The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-12

served that the emperor could not De TAR
of. and presently he discovered him crouch.
ing behind q screen. The conspirators
demanded he sign his abdication. He
refused; q conflict ensued; . sash was
passed round his neck and he was stran.
gled after a desperate resistance"
Gar Alexander |. succeeded to the thone
made vacant by the murder Of his father.
He was already married to the beautiful
Princess Marie OF Baden. known In Russia
as the Empress Elizabeth. She was soon
to know the unhsppiness that usually &C
companied the wearing of Catherine the
Greats necklace. She failed to produce
any sons to inherit tn, throne, and for this
reason fell into great disfavor. The Car
experienced a passionate attachment 70.
the beautiful Princess Narisckin. with
whom he lived openly for eleven years.
His reign was filed with the most dread.
full massacres. disasters and misfortunes
that have happened even In the gloomy
history of Russia.
The Car Alexander l. was followed by
his brother, who assembled the throne with
the title Nicholas !. He married the Prin-
cess Charlotte Of Prussia. daughter of Fred.
erickS William III. She took the title Of
Empress Alexandra, In accordance with
Russian custom, which required her TO
change her name on entering the Russian
church.
Very soon after his marriage the Cxar
formed an attachment for Mlle. Nelidon, =
fascinating maid OF honor OF the Empress.
Throughout his life he showed that all his
III L.. ali kx.a. "A
Empress received all the hOnors due to her
rank. No situation could have been more
unhappy for a woman. There are probably
few women in ordinary life who have to
endure such humiliation. The Cxarina,
with all her crowns and wonderful jewels.
including the famous necklace, would not
have dared to resent this treatment by the
Emperor. as an ordinary woman would
have done with her husband, for he could
have put her to death or immured her for
life In dungeon, as had happened to 20
many othsr unhappy members Of the RI
manor family.
This Cars reign was made remarkable
by the desperate attempts that were made
to assassinate him. Many young men OF
the best families In Russia took part In
these conspiracies on account OF the EN-
peror's tyranny in his refusal OF all con
stitutional rights After the celebrated up
rlSlng OF DeCenDeT, 1919, the pTisohciS
were condemned to death in a manner
typical of Russian barbarism.
Five prisoners were executed at time
on gibbets raised in front of the citadel
at Moscow. The condemned were com.
PEELED to look on for an hour while the
preparations were going on for their exc
cution, and those whose turn had not come
were forced to march around the gibbets
while the first victims we're being exc
cuted. The ropes by which three leading
conspirators had been hung happened u
break and these men were led 10 death
the second time. Afterward gibbets were
erected instead OF crosses upon their
graves.
All these dreadful events had a direct
effect upon the unhappy Czarina Alex
andra. a captive In the midst OF her
splendor and jewels. The histories state
the ne suffered from a constant nervous
dis.rIer which caused a perpetual trem.
bling Of her head. This is said to have
dated from the notorious attempt on the
Cars life Of December II, 1925, but II
may well have been aggravated by the
moral torture which she suffered.