Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-05
AND HERE IT CONTINUES

50 A II, IF had only known II peio'e
Al would have had you shot In
oompany with those fifteen oficers.
ne addressed me. =.
"I would not have the heart &c
shoot at my own brothers, soldier OF
officer" I remarked.
"Eh, YOU are singing already ne
turned on me. I'VE know your kind
Gan in ALL" declared, "you are not
batter than the officers of the old
regime ,.
.'Silence!" he commanded, angrlly
Petrukhin came in with the com
mittee at that instant.
II beg you not to YELL" he turned
TO Pugatchov, feeling more confident
with the committeeman at his back
''She is in our hands now, and we will
do justice. 1t is for us to decide If she
is guilty. Leave her alone"
There were only ten jurors within
reach. The other two members were
absent and the ten, being in the
majority, decided to go on with the
work. -,
Z "whether you find her guilty or not
/ will not let her get out of here
alive!" Pugatchov declared. What
am II" he added. II am no enemy
either"
However, this threat worked in my
favor, as it touched the committee 8
pride. They were not to be overridden
atnI,o u IAI tl,at
be searched.
Please, 1 am at your disposal" /
said, .but before you go ahead I want
to hand over to you this package Of
money. There are 10000 rubles in it,
sent to me by Princess Tatuyeva, my
former adjutant, to enable me to take
the cure at the springs. I kept this
money intact, because 1 hoped to re.
turn 1t to her upon reaching the
Caucasus"
The money had in reality been
given to me by Kornilov, to secure my
parents and myself from starvation
in the future.
The valuable package was taken
away without much questioning. 1
was then ordered to undress COM
pletely. Petrukhin protested against
II, but Pugatchov insisted. The dis
pute was settled by a vote. the
majority being for the undressing.
The search was painstaking. but
yielded nothing. There was the ticket
70 kfslovodsk, the letter from Princess
Tatuyeva, little bottle of holy water,
given to me by my sister Nadia, and a
scapular, presented to me before leav-
ing Tor the front by one Of the patron
esses Of the battalion.
'Ah, now we have got it," ex.
claimed Pugatchov, seizing the hal.
lowed bag. There is the letter from
Kornilov."
The pad was ripped open and n
scroll OF paper was taken out on which
a Psalm had been written in a
woman's hand. 1 declared that the
sin of tearing it open would fall
on their heads and that would not
sew 1t up again. One of the soldiers
obtained a needle and thread and
sewed the bag together.
The members of the committee ex-
cused themselves for being constrain.
ed 10 have me searched in such a
manner.
asked. 1
we will have you shot" answered
Pugatchov.
What for?" demanded in despair.
smiled.
Petrukhin was afraid to defend
me too much, lest he be suspected
or giving aid to a spy. He preferred to
work indirectly for me, by influencing
the committeeman individually. II
was decided that the case be submit.
TED TO the commander-in-chief, Sab
I'm, forjreview and sentence, believe
on the motion Of Petrukhin. This was
Just trick to stave off immediate ex-
ecution, but the expectation among the
men was that my death was certain
Nevertheless. I was profoundly CRATE
Iul to Petrukhin for his humane atti
tude He was man of rare qualities
and among Bolsheviks he was almost
unique.
was ordered to a railroad carriage
used as Jail for captured officers anc
other prisoners. 1t was a death cham.
Der. Nobody escaped alive from there
/. .f---------r