Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-05-09
DID ALEXANDRIA DIE
IN SIBERIA?

IN SIBERIA?
Did Alexander OF Russia, die at
home, ms history tells us, or did he
spend his life a hermit in Siberia, as
Count TOlstOi would have us believe?
Last fall the Russians celebrated the
tooth anniversary of the war of 1912,
NaDoleOn's invasion of Moscow and
the battle OF Borodino. Naturally there
was much interest at the time in Alex
ander /. who was her ruler of the
Russian empire. This naturally led to
a still further discussion of the remark
able story as old by Tolstoi in his
-pDsthumOus work. "Memoirs of F'edor
the memoirs of Alexander i. Accord
ing 4" Tolstoi. .'Fedor Kusmttch,'' who
died i'm 1864 in Siberia, was none other
than Emperor Alexander i, who had
become Disguised with the hyprocricies
and Inconsistencies Of his life as the
e,zar OF Russia and abandoned the
Ihroiie In order to lead a life Of seclu-
Ato In "A remote province of Siberia
Under an assumed name.
The legend az told by Tolstoi at
tracted all the more attention because
the government had sought to suppress
". Vladimir K~orolenko, the famous
novelist and editor. who published 1T
III III n1nSdZiuc WIN MS own COM
meIls, Was arrested, tried II SEN
fenced to Imprisonment for doing so.
The magazine in which it appeared
was cOniiscated.
This is the story history tells us Of
the death of Alexander L. His death
took place at Taganrock, in the south
Of Russia, OF a bilious fever, December
refused medicine, calling continually
for iced water the only thing which
he would drink. His illness lasted
eleven days. Three days after his
death, the body was exposed to per-
NIT the people to kiss the hand of their
dead monarch. 1t was then placed in
e coffin. and borne in procession to
the church. where, it remained 40 days,
and was thence carried to st. Peters,
burg
Here is the most striking paragraph
from TOlstois remarkable account of
h einperor's life: During the life
time Of FedOr Kusmitch. the recluse
who appeared in Siberia for more than
- years. there were strange rumors
about him. 1t Is believed he was none
other than Alexander /, the emperor.
After his death the rumors grew still
more widespread. That the recluse was
really Alexander was the belief not
members Of high society, and even
members Of the imperial family during
tho reign OF Alexander III believed the
story to be true. The learned historian
Schiider. who lived during the reign
Of Alexander 1. also believed it,,
The reason that Tolstoi's arguments
have much weight was, first. because
Alexander died suddenly. and, second.
that 1t WA reported that he died at
Taganr0ck, far away from his relatives.
When his body was placed In the c0f-
Tin the people h saw 1t declared that
he had changed to such an extent that
1t was difficult to recognize him, and,
therefore his face was covered n no
one was allowed to lOOk at him n
more.
Besides. Alexander had on several
occasions written that he was longing
to leave the life of the palace and re-
tire into s~eclusiOn. That Kuslnitch. the
Alexander I was indicated by the fol-
lowing fActs:
People who had served under Alex
ander Lin the palace recognized the
emperor In the dying old man: tho re-
semblance9way no close In every way
Kuslnitch. who passed a. 9 tramp
nj betrayed In his manners that he
belonged to the highest society.
While the old ma teye told anyone
his real name. he often betrayed the
fact that he had held e. high post IL.
Rsfors his deeth il destroyed most
that rensalned there appesred the In
70 III eathsr contsssor rs aid 4
day: '.Il 4 did not tell tho truth 1t
c6nf6aGiOi1 Heaven would Am1xed:..
but II. I IA ten Tho truth about my
identlty ne world would She ainaseds
~ re0dSr may make his wi In
HnSSSNoA iS0Gn IN Ht1t0mafk ri lhiG h1a.,