New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-27
Ex-Czar Now Shovels Snow;
Consort Too Weak to Walk
Guard Over Royal Prisoners More Rigid Soldier Dances
on Grave of Rasputn, Whose Power Rested on
Frequent Poisoning of Czarevitch

Petrograd, March 26.-Nicholas Ro-
manof, deposed Emperor Of All the
Russias. is held a close prisoner OF
the revolutionist government within a
few hundred yards of the desecrated
grave of Gregory Rasputin, real auto
crat Of the empire for decade.
The correspondent, who was admitted
to the huge prison-palace to-day,
learned that rumors Of monarchist
plots for an intended flight have in
creased the rigors Of the guard, which
now contains special representative
of the council of deputies.
The emotional nature Of the de-
throned Car is shown in mis- reaction
to Imprisonment. When with his en-
tourage he frequently INDUCES in wild
fits Of weeping, and yet he has his
periods OF elation, especially If he can
get snow shovel into his hands and
attack the drifts in the garden.
The former Empress, according 10
tdpCdlH hVtHtDut, thc SVhhAH"u""N "
the palace guard, is broken in, spirit,
but not actually in i'll health.
Her malady," said the captain. "is
not of the nerves. but of the heart
She is unable to walk any distance, and
is carried in a chair, even from her
own suite TO her children's rooms.
Czarevitch Weeps for Parents
Grand Duke Alexis, the former heir
TO the throne, has recovered entirely
He arose from bed on Friday for the
first time. When he heard of his
fathers dethronement he cried bitter
ly-not, in my opinion, from apprecia-
tion of the situation, but merely be-
cause he was affected by his parents
misery. The other children are better,
except Grand Duchess Marie
And in this connection the "Russky
Slovo" explains that the illness OF the
little Grand Duke was due wholly TO
the Vaccinations Of the dead Rasputin,
aided by Nine. Virubova. lady-in-wait-
.
had worked on the superstitlons of the
royal family, declares the newspaper,
until they had come to the belief that
the health Of the crippled heir de-
pended wholly upon the presence of
Rasputin at court. belief which was
fortified by poisonous powders admin
istered 10 the child invalid by Ras-
putin's accomplce whenever 1t was
necessary for the monk TO absent him.
self from Petrograd.
Nine. Virubova. according 10 the
monks story as given by the newspa-
per. obtained poisonous powders from
the physician and contrived 10 place
them in food brought 10 Alexis. The
result was that during Rasputin's ABB
sences the delicate health of the young
heir apparent grew steadily worse, until
Rasputn was summoned back 10 the
court, when the powders were stopped
and Alexis became Immediately better.
Monks Prophecy Verified
Rasputin always announced that for
ty days after his death Alexis would
fall ill., This prophecy came true with
startling accuracy. being caused. the
newspaper declares, by Nine. Nirubova
administering another powder 10 the
little grand duke in the hope of con-
tinuing the tradition OF Rasputin's in
fuence over the imperial family and
preparing the way for a successor TO
him.
The correspondent visited Rasputin's
grave, on the edge of a ravine beyond
a desolate and roadless plain, covered
with deep snow. The grave IS sur
rounded by an unfinished log chapel,
which adherents Of the monk. with the
monetary assistance OF the former Em-
press, planned 10 raise over Rasputin's
dust. Beside the chapel nave arc half
dozen tiny cells for pilgrims, and
near the end is the ten-foot hole from
which the revolutionsries disinterred
the body
The chapel was filled with soldiers,
some OF whom we're inscribing rbald
remarks on the log walls. One Of the
inscriptions reads:
Here lay Rasputin, foulest OF men,
THE GREENBRIER white sulphur