New-York tribune., 1909-10-20
PRINCE DISMISSED
Tsar Turns His Boyhood Friend
Out of Office.
,oopyrirht. iaca. by the Br.ntwooa oompany.,

NJ an tho members 81 the household of Fe,nr.,-
Nicholas there has been none until recently who
,tood higher in his favor than Major General
T-riDce Constan ntine Obolenski one of the friends
~ his boyhood. with whom he has alu,a,,s h.a, ~,
such of intimacy address him with .bo
FAMILIAR pnonoun OF thou HIS Sudden aisr,,,,.I
srom the Office OF principal private secretary, az
sasher OF cher ~ his private chancellerie has
therefore caused enormous sensation NO,
rny NJ but also in ofFicial circles sbro,,,.
fhc empire. Fer he regarded by all as dos
sined succeed General Baron Frederichs as N,,
sister Of the Imperial Household. and as Grand
Master. not only OF the court but OF the admin
sstTstion OF the crown estates. enterprises ana
fortune.
About two years ago Constantine Obolenslf rec
commended the Gar TO reform the management ~
his Siherisn gold works. Nicholas compiled with
This aoVlce and Was gratifed to find at the end Of
fhe year that his revenues from the mines bad
slnlos; doubled. Some weeks aso bo1rs,,s- -.
a the former employees OF the crown mining DO
partment who had been dismissed sn conne-,,o,
with ooolenskis reorganization, made q report 20
'h' Emperor showing that in spite Of the in
creased receipts the Crown had been robbed within
the preceding twelve months by the reform sar,,,
fstrauon 20 the tune OF 4e0Oo.oOO r1,bIes The
EnPeror's confidence seems 10 have been AZ o,oo
shaken ny this report, and without giving the
prnce any chance OF defending himself or +ali,,
snto consideration the tainted source ~ the h
against him. summrily dismissed hin, in tbs
space of twenty-fo four hours
Prince Constantine, who has no for,rne ho;r
entirely dependent on his pay. and who is uni-
NersailN respected as a thoroughly honorable and
conscientious man. sought the Intervention ~ the
widowed Empress, who has known him from, in
fancy and has always been extremely fond ~
him. still calling him by his childhood nickname
of "kotk But the Empress Mother has been
powerless 20 move the Car In the matter In fact
though there Is no open break between her son
snd herself the relations between the two are
decidedly cool. and even strained Nicholas aserib-
Ing to her influence the mistakes which he made
81 the outset OF his reign. That she still believes
IN Constantine obolenshi and is convinced Of
his entire innocence is best shown by the fact
that she has now appointed him to be her own prf-
vate secretary. which does not. of course, tend
70 improve the disposition of her son toward her
The obolenskis are a powerful and influential
family. One OF them, John by name a brother OF
Prince Constantine. succeeded the murdered Cen
eral Bobrikof as Governor General of Finland.
Princess John. born Countess Apraxine, was for
merly lady-in-wsiting to the widowed Empress.
Another OF them, Nalerian, Assistant Secretary
OF State under Count Lamsdorf but lost his place
owing 10 his association with and championship
of Admiral AleNiefr and his membership in
the ring which, including AiexieT and BezobrazofT
brought about the war between japan and Russia
still another Prince Obolensks is connected with
the household OF the widowed Grand Duchess
Vladimir; while one OF them. Alexander. is Pro-
curator General OF the Holy Synod-that Is 20 saw
is the principal lay authority OF the Orthodox
Church, his functions being similar 20 those OF
Minister OF Public Worship in Germany IN France
and IN other Continental countries Of Europe