The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-25
COLONY
 IS REPATR|ATED Unusual Request Is Granted By the Government
 of Russia

St. Petersburg June 24.-(Special) )-An- other evidence of the fact that the Rus sian is unusually susceptible to queer ethical and religious kinks comes in an appeal to the government through the cardinal general at constantinople for funds to repatrate from Anatolia, the descendants of a colony of Cossacks in that part of Turkey. The request has been granted and reveals really re- markable story.
 The forefathers of these Cossacks left Russia for voluntary exile $50 years ago Their departure was occasioned by an attempt to enroll their names for census purposes in writing. According to the creed of these peasants the writing down of their names jeopardizes their chances of salvation for it involves the curse Of the anti-Chrst, enabling Him to set His seal upon them.
 During the whole of this time the Cos sacks have kept their identity absolutely intact They speak Russian dialect bearing the same relation to the language of the present day as does our modern English to that of Chaucer. They wear the Russian dress of three centuries ago. and even grow herbs, uncultivated else
 
 that were the food of medieval Russia.
 A few months ago this little band of Russian exies found themselves sudden lv faced by the same danger that threat ened their ancestors in the 18th century. The Turkish government having decided Ito call upon it's Christian subjects for military services, demanded the enroll ment of these men of the community who were of age and again they were in dan ger of the seal of Anti-Christ. This time split occurred among the exiles. The young men urged that since they could not avoid the enrolment 1t were best to serve in Russia among their kindred, but the older men were in favor of remaining. The arbitration of the Rus sian consul in Constantinople was in voked, and through his agency funds were obtained from the Russian govern ment to enable those who wished to do so to return to Russia, leaving the rest to live on. a tiny ethnologicalsisland among the races of Anatolia. There are about 35OO of .hem.
 1 The dispute between Countess Tolstoy | and M. Tchertkoff over the possession or Tolstoys manuscripts will probably be decided in the Countess favor. M. rchertkoff will be able to copy the manu-
 
 The Imperial academy will, 1t IS unoer- stood also publish an edition. 1 dreadful seyenfold murder mas oc- cured at the Russian village Of Soroki. Recently 1t occurred to the neighbors of the place that nothing had been seen ol the inmates of a villa belonging to a wealthy man named Schastok, and, sus- i pecting that all was not right, they broKe open the door. In the entrance hall they l found a man servant bound and wound ed while in the various rooms were ly- ing the corpses of the owner and his wife 1.-two ladies whoayere staying in the house as guests andis three maids, all with | coven skulls Tsf
 The partrne sts were bespattered with .blood and everything of value had been removed. The man servant related that ! in the night four; masked men had broker into the house and made their way into f the bedrooms of the women whom they at once" butchered with axes. with the lexception of Schastoffs wife. ] While they were engaged in this ear mage schastoff himself appeared but wal immediately lelled with couple o