Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-11-24
T0LSTOY is DEAD
Famous Russian Author Expires
in Hut OF LabOrer.
HAD OVERTAXED HIS STRENGTH
Aged Author Left His Home on Oct.
12, Intending to End His Life
In Solitude.

Astopova, Russia, Nov. 20.-Count
Leo Tolstoy, the famous Russian nov.
elist, died here. He was unconscious
for some time before the end came
and failed to recognize his wife when
she entered his bed chamber.
1t was Oct. IL, when for reasons
that have not yet been fully made
clear, Tolstoy fed from his home at
Yasnaya Poliania, practically desert.
ing his wife and family. To the for
mer he left a tote In which he de-
clared he could no longer live sur
rounded by luxury and had fed in or.
der that he might spend his last days
in solitude. The disappearance of the
author vas kept a family secret for
nearly a month and then the countess,
almost distracted by her failure to get
any news OF her husbands where
abouts. made the fact known.
Count Tolstoy had lived for years
a most simple life and this caused
general apprehension that his mind
might be failing. His friends and men,
bers OF his family at once organized
themselves into searching parties with
the result that on Nov. IL he was
found on the estate of the Abrikosoffs,
( wealthy manufacturer, within eighty
miles Of the home from which he had
fed.
!. As a matter OF fact, in attempting
his flight, Tolstoy. who was eighty-two
years old, overestimated his powers
Of endurance and quickly succumbed
70 the hardships of the winter jour
ney. An Inflammation Of the lungs set
in and when DR.. Makowetzky, who
had accompanied the count on his
flight. attempted TO get him back home,
it was found that he could not even
stand the railroad journey. compare
lively short rs IL was.
Refuge Found In Laborer's Hut.
He had to be taken from the train
at the little station OF Astapova, where
a lodging was found for him in the
hut OF a railroad trackman. There he
was forced to remain, the inHAmma-
ton OF the lungs gradually becoming
worse and sapping his vitality until
he could be kept alive only by the cor
slant administration OF stimulents tv
keep up his heart action.
The fact OF his accommodation
from the Greek Catholic church
weighed heavily on Count Tolstoy's
mind. In his delirious moments he
made constant reference to the fact
and when In possession of his facul-
ties would also refer to II bitterly.
As a consequence every possible ef-
fort was made by his friends and even
by Emperor Nicholas himself to bring
about 4 rescindins q the decree OF ex-
Communication, but without result.
The holy synod remained obdurate on
the point, declaring that Tolstoy him
self had given no indication that he
desired a reconciliation and refusing
to take the initiative in the matter.
Tolstoy also refused a reconciliation
with his family, both his wife and chill
dren being denied entrance to his sick
chamber until he lapsed into uncor
Sciousness. -Es
Count Toistoy was a prolific writer
and his books have had a worldwide
circulation. His War and Peace" a
tale OF the invasion OF Russia by Ma.
polean in 1912. Is regarded in Russia
as being his masterpiece, though his
"Anna Karenina," which appeared in
1875, and The ~Cossacks," found
greater favor abroad, where his
'Kreutzer Sonata" translations OF
which were published in 1890. also at
tracted wide attention.