Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-04
OF FATHER CAPON
Downfall of the Hero of an Hour in
Russia.
PUT TO DEATH BY A RIVAL SPY
Factory Preacher who ORGANIZED the
RED sunday Procession In 80.
PetersburG Turned Re-
trayer Of RevoIutIonists.

temporary history have been gathered
anong the debris Of the Russian revolu-
tionary junta at Geneva. Aside from the
revelations Of Azoffs years Of betrayal
tho chroniclers OF the movement have di-
vulged the facts concerning the late
Father Gapon during the weeks following
the Sunday rising in st. Petersburg.
I remember we'll the enlgmatic figure of
the little cleric on the night of that dis
astrous day. He had been reported killed,
wounded and prisoner; he was not touched.
He was in A traktir "a workingman's beer
and tea room), near the Finland station.
His furtive expression and downward look
suggested more the character that is now
given him than the heroic nature tina;
would have fitted those stirring events.
In the ~Savremenny Mir contemporary
world and Russkoye Bogastvo Russian
wealthy the social democrats and revolu-
sionary popuiists publish their respective
versions of Gapon's relations with their
party chiefs when he appeared among
them in Geneva after the suppression Of
the workmen's movement In st. Peters
burg. Leo Deutsch. who makes the report
for the social democrats, describes the
initial astonishment and misgivlngs when
the colony Of revolutionary emlgrants In
oNlNErEldlu iNdh VI Wv
hesval and of Father Gapon as its leader.
Autonishes the Socialists.
One fine morning he completed their per-
plexity by appearing among them, declar-
ing himself a comrade. He was introduced
TO the group and made the acquaintance Of
it's leaders.
1t struck them rs curious that Gapon
avowed that he had never heard their
names before. He added frankly that he
knew nothing Of the inner history of the
revolutionary movement. His talk with
them was copiously sprinkled with the pro-
noun I; with remarks about his life. his
deeds. his Impressions. The comrades ac-
ceptsd his harmless nalvete; but they
found cooperation with him difficult when
he said he knew nothing about Marxism
and socialist principles and was sure they
were all wrong.
Soon he made the acquaintance OF the
social revolutionaries, the propaganda by
deed men in the foreign directorate.
These are the practical men that Rus
STA needs" he said, and went over to his
new friends.
These, as their spokesman "A. S." now
reports TO their comrades and subscribers
in Russia. tried to instruct him as a work.
member of their movement. But from the
younger members he derived the impress
sion that he was a popular hero. He saw
the two wings Of the party competing for
his person. and his self-conceit was de-
veloped accordingly.
Demanded =? Be Leader
He would not he content with the posi-
ton of simple member of the party. but
demanded the leadership. First he asked
for a place in the central committee. This
was refused him ostepsibly on the ground
that he was uninstructed in revolutionary
principles and a newcomer in the move
ment. Gapon thereupon resigned from the
social revolutionary ranks and declared
that he was above parties.
He set himself organizing a movement
for the unification Of all the elements
which Armed at the overthrow of the cars
government. He summoned a congress, at
which the most extreme sections, inn
pressed by the renown of Gapon's name.
took part. At the first sittings of this
congress the unity movement went to
pieces owing TO differences over the pro-
gram to be adopted. -Gapon failed. not so
y much because he moderated these differ
ences, as because he was unable to grasp
what they signified.
He then swerved back TO the social
democrats and sought to reconcile those
who held that their program should in
clude wholesale assassination Of the cars
agents with the minority, who were for
educational propaganda In this also he
failed.
Meanwhile the October general strike in
Russia had forced the car to yield the
constitutional manifesto and a form of
amnesty. Keenly expectant as TO the future
Of their movement. many Of the emigrant
o.. -. -4,,--z
to Russia.
Gapon first tried to revive the old work
mems union which he had organized and
sent out on that fatal march the previous
January. He was defeated in this attempt
by the opposition of the committee OF
= workmen's delegates, the body which had
successfully carried through the general
strike.
Goes over 20 Government.
This was the crucial stage of Gapon's
career. The new proletarian leaders In
Russia would not let him share their lead
= ership. There is no evidence up TO this
point that he had consciously betrayed
any movement. His chief attributes so far
had been his vanity and appetite for praise,
his lack Of knowledge of affairs and OF
mental power. But his elimination from the
new direction OF the revolutionary move.
ment soured him.
Both Leo Deutsch and "A. s." agree in
their reports that after his failure to estab-
lish himself among the heads of the revolu-
tion he entered into relations with Count
Whte's government and received his means
OF subsistence from that quarter. He was
enabled to go abroad with government
money, paid him on the railroad platform
as he left the country.
He went to Monte Carlo and for a brief
space treated himself to all the gilded
designations that there were going: the rest
OF the money he spent In Paris. He had nov
fallen to the depth when he would perform
. any Judas service for money that would
help him along with his pleasures.
Such a man was the deadly rival Of the
spy, AHoff; moreover. his former status in