Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-29

si,ion. aud her Command OF money.
schemes OF peaceful Penetration 1 u berore
| the war.
On my return from Brazil. Won Hol-
stein. OF tho intelligence bureau. told
me that 1t was the Emperor's wish
that | should once more establish my
self in St Petersburg. This time my
duty simply consisted OF becoming a
maid OF honor to the Czarina, and to
watch developments and report them to
the Berlin Office AS fast as thew oc-
Cured had no unpleasant duty to
perform. All 1 had to do was to keep
sharp eye on those who were in the
habit OF visiting the Cars palace |
was TO be "A kind Of superintendent over
| our numerous spies in and about the
Muscovitc court. and was to see to It
that they did their work as they should
Won Hoistein informed me that
position Tor me as a maid Of honor
had been secured through one OF the
crown Princess Cecile's highly sta
TONED relatives In the Russian court.
The gracious countess will make
herself liked by every one in and about
the Russian court-for the present.
She Will hold herself in readiness for
sudden instructions. Meanwhile she
VIII keep her eyes on all our agents
and report. as often as prudent how
Won Steinhauer. the chief Of cur for
cign secret service department. before
Won Holstcin. the chief OF our intelli-
gcncc bureau.
TELLS Of THIRD MISSION
AIMED AT RCSSIA'S SAFETY
Let me state here that 1 have car
rled out no less than five Russian COM
missions. have already written on
my mission to induce Lenine to return
~,
most recent. What i am about to re-
late is the story OF my third venture
IN the interest OF the service TO Russia.
This, naturally. concerns my expert
ences in the Russian court during the
period in which our agents in Russia
had begun TO master the situation, and
the court was then under our direc;
Influence. However. our secret service
bureau was very anxious that within
tho next three or four months things
/ come to head SO. IN the capacity
of superspy. / was assigned 10 my
new duty.
This was In tho days of Rasputin's
great power in the Russian court. Our
agents had succeeded in cnl!sting this
most extraordinary person in the world
&c our service.
II was year since the last time
had been In st. Petersburg started
on my journey gladly. but before II
was over found II the most repulsivc
assignment that l had ever filled.
On reaching st. Petersburg found
that Rasputin was the whole court,
and tina, Russian history was being
written entirely through him. 1t is
useless for any one TO attempt to write
about Russia CT those days without re-
forring 10 this man. whom first re-
garded with curiosity. then dislike,
which. as time passed, ended in abb
U - -
fact that he was our best tool in rul-
ing tho Czarina. and. through her.
every phase OF Russian war policies.
Without Rasputin the Russian hordes
would have established themselves
sCiidly IN our Eastern Prussia. With
out Rasputin we could never have
driven the Russian armies from Poland.
Without Rasputin. and through him,
the Russian War Office. at whose head
was General Sukhomlikon, Russia
would have disputed our military power
along our eastern front. Therefore
as much as we all tetest him, and tc
me he was 4 vile bcast-it is quite i'm
possible to write OF these events with
out telling the story OF this most stu
pcndous fake" in the world
More than once I have been asked:
How is II that an ignoraEus such as
this Rasputin had SO long exerted such
enormous influence over the imperial
court circle? First. you must know
that Russia is half-heathen. 1t should
also be kept in mind that the so-called
intellectual classes in ST. Petersburg
constitute but a very. very small sec
ton Of the population. Outside OF
these. tho majority OF the middle
classes. most OF the arstocracy. and
all OF the plutocracy. are half-hcathen
mystics and sensualists. If people only
knew this fact. they would more readily
understand why Russia SO easily sue
cumbs to every queer and strange
teaching such as those taught by
Leninc. Rasputin and Tolstoy do
not mean TO classify these three per-
sons as OF the same callber; they. how
ever. appeal TO a certain element. and
each has had n strong following.
RAsPUTIN'S STORY MORE
LIKE FICTION THAN FACT
Rasputin's story reads more like
fiction than sober fact. and no doubt
for that reason 80 much romance has
been turned out regarding him.
The real name CT this man was
Gregory Novyeh. and could never find
out when he was named Rasputin,
which in Russian means dissolute;
truly appropriate name for him.
During my former missions to St
Petersburg I had seen this man from
distance only, no nearer than ten or
fifteen feet. But 1 still remember the
terrible sensation experienced in
meeting him at social function dur
ing my third mission there. On this
occasion, when this tall and beastly
looking man stopped low to kiss my
hand. his personality seemed SO alb
horrent to me that felt like snatch
ing my hand from him. He was so re-
pulsive. Yet how these Russian court
ladies. from the Czarina down. be-
slowed worshipful admiration on this
ignorant Siberian moudjik
(To BE Continued To-Morrow)
. Chinchn Snfe. in Port.