The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-11-06


few months in jail Then he entered
the police service, not as a spy, but as
I Kind of clerk or lower official
He determined to learn the system
ana tie personnel and to obtain docu,
ments for the benefit of the revolution
lists But he could not do much for the
first fifteen years, being kept in subor-
Innate positions. When he was trans
ferred to the office of the Ohkrana, De-
partment of Protection of Third Sec
ton, at st. Petersburg, in 1900, he
found his chance, AS head Of the de-
partment Of procedure" he had
charge of secret and valuable ar
2hieVes, and he directed his subordin-
mates to make copies Of documents,
which copies he appropriated and de-
posted in various places in order to
insure their safety. Some documents
he would take home at night and make
typewritten copies himself, informing
his superiors that he could not do all
the work at the Office by day. In this
mulate more than 1000 pages of valu-
able material He was not watched
Or suspected during this period, He
worked alone and kept aloof from rev.
olutionists, even as the tide of revolt
rose to its climax IN 1905, for he
wished to complete large enterprise
But something happened which forced
him to uncover himself.
Mr.. Menschikoff saw In the secret
records that there were throe extreme
ly able agents proyocateur in the
Third Section. One was named Ras-
kin, another Vinogradoff, another
Valuyski. These men were in the in
most confidence of the terrorists. They
knew beforehand all the big plots,
even the staying of Minister Plehve
and Grand Duke Sergius. This trinity
of talent. strange to say, focused grad
ualIy into one personage-a master
traitor whose name has removed con-
siderable stigma from that of Judas
in the minds of several million pao-
Pile.
Mr. Menschikoff, regardless of dan
ger to himself and his plans, felt com
PEELED to write an anonymous letter to
member Of the revolutionary central
committee informing him that great
terrorist leader was police spy.
The committee member was asked to
tell no one except five of his fellows,
but in his establishment he showed the
, letter to Eugene Azeff, who was
known TO him by another name, and
said:
who is Azeff?"
a am Azeff," calmly replied the arch
spy. "But there is mistake. The
guilty man is Tataroff." -.
Tataroff also mentioned in the let
ter. was in fact a police agent. He
was candidate for the inner circle
of terrorism, sent forward by his EN-
ployers for the purpose Of checking
UP the activities ofyAzeff, whose splen-
did vilanies had no supervision Ia
| taroff tried to save himself by accus.
ing his eminent colleague, though he
| had no personal knowledge Of Azeff's
police position. A revolutionary tri
bunal tried Tataroff, condemned him
TO death and had him shot in 1906
Before he was killed, however, Ia.
taroff denounced Azeff I'd the police as
being disloyal and engaged in terror.
| istic work. Azeff was arrested by
General Grassimoff chief Of police
and threatened with exposure OF his
| double role, whereupon he made O
| wholesale betrayal of revolutionists
whom he had perhaps not intended tC
| betray. Several hundred were arrest
ed, exiled shot or hanged.
The confirmation Of Azeff's charac
| ter as spy was given to Vladimir
Bourtsefi, historian of the revolution
on railroad train in Germany by Lo
| poukin, assistant secretary of the iate
rior and chief of police, for which act
| the official was exiled to Siberia ir
| 1909. Azeff was tried by a revolution
| airy court at Paris in his absence, ant
condemned to death. He is in hiding
II the revolutionists ever find him
Gould not the treacbery Of Azen