Charlevoix county herald., 1920-10-22
Claimant to Throne Of Russia
Reported to Be Gathering
Support In Siberia.
SAYS SERVANT WAS KILLED
Present Soviet Government Has OF.
fered 1000, 900 Rubles for Alleged
Pretenders Head-Pretender
Of Bygone Days.

man purporting to be Gear Nicholas II
of Russia Is raising large following
In Siberia. According to his allega-
tons, he asserts that 1t was one of his
faithful servants who was killed In
his place by the bOlsheviki at Ekat-
erinburg over two years ago. The pres
ent soviet government has offered a
reward Of 100000 rubles for this al
legged pretender's head.
If this man is an impostor another
name can be added to the long list of
pretenders to the crowns Of Europe.
In bygone days some were successful
In establishing their claims, while 9TH
ers paid the penalty for their false
allegations on the guillOtine. One Of
the successful claimants to a throne
Of Europe proved to be wise and
able ruler.
About 1893 a mysterious stranger
appeared In Cork, Ireland, where the
people greeted him as the brother Of
Edward Nv of England, but he denied
this. They then claimed that he was
the son Of Richard III, and he denied
this too. But at length he admitted
that he was the duke Of York, one of
the two princes whom it was believed
Richard III had murdered In the tower
of London.
England, and after questioning the
stranger they were convinced that he
was the duke of York. He then called
himself Richard Plantagenet, duke of
York, son of Edward w, and by right
Of succession Richard w Of England.
Henry VII was then ruler of Eng
land, and he did all in his power to
thwart the designs Of the new claim
ant to the throne. He succeeded in
driving him out Of France by forcing
Charles VIII to Danish him. and he
defeated him when he invaded Eng
land from Scotland. Richard Nv then
sought refuge in Cornwall and later
marched on London at the head Of
1000 Cornishmen who rallied to his
banner, but he was defeated and taken
prisoner.
Admitted He Was Adventurer.
1t was said that Henry VII obtained
a confession from him by torture. He
admitted that he was one Perkin War
beck, an adventurer from Picardy.
After several weeks In the public
stocks this pretender was executed.
James III became unpopular by ia
voring the church of Rome, so William
and Mary were Invited to accept the
throne Of England, since Mary was the
eldest child Of Charles ii. But year
before they assumed their regal duties
II was announced that James cOnsOrt
was about to present him with an heir.
However, a rumor spread that James
was about to pass off on the unsus-
pecting public as his heir a child that
was not his own. The birth Of Prince
James Francis Edward Stuart, who
was known in later years as the Chew
alier St. George, was witnessed by
persons not really believed by the
people. The following year James ii
was forced to flee to France.
Many years later the two daughters
of Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe, who was
a faithful follower Of James ii, were
overheard by Frances Shaftoe, a seam
stress. to remark that James Stuart,
the Chevalier st. George, was their
brother. One night the queens in
FAINT died Of commissions at Windsor
and Lady Oglethorpe brought her son,
nine days older, TO the castle and he
was substituted for the prince.
Oglethorpe's daughters had Frances
Shaftoe confined In a French convent
when they learned she shared their
secret, but she succeeded in sending
word to her mother. When II was pub
lished that Oglethorpe's son was sup
posed to be the prince the Chevalier
st. Georges plans In Scotland failed.
GATHERINGS Coup.
Immediately after Catharine and Pc
ter III assembled the throne of Rus
STA Catharine had her husband thrown
into prison and later reported his
death. Five years later stranger
who said he was Car Peter III turned
up In Montenegro. The people of that
country were sorely in need of a ruler
so they asked the alleged Peter TO lead
their armies In battle, and later he
took over the reins of government I'M
der the title Of Stephen the Little. He
established courts of law and bettered
living conditions throughout the coun-
try.
Catharine soon learned that Monte
negro was power to be reckoned
with, so she denounced Stephen as an
impostor He was thrown into jail
and a representative Of Catharine Wis
tied him. Presumably they came to
some agreement and Stephen was per-