The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-07-20

male disguise consumed about two
years, aud the actual occurrences be-
gan to take place Ia 1892 It was APP
parently In 1891 that Louise Ratone,
after the two girls had been at st. Pc
tersburg short time, wrote letter to
the late NJ. Pobedonostzen telling him
the chief facts of NicolaI's alleged case
and asking for an interview
The statesman and cllurchman, con-
hdentiaI adviser of the car and who
was sometimes called the dictator of
Russia, took an interest in the case mt
once AND summoned Nicolai to his pal
ace. Nicolai went there alone and Mt
the end OF private interview succeed
ed in convincing the procurator that
she was telling the truth.
At the Instance of the proeurator she
swore out complaint against her
mother in the courts OF Odessa. These
charges are now on record In Odessa.
according to fpe diary. The procurntor
went to that city himself and advised
the officials Mrs. Taletsky was ar
trial, and she sought the advice of one
Plavakoy, an attorney of Kiev.
at this juncture Nicolai saw that dis
erection was the better part of valor
md thar she would probably be landed
in prison herself If she submitted to
the medical examination necessary to
formal hearing of the case, even
though she had fooled the procurator.
She had met in st. Petersburg young
woman named Fancy Rosdorhney,
with whom she affected to fall In love,
as she did with convincing cleverness
nearly every woman she met, and
whom she courted when Louise Ratone
was not around. Both Nlcolai and
Louise saw that the "jlg was up and
they abandoned their plans.
Fancy. the St Petersburg sweet
heart, raised money enough to start
NIcoIai on her travels, and the latter
fed 10 Finland, informing Fancy and
lenvfng letter for the procurator. tell
ing him tina: her filial devotion pre-
vented her Mt the last moment from Rp-
pearinS against her mother: that she
would flee to save the atter's name
and honor.
The case against the mother proceed
ed to trial. and the procurator was
chief witness for the government.
Louise Ratone also appeared. The
mothers attorney produced the doctor
who had assisted Mt the birth of Nico-
lai and the Greek Catholic priest who
had christened her. They both testified
that they positively knew that Nicolai
was girl. The procurator few into
rage. He said he had ocular evidence.
The case was dismissed.
NJ. Pobedonostzeff now found himself
in an embarrassing and delicate posi-
ton. He had stood sponsor for Nico-
lai, personally supervised the proceed
ings and swore that she was boy.
He was In the humilfating circum-
stances of having to confess he had
been fooled. The story was hushed up
quickly, but the secret police of Russia
were placed on the trail of the fleeing
girl. and they tried for years to track
her. In her diary she intimated her
conviction that 1t would have gone
hard with her If they had caught her
and taken her back TO Russia, and all
through the remarkable document
there is am un<EercurPen4 of fear of ar
rest.
She lived short time in Finland.
and then, with the remainder of "a
ney's money. she fed to Antwerp after
changing her name to Nicolai Konsta,l-
tinevftch
At Antwerp Nicolai met banker
named Citizens. who gave her money
and letter of Introduction to banker
named Wilson in Worcester, Mass.
She became extremely friendly with
the stGwardess of the liner on Which