Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1919-01-14
By WARREN MILLER

lives and d0S BIT care to mention his
name, nor that mine should be known
In this connection. have no desire to
receive thrust in the back in return
for what he would call my treachery. I
shall call him Scoraloff..
When / reached Moscow / found
that Scoraloff was keeping very dark.
I represented myself to woman as
Red and she being a Red herself
gave me her confidence. in her en-
thusiasm for the cause she took me to
Scora1off and introduced me as q
helper Of their cause. / will not dwell
upon how I won her confidence. 1t is
enough to say that won 1t,
When ] had learned all that wanted
to learn of this communistic plan,
suggested that would be glad to carry
any orders Scoraloff might have for
those associated with him In Petro-
grad. In this I made a mistake. My
object was to be passed back to the
capital In order to furnish the infor-
nation / had gained to the provisional
government; but I saw by Scoraloffs
expression that he suspected me of be-
ing a spy. However, his suspicion was
apparent only for an instant. He gave
me a password that would enable me
to go to the capital without being
stopped by any of his consplrators.
Scoraloff really wished a messenger
he could trust and gave me letter
written In his own hand to his chief
abettor in Petrograd containing nu-
merous instructions. Before setting
out on my return journey read the
letter and was disappointed that no
date was mentioned for the rising.
had not gone far on my journey
when I felt some one touch me on the
shoulder, and turning saw man who
ordered me to follow him. did not
know whether he was a government
official or a Red. / had pass on my
person signed by an officer Of the gov
eminent for all loyal persons to pass
me and assist me in official business.
I suspected that this was Red so
gave him the Red password. He paid
no attention to 1t, but took me to q
house in the lower part of Moscow and
led me to the top story, where, opening
the door, was ushered into room In
which sat man at once / knew to be
q Red. No one but Red would have
been lodged In such a place. My life
was at stake, for in case i was
searched the order Of the government
would be found and would stamp me
for a spy on the Reds.
The man before whom was taken
went about an examination Of me very
adroitly. He said that he lad received
an order from Scoraloff to intercept
me for the purpose Of adding 90 the
instructions he had given me. i was
invited to take seat AID received
pumping to discover whether I was as
I pretended a Red OF & government
SPY. coolly asked the mans permits
sion to smoke and having received 1t
produced a boz of cigarettes which l
offered to him. He took one, I An
other. / struck a match. held IL to
him, then TO my own, and we began to
smoke.
After q verbal examination he told
me that he had no doubt that / was
what purported To be. but Scoraloffs
orders to search NE were peremptory.
was stripped. inspected and every
article of my clothing was carefully
examined. Nothing was found to In
criminate me and after a hearty shake
Of the hand I was suffered TO 90 my
way.
Why was IT that my voucher from
the government was not foundl
Because 1t was written on the wrap
per Of the cigarette he had smoked.
While be was pumping me he was
burning the only evidence against me.
/ arrived without further interfer-
ence at Petrograd and warned the gov
eminent against the danger that
threatened IL: but could not give the
date Of the proposed uprising and
found those AZ the head u Affairs dis
posed TO rely on moral suasion. There
fore my trip wag % no avail.
Hac the maa who interviewed ne
not been : smoker I would not have
lived 70 tell this story.