Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1886 — Czar Alexander’s Death. [ARTICLE]

Czar Alexander’s Death.

There was something of an indecent haste in the marriage that united the Czar to the Princess Dolgorouki after the death of the Empress Marie. The ukase promulgating the union was dated only six weeks after the death of the long-suffering Czarina. It was at this time that the Emperor bestowed *ipon her the hereditary title of Jouriewsky, by which she is now known. It is one of those belonging to the Romanoff family, and therefore was the one that he desired to have descend to his children. Presaging his sudden and tragic fate, he drew up with his own hand a deed settling a large fortune on the children of the Princess, the titles and securities comprising this fortune being deposited in foreign lands. Nor waa this all. He bestowed upon the Princess the grand cordon of the order of St Catharine, which is only accorded to the members of the imperial family. He commanded that she should take precedence over his daughters and his daughters-in-law, not even making an exception in favor of the wife of the Czarowitz. He made no secret of his intention of causing her to be recognized as Empress, and solemnly crowned as his imperial consort. But his sudden death prevented this last named project from being carried into execution. Not quite two years after his marriage (the 13th of March, 1881), the Princess was awaiting the return of her husband from the review over which he was to preside that day. She was in driving costume, and they were to go out together as soon as the review was at an end. The sudden entrance of the Emperor’s valet, and his exclamation, “Your Highness, the Emperor is very ill!” first startled her from her peaceful and happy expectancy of his return. Even then she was not alarmed. Alexander was subject to attacks of the asthma, and she imagined that he had been seized by a severer one than usual. It was not till, on hurrying to his bedchamber, she beheld his pale countenance, on which death was visibly stamped, that she realized what had occurred. Her first impulse was to throw aside the covering which concealed the crushed limbs of the sufferer, in order to ascertain for herself the extent of his injury, but the Emperor restrained her. “No! no! Catherine,” he murmured, “you must not see my wounds—tne sight would be too terrible.” Then after a moment’s pause, he added: “Do you remember the prediction that said that I should die in red boots? It has been fulfilled.” A few moments later he died, his last glance being fixed upon the fair face bent above him.—New York Graphic.