South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-21
BEHIND THE SCENES
With Rulers and Leaders of Wartime Europe
By the Princess RadziWil


the discretion OF the sovereign,
from whom they came as a gift.
The heir TO the throne received l.
coo, 900 rubles a year. and his wife
200. 900 rubles for her privy purse.
Four hundred thousand was the
amount of the annuity granted 10 the
empress. which, in case of widow
hood. was increased 10 1000 600.
The sovereign could take what he
liked. and the expenses of his house
hold were valued at something like
100000 rubles a year, part Of
which. however. was given by the
state and did not come from the
oudiel. but formed a part OF the
budget of thelnation for the year.
Additional Presents.
Some grand dukes, especially the
brothers of Alexander II and his
sons. received the latter. who was
most generous il regard 70 the
members Of his family, large es-
tates as presents. which were gem
orally entailed on their eldest sons.
Thus their private fortunes were
very much increased. The old
Grand Duke Michael. who was a
very shrewd and clever man, made
excellent investments, especially
during his tenancy of the viceroyalty
of the Caucasus. which he held for
something like % years. if not more
He left a huge fortune 10 his nu-
merous children, which some of
them soon managed TO squander
being reduced 10 their yearly in
come out of the oudiel. This came
to an end with the revolution, and
the loss left them in dire straits, as
was the case with the Grand Duke
Michael and his wife, pretty COun-
tess Torby
The daughters of the former Car
Nicholas have the two millions that
were given to them at their birth,
with the exception Of the eldest, the
Grand Duchess Olga. who inherited
under the terms of the will of her
great grandfather. Alexander II, an
immense sum of money which he
left regardless of sex to the eldest
child of his eldest grandson, after
ward Nicholas II. The daughters of
Alexander III, the Grand Duchess
Xenia and Olga. especially the for
mer. who was married in her fathers
lifetime, were very we'll provided for
by him, and the duchess Of Edin-
burgh. the only daughter and favor
tie child of Alexander ii, was given
by him a huge fortune amounting TO
several millions, with the condition,
however, that this money was to re
main always invested in Russia.
The OudieI Estates.
The estates which were admins
tered by the oudiel were kept in ex-
/ ceIIent condition, and great care was
/ exercised in regard TO the manage
ment. Their loss is terrible blow
10 the imperial family, who, with the
/ exception Of a few of its members,
such as the Grand Duke Michael
I AleXandrOwitsch, the brother of
/ Nicholas IL. were wise enough to in
vest part Of their personal fortune
abroad. Fhe Empress DOwager so
/ far has had, at least it was the case
under the Kerensky administration,
her allowance regularly paid out 10
/ her as before. OF course, at present
/ it may no longer be the case. But
she had money invested in England
as we'll as in Denmark, so Will not
suffer as much as her relatives from
/ the new state of things
/ Ii may not be out of place TO men
ton here that the legend Of Nicholas
/ ii having millions deposited in his
/ name in a London bank is a myth
/ His grandfather had money deposit
ed in the bank of England, but when
Alexander III assembled the throne
/ he had IL taken from there and
\ transferred TO the Russian state
bank. I doubt whether the deposed
( car has really anything important
in the way of funds placed in safety
abroad At least this was the gener-
al opinion in Petrograd when l was
last there. three weeks after the rev.
\ OlutiOn.