Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-19

Nicholas and his family was uncer-
tain. The shocking rumors regarding
assassination recently decided the
council of ministers of the siberian
government to hold a judiciary in
quiry on the scene OF their disappear
ance. This was carefully and impair
tally conducted by men who had no
monarchial sympathies (being them
selves advanced 1iberals). verified by
witnesses and documentary evidence,
and was substantiated by photographs
of scenes of the tragedy
Russians for Guards"
The Bolshevik, drunk with power
aud the lust for cruelty, took the eX-
czar, his wife and their five childI en-
from the monastery of Aholak, thirty
miles from Tobolsk. to Ekaterinburg,
where they We're destined to spend
their last days in physical and mental
tortures They were interned IN the
house of a chemistry professor named
Ipatieff. The building was of two
stories with a small courtyard sur
rounded by a high wooden palisade,
The lower floor, comfortably, even
sumptuously furnished, was occupied
by the guards men specially recruit
ed from the lowest class of Rolshevik
upper floor.
A condemned murderer'S cell is not
more devoid Of comforts than the
small dark rooms allowed to those
who had spent their lives in luxury.
Once rich beyond the dreams of avar-
ice, they were now made to suffer the
worst torments of poverty; once SUI
preme in power, they were insulted
and spat upon by men lower than
beasts The comfort of single COM
panion, even of a servant was denied
them.
Worse still they knew that their
few faithful retainers-Court Physl-
clan Botkin. two ladies-in waiting
Baroness BuXhoven and Mile. Nary
shkina; the old sailor Derevenko, who
had devotedly nursed the delicate
czarevitch from babyhood; the former
cars favorite valet and the eX-em-
press trusted maid (all of whom Were
with them in the Abolak monastery
! had been shot as reward for faith
| full service while the rest of their at
tendants of less conspicuous loyalty
/ had been dispersed.
Two Small Beds for Seven.
Only two small beds were per
| mitted to this family of seven per
sons. The children, therefore, were
| forced TO sleep on the floor on theii
! fathers uniform greatcoat and other
clothes of their parents. No linen, oil
| almost none. was provided. For all
| and exercise they were permitted tt
| walk in the little courtyard an houi
| n dav, All the rest of the time Tho
| Romanoffs. once owners of score Of
| palaces, were kept cooped UP In TIM
! small flat.
Their very meals are taken TO then
! by one of the guards and eaten on
| bare wooden table, sitting on a WOOD
| en- bench, from thick bowl with NV
! SPOONS amcng the seven wretche'
| prisoners. When these humiliation
were not considered sufficient, whel
| they were borne by the eN-cmpero
! with patience and by the eX-empres
/ with silent pride, even the few spoon
were taken away as an additional veX
! alton.
or a cynically iovial guard, as n
set down the bowl of food cooked u
| the common kettle of the soldiers
would whisk it away again, saying
81 see you have good victuals to ca
| which we have not yet had today,
! and carry it off downstairs.
At ether times one of the guard
would come up while the family wa
seated at table and fish the bes
pieces of meat and cabbage out O
their howl with his dirty fingers
chiefly for the pleasure of eXultin
over his victims.
In the evening the guards,
brutes in human form. would carr
the Young ex-grand duchesses down t
their rooms, whose walls were covere
with indecent drawings and obscen
inscriptions. one can imagine too we
! what went on there--the poor. limo