The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-17
GEAR DRUCCED
TO AID KAISER
Russian Court Lady Gives Some
Inside Facts.
QuAcK BRIBED BY Berlin

QuACk BR|BED By Berlin
Royal Pair Warned Of Their Danger
Weeks Before Revolution Started
Car Under Influence Of Thlbetan
Drug When 10 Signed Abdieation-
Administered by Man In Pay Of Ger.
man Government.
From a Russian of high birth who
was a lady.in.waiting to. the czarina
of Russia, are learned some particu-
lars of the events which Immediately
preceded and followed the cars abdi-
cation which are not generally known.
The woman lost. all she possessed in
the .upheaval Of Russia and is now
connected with the American Red
Cross, The csafina banished her
from court before the revolution be-
cause her husband, who was In the
diplomatic service, had incurred tho
imperial displeasure.
The lady In question says that the
car and czarina were warned of their
danger some weeks before the revOlu-
ton started. In particular did Prtn.
cess Vasiltchioff, a member Of the i'm
perial court, and wife of prominent
member of the council Of the empire,
warn her. The princess is good Rus
sian patriot, and, like many others,
was appalled, at the signs of coming
anarchy.
So much alarmed was she that she
wrote personal letter to the czarina,
telling her that II she wished to save
Russia and her own family she must
dismiss Rasputin and the Germans at
court and see that the army had am
munition. -
I'VE Advice Enrased czarina.
She wrote this in Russian, which
was against Russian court etiquette
(Which admitted only French), and on
single sheets torn from a writing block
instead Of on double paper-another
crime against etiquette.
Two more crimes were that she ad.
dressed the letter to "Her Majesty"
instead of to Her Imperial Highness,"
and posted 1t in Petrograd in the or
binary way instead Of sending It
! through Baron Fredericks, the court
minister, sort of high priest for the
observance of etiquette, an old man OF
recent, German extraction. but very
decent kind Of person all the same
In due time the czarina received and
read the letter. She was furious
furious because so many rules of Ell.
quette had been broken, and still more
furious because the writer dared tell
her that she and her husband were
unpopular and were losing Russia.
Il shall never have any of the Rus.
sian aristocracy to court again." she
cried angrily. Il always hated them.
I love only the poor people and the
soldiers. At my next ball I shall have
none out poor people and soldiers. The
soldiers adore me-"
She had this entirely false idea Of
the soldiers devotion, because people
about the court used to "fake" crate.
full letters to her from imaginary sol.
diers. Thus, while the troops were al.
ready cursing the imperial pair and
vowing revenge for all their sufferings.
for all the shortage Of ammunition
and for often being sent to be butch.
cred just because a general needed q
decoration, but had no artillery to-
cover his attack, the czarina was say.
ing she "adored" soldiers and would
fill her ballroom with them.
She not only banished the princess
from court, but ordered that she and
her husband be ,exiled to Siberia. And
Prince and Princess Vasiltchikoff
would have gone to Siberia on foot in
the depth Of winter but for Baron
Fredericks, who managed to get the
sentence softened to exile to the
princes estate In the heart Of Russia.
They were kept prisoners on their es-
tate till the revolution started a cou.
pie Of months later.
The incident shows how blind the
imperial family were till the last min
ute, and how the czarina, a German
by birth. had imbibed the autocrat
traditions Of Catherine the Great and
Ivan the Terrible. -,..... .,
Dragged BY kalsers Order.
The same information said that the
car was suffering from the effects of
terrible Thibetan drug when he
signed his abdication. ,-.....
Everybody at the court knew It,"
the princess said. HE signed his own
abdlcation and his sons without q
murmur, and we all knew him for an
obstinate man. For days afterward
he was still in state of stupor. Only
when he came to- himself did he real.
lie what he had done. Then it was
too late. But his despair was terri.
ble." r..
"Who drugged him3'' was asked. :
"A quack from Thlbet, who Ind
risen to be the most influential person
at court after Rasputin's DEATH" she
! answered. 'HQ WINS friond ~ Do.