The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-04
THRILLS PROMISED
IN WHITE MEMOIRS
Widow Of Famous Russian Dip
lomat Arrives on the
Stavangerfjord. ..
HAD TO FLEE PETROGRAD
BOlsheviki Burned and Seized
Her Property-To Stay
Month.

The Countess Marie witte. widow of
Count sergius witte, former Premier of
Russia. arrived yesterday from Chris
tiania by the Norwegian American liner
Stavangerfjord to arrange for the pub
lication here OF. the memoirs OF her dis
tinguished husband. She said she ex-
pected to stay a month in the United
States and while in this city will be at
the Ritz-Carlton. =,
She intirnated that the memoirs were
completed, and that there was much ma
terial in them that would startle the
world. The Countess Is a Jewess OF un-
usual cleverness and in the Russo-Ja Japan
csc peace negotiations at Portmouth,
N. H.. she ably assisted the Count, who
was tho Russian plenipotentiary "
The Count died in Petrograd In March,
1918, and the Countess resided there un-
I'll the Bolsheviki menace forced her to
nee to Finland and thence to Copen-
hagen. All her estates were destroyed.
but she saved something out OF the
wreckage before she departed. She said
she could not. see how Russia could be
saved except by the assistance OF the
allies
The Countess said she was aware of
believing that she would be held as
hostage she left Just in time. Her prop
erty was burned shortly after she left.
She said she would meet friends here
and confer with them about her hus-
bands memoirs.
The Countess was assisted by the GUS
toms men IN getting her baggage put
through and was only short time on
the pier. She will go from this city to
London, then to Paris and finally to
Italy. all In the interest of the publ
cation Of the memoirs.
On Way to siberia.
Mr.. and Mrs Nicolai Pokrovsky, also
passengers by the Stavangerfjord are
on their way to their former home in
Chela binsk. West Siberia, having been
forced by the Russian smashup to go
nearly all the way around the world to
get there. He said he was arrested In
Siberia. where he In large land owner
because he had been the director of a
Nitriol factory and chemist. The Boil
shevik were not doing much in his
vicinity then. the men in control being
representatives OF the Soldiers and Sail
ors' Committee. He bribed himself free
and reached Petrograd. and his wife got
away by Disgusting herself as a nurse
They decided that they could lose them
selves in Petrograd. but they were mis-
taken. Finally they reached the Rus.
sian frontier and a guard held them up
remarking that he knew that their OBJ
Ject was to escape from Russia The
little party began to think OF paying to
get across. Mrs Pokrovsky, remarl,ing
defantly. Yes we are escaping from
Russia. what Of t?' The guard as
founded them by saying: well. go
ahead" and they did 1t was the first
time they did not have to put up cash
for big favor. They also went 10
Copenhagen. They will stop at the Ho-
tel Latham while here
ships Near Collision.
All the 1913 cabin passengers aboard
the Stavangerfjord were startled in
thick fog at noon on Saturday when
Swedish sailing vessel, apparently
bark, came within less than afty feet
OF rammins the liner. The swift and
clever manoeuvring OF Capt X. 8. Irgens
prevented disaster. All hands were on
deck listening to the wailing OF the
fog siren when the husky horn OF a
sailing vessel was heard near by.
In fog it IL difficult even for trained
seadog ears to tell the direction from
which fog signalling comes. The Swed-
ish ship was under good way and the
liner was making half speed or less
when the Swede appeared phantomlike
on the starboard beam of the Stavan-
serf1ord. Capt Irgens had to think
quickly. He signalled for full speed
astern on the port engines and put his
helm hard over. Under the impetus OF
helm and reversed port engines the big
ship whirled as on pivot. The Swedish
skipper also put his helm over and the
vessels cleared by less than sixty feet.
according to Capt Irgens and from the
viewpoint OF some nervous passengers,
less than ten feet. One saltless voyager
just from the French front said that a
child might have tossed a doughnut
aboard. The Viking skipper said little
near collision incidents might be ex-
pected in thick weather.