The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-23
Election as Mayor Of St. Peters
burg Receives Sanction
of Car.

By LA MARQUISE DE FONTENOf.
.COUNT ]. J. TOLSTOI. whose olec-
tion as mayor of st. Petersburg
has Just received the sanction OF
the Gear, Is one of tho most popular
and respected members of society in
the Russian capital; and while Minis
ter OF Education, distinguished HIM
SELF by the liberalism and broadmind-
edness OF his views. He is vicc-presi.
dent OF the Imperial Archaeological So
ciety, In the labors of which Emperor
Nicholas takes so much interest is
president OF the Imperial Bibllograpri-
cal Society and rector OF the Univer-
sity OF st. Petersburg. For the past
two years he has been acting as chair
man OF the commission formed for dis
covering means of com ting and cur
ing leprosy; while at court he holds
the honorary office of master of cere-
monies. He is about nifty years OF age.
and nephew OF the late Count Leo
Tolstoi, the novelist.
He owes his election to the office Of
burgomaster of the metropolis to the
fact that the imperial government de-
elined to ratify the election Of Shut
bin Posdejen, who was the first choice
OF the municipality, and which was
therefore compelled to make another
selection. He Is the son OF Count
Alexis Tolstoi, who died In 1875, and
whose poems. historical novels and
plays. especially The Death of Ivan
the Terrible" Gear Feodor 1vano-
Witch and Gar Boris have attained
much popularity. not only in Russia.
but also abroad.
A brother Of the new mayor, who
bore his fathers name of Alexis. lost
mis- life in the destruction by fire of
his country seat. some twenty miles
out Of Moscow. He and three OF the
members Of his household were burned
together with half a dozen favorite
| dogs, who were his constant COM
panions. Quite a painful scene took
place at the funeral. owing to the re-
fusal of the clergy TO proceed with
the burial ecrvice until II had been
definitely proved that there were no
remains Of the dogs among the
charred bones offered for interment
For dogs are regarded with particu-
lar aversion by the Orthodox Church
so much so that If a dog strays into
church. the edifice has to be recon
secrated.
A Count Alexander Tosto!. son OF
the master OF the hunt TO the Gar
is married to an American girl Miss
Mary rockingham. daughter of
Charles +. rockingham, a New York
broker. The marriage was followed
by lawsuit in Paris. brought by a
London music hall singer. OF the name
of Flora Coriat who claimed to have
been married to the count in Eng
land In March, 1898: and there was
also Miss Julia jackson. another
English woman. who claimed to have
married the count mt Hull, in January,
1898. The count, however. took the
precaution TO have these marriages
annulled at ST Petersburg. on the
ground that they had been contra CT ed
without fulfilling the requirements OF
Russian law. and subsequently he
caused the decision Of the Russian tri-
bunals to be registered BY the French
courts. SO that there was no legal
obstacle whatsoever In France to his
| marriage with Miss Frothingham
The Tolstois, although to-day so In
tensely Russian, said to be OF
German origin, and 10 have emigratc ed
from Germany to Russia in the four
teenth century. They received their
surname OF Tolstoi from Grand Duke
Nassili Tyomny. of Moscow. But
Peter the Great was the first to raise
them TO the nobility.
The ,tory goes that Peter Tolstoi,
sergeant OF the bodyguard. was
standing sentry before the entrance to
the Cars private apartments. 4