The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-17

|oUNT PAUL vAssILJ. veteran mem.
Z Der of the Russian diplomatic service,
who has been familiar with Russian
court secrets and diplomatic intrigue from the
time OF the Crimean War to the present day.
has written his memoirs in volume entitled
Behind the Veil at the Russian Court" 1t
is published by the John Lane Company.
Count Vassili died few months ago. It
would have been impossible for him to pub
Ish this work in his life time and remain in
Russia. for he exposes the msdongs of the
Car and the Russian official class withou,
mercy.
The author Is no friend Of democracy and
he expresses great admiration for many of the
earlier Cars. His frank exposure of tbe
present Car IS therefore made more interest.
Ing and convincing
The volume is largely devoted to disseo-
ton OF the character OF Nicholas II We 90.
at close hand his extraordinary yacillatio,
his heartlessness In the face of Wholesale
slaughter and cruel tragedy. his disloyalty even
10 his most devoted supporters, his childish
peiiei IN superstftions, the strange and al,
most insane behavior of his beautiful wife
and the many miseries OF their domestic life.
Here is picture of the most colossal raredv
OIL our time. 1t leaves no doubt that the ruler
OF inc great Russian Empire is degenerate
who must exercise Unreasonable power for
eVll until the revoutionists destroy the sys.
ten which he represents
Inc cars reign began with n tragedy in
which no revealed his heartlessness in an
astonishing manner. To celebrate his corona
uon' the peasants and laborers were invited
10 assemble In a plain Moscow, where
they would receive some refreshments The
Gar was TO say few kim words to them
from high platform in the midst of the plain.
a deep ditch was dug around the plain and
through the mismanagement OF tho offciala
many or those crowding to the celebration fell
into the ditch. There they crushed ono an.
other 10 death and hundreds OF them ware
Killed. Then TO keep the dead bodies ont of
sisht' the officials thrust many Of them under
the platform from which the Car was to
speak
The Emperor was expected at any mo-
nient." writes Count vassil. land hs could
not be allowed to all these bodies scat.
tered everywhere about. Soldiers were reoui.
Eittoned. and they hastily-will such fatal stu.
pidity be Observation-Disclosures the corpses under
the very pavilion in which the sovereign was to
alight and from the balcony of which he was
70 witness the feast. Thus by terrible blum.
der. OF which he knew nothing but for which
he was ever after bitterly reproached, Nicholas
H. actually stood for more than five hours over
the dead bodies OF his subjects. killed In their
endeavors TO welcome him"
On the evening of this tragedy the Car ap
peared at great court ball without showing
any sign OF distress. One OF the visiting for.
cign princes expressed sorrow at the cata.
etrophe, and Nicholas quietly replied Eyes, II
Is very sad; but such accidents happen often
whenever there Is a great congregation OF
people"
Although desperately attached to his auto.
cratic power. Nicholas Is entirely without the
qualities Of successful despot, as the follow.
ing instance Of his extraordinary vacillation
will show:
When the Siberian Railway was quite com.
pleted the question arose in regard to the de.
partment to which the administration OF this
important line should be entrusted-should II
oe administered by the Finance or the War
Ministry?
AT that time Count Witte was at the head
oil the Treasury. while General Kouropatkine
was IN charge of the army. Each Minister
wanted TO control the railway, each had nu.
l1e'ouS eloquent arguments in support OF his