The Parker post., 1918-03-09
Story of a
Russian Rising
By WARREN MILLER

time to join the revolution tnat de-
posed the czar who sent me to that
horrible life; consequently | have but
, one thought, to see my country under
such a government as will give her
freedom within and save her from be-
ing enslaved by another imperial mas
ter from without.
Being in Petrograd soon after the
last revolution, I went to a man who
was a member Of the provisional gov
ernment, told him how I had planned
and executed my escape from prison
and asked him If there was any work
I could do to serve my country in her
struggle for the preservation of that
liberty she had so suddenly grasped.
"You are just the man we want" he
said, "fOr a certain purpose. In Mos
cow there has secretly arrived man
from New York who is leader among
a certain class Of fanatics, or raScals,
I am not sure which. We believe that
he has come over here to take advan-
tage Of the clamOr Of our simple peas
ants for the land to work for an an
archistic movement. We can do moth
ing to head him off without definite
knowledge Of his object. You can serve
Russia best by going to Moscow, rep
resenting yourself a friend Of that
mans course, getting his plans from
him and bringing them here to the pro-
visional government"
7 accepted the commission and went
to Moscow. The man whose conf
dence l was to attempt to win still
lives and I do not care to mention his
name, nor that mine should be known
In this connection. l have no desire to
receive a thrust in the back in return
for what he would call my treachery.
shall call him Scoralotf.
When I reached Moscow | found
that ScOraloff was keeping very dark.
represented myself to woman as
u Red and she being a Red herself
gave me her confidence. In her en-
thusiasm for the cause she took me to
Scoraloff and introduced me as
helper of their cause. I will not dwell
upon how l won her confidence. 1t is
enough to say that l won it,
When had learned all that I wanted
to learn of this cOmmunistic plan, l
| suggested that I would be glad to carry
any orders Scoraloff might have for
those associated with him in Petro-
grad. In this I made a mistake. My
object was to be passed back to the
capital in order to furnish the infor-
hod TO tlo 81 o1
government; but / saw by Scoraloff's
expression that he suspected me of be-
ing a spy. However, his suspicion was
apparent only for an instant. He gave
me a password that would enable me
to 60 to the capital without being
stopped by any Of his conspirators.
ScoralOff really wished messenger
he could trust and gave me letter
written in his own hand to his chief
abettor in Petrograd containing nu-
merous instructions. Before setting
out on my return journey I read the
letter and was disappointed that no
date was mentioned for the rising.
/ had not gone far on my journey
when / felt some one touch me on the
shoulder, and turning, saw a man who
ordered me to follow him. / did not
know whether he was government
official or a Red. / had pass on my
person signed by an officer of the gov
ernment for all loyal persons to pass
me and assist me in official business.
I suspected that this was Red so
gave him the Red password. He paid
no attention to 1t, but took me to a
house in the lower part Of Moscow and
| led me to the top story, where, opening
| the door I was ushered into a room in
| which sat man at once | knew to be
been lodged in such a place. My life
! was at stake, for in case l was
searched the order of the government
would be found and would stamp me
| for spy on the Reds.
The man before whom was taken
went about an examination of me very
adroitly. He said that he had received
an order from Scoraloff to intercept
me for the purpose Of adding to the
| instructions he had given me. I was
| invited to take a seat and received
pumping to discover whether | was as
I pretended a Red or government
spy. I coolly asked the mans permis-
sion to smoke and having received 1t
produced box of cigarettes which I
offered to him. He took one, l an
other. l struck a match, held it to
him, then to my own and we began to
smoke.
After verbal examination he told
me that he had no doubt that I was
what I purpOrted to be, but Scoraloff's
orders to search me were peremptory.
I was stripped, inspected and every
article Of my clothing was carefully
examined Nothing was found to in
criminate me and after hearty shake
of the hand I was suffered to 60 my
way.
Why was it that my voucher from
the government was not found?
Because il was written on the wrar-