts.
Owing to financial difficulties. his wife,
Countess Alexandra Czarnekau. a NOR
| Ranntio daughter of the roysI Duke Con.