The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-26
A SPY OR CRAZY?
Lenine, Captured Russian Agi-
tator, Psychological Enigma.
If Convicted Will Be Condemned
To Die or Put in Exile.

New York, July 26.-Information
that the Russian provisional govern
ment has effected a decided blow at
pro-German activities of Nikolai Len
inc, the radical Socialist leader, by
arresting him and many of his fol-
lowers, has reached the Russian in
formation bureau here. These adj
vices indicate Lenine probably will be
shot If he is convicted as a spy work
ing in the interest of Germany, but
lated during the war. This last
measure, it is explained here, would
be adopted as a precaution against
the presence of "a crazy man in poll
tics at this crisis"
So far as information received by
the bureau shows, no evidence has
been uncovered in Petrograd to con-
firm the statements duplicating Len
inc as an agent of the German gen.
eral staff, altho the provisional gov
ernment's drastic search for him leads
Russians here to suspect that the gov
eminent may know he has been guilty
of taking German gold.
Was Enemy to the Republic.
1t is explained that the provisional
government, anxious to avoid any ac
cusation of interference with freedom
of speech or of the press, has hereto
fore hesitated to arrest Lenine, but his
activities reached the point where the
officials determined not to tolerate
them any longer, regarding him as
more dangerous for Russia and her
liberty than the German armies with
out"
News dispatches prior to his capture
reported Lenine to have escaped to
Kronstadt disguised as a sailor.
Lenine, whose right name is Via
dimir Hitch Ulianoff, is described by
the Russian information bureau as a
man with a record-a record which
before the revolution commanded re-
spect thruout his country.
His book, THE Development of
Capitalism in Russia is regarded as
| one of the most valuable contribu-
lions to Russian economic literature,
and his articles on agrarian, economic
and scientific problems won him high
place in the estimation of Socialists
and scientists alike. In connection
with his believed pro-German activi-
ties, documents, declared to have been
found recently in the records of the
| former Emperor Nicholas's depart
| ment of police, are regarded by Rus
| SLAMS as significant.
| Was Tool of Gar.
These documents show, according
| to Information here, that while a So
| cialist named Malinovsky was leader
| of the Social-Democratic faction of
the third duma, about five years ago,
he was on the payroll of the emper-
or's police. Presumably leader of the
/
| to represent them, he was in reality,
| according to this purported evidence,
acting for the emperor as an agent
secretly paid to confuse and disrupt
| the opposition.
1t is recalled by Russians here that
Malinovsky at that time was known
as Lenine's right hand man and the
discovery now of documents indicat-
ing Malinovsky's duplicity is said to
have strengthened the provisional
governments suspicion that Lenine
and his followers are in one way OIL
another connected with German spies
known to have invaded Russia since
| the revolution. These are estimated
here to number tens of thousands.
Some Believe Him Crazy.
Russians who, endeavoring to be
just to Lenine, are at the same time
loyal to the provisional government
profess to believe Lenine is mentally
unbalanced. According to the Rus.
sian information bureau officials Of
the provisional government are sale
to be ready to accept this theory il
the absence of definite proof that he
is spy and to be prepared to restric,
his punishment to isolation unless
such proof is obtained.