The Washington herald., 1919-05-18
The Amazing Story of
Maria BOtchkQrepa
Leader of the Russian Battalion of Death

ed them that came to look up some
relatives, but was unable to locate
them They left with the threat that
they would return to arrest me- 1t
was not In my plan to wait for their
arrival and allow myself to be de-
tanned and sent back I called up the
consul and told him of the latest de-
velopment. Fortunately. he had some
good news for me. An American
transport was to touch at Vladivo-
stok two days later!
Nadia and 1 hurried to the consul
late. The consul declared that the
Bolsheviks had threatened him il he
should be found aiding me to get
away. Meanwhile he proceeded to
have all the necessary foreign pass
ports prepared for US, and we were
photographed for that purpose. The
difficulty Of leaving Vladivostok with
out a pass from the Soviet still con-
fronted US. The harbor was under
strict CONTROL and the boats used to
ferry passengers from the shore to
the steamships were manned and in
spected by Bolsheviks
For nearly two days i remained In
my room, in constant dread of the ap-
pearance of Red Guards to arrest
me. They did not come. however, ap-
parently sure that / could not escape
their net anyway. They had ample
reason afterwards to change their
minds about it. / then went to the
consul again. The American transport
Sheridan was due that night, he said.
but he was not sure yet IL the cap
tain would be willing to take me on.
Meanwhile we sought a means to
elude the inspectors at the port.
large travelling basket was tried. and
l decided that 1 might be suffocated
should the basket be left at the pier
for couple of hours. And got out
of the basket
The transport arrived in the evening
and the captain expressed his willing
ness to carry me across the Pacific.
At the request of the consul re-
mained in his house while my sister.
accompanied by an officer. went to
the hotel to get my things, and with
them left for the vessel. Two hours
later I called up the hotel to find out
whether Nadia had been there with
the officer The proprietor Informed
me that about fifty Red Guards had
jrst been there looking for me and
were painfully surprised to learn FIAT
i had departed.
Where did she go?" they asked
the proprietor.
: To the railroad station to take
train" he lied.
What train?" they shouted indig-
nantly. There are no trains leaving
tonight" With that they went away.
presumably to search for me-
! communicated to the consul what
/ had learned on the wire, and he hid
me in closet Soon afterwards sew
eral Red Guards arrived. asking for
Botchkareva. The consul denied any
knowledge of my whereabouts, de-
clared that I had come to him only
once. as a result of which he had ap-
piled to the Soviet for a passport for
me, but since he was refused he wash
ed his hand of my case. The Red
Guards said that I had been observed
entering the consulate. but not seen
leaving it. They looked about for me
and left. after the Consu's denial OF
my visit.
The officer returned. after taking
Nadia aboard the transport with ".
news that / would have company on
Int NdNs dS tlBp
were to be passengers on the same
vessel. Hundreds of Russian officers
had arrived in Vladivostok in the be-
lief that they could join the British
army there and be transported to
France. Unfortunately the allies
would not accept their services and
they hound themselves in troubled
circumstances. without means to re-
turn to European Russia and with no
desire to do so. as long as Bolshevism
was still rampant there. Some OF
them succeeded by various means in
going to the United States or Canada.
The colonel asked me if I wanted
to meet my fellow-travelers. I an
swered in the Affirmative. and as they
were at the moment at the consulate.
he took me into the room in which
they were waiting. Scarcely had 7
crossed the threshold. when glancing
at the small group of officers. my eyes
suddenly fell on Leonid Grigorievitch
Fillippov, my former battle adjutant,
who had carried me unconscious un-
der German fire to safety in that un-
happy advance of the battalion.
What are you doing here?" both
of US asked each other simultaneous
ly. astonished at the unexpected
meeting.
had always felt that I owed my
life to Lieut.. Filippov after was
shocked by a shell and confused when
running from the enemy at the end
of the abortive offensive launched sby
the battalion He had taken charge
Of the battalion upon my dispatch to
the Petrograd hospital. and later left
for Odessa to train as an aviator.
-G ~ VriN- 70 q
r learned that Lieut.. Filippov was In
the same plight as all the other Of
ficers who had come to Vladivosto';
under the impression that they would
be accepted by the allies. decided
TO ask the consul to allow him to