New-York tribune., 1921-03-13


her autobiography. Final interro-
cation lasted from 10 o'clock in the
morning until 6 o'clock in the eve
ming without interruption until she
swooned and fell in faint. In the
evening she was informed that she
probably would be executed. On
that same day Romanoff informed
me that he had made final arrange
ments for Mrs. March's escape. He
told me to be waiting at 6 o'clock
in the evening in dark corner IN
the interior Of st. Isaac's Cathedral,
a short distance from 'Gorochovaya
Dva.' was to have a woman's hat
and cloak concealed in the cathe-
dral. purchased these from one
Of the many women of the intelli-
genzia who were selling out their
last belongings on the Nevsky.
about 5 o'clock the next day Mrs.
March was called out of her cell,
thinking it to be her last interview
on earth. The guard led her along a
passage to the women's lavatory and
motioned her to enter. She obeyed.
In the lavatory, to her surprise, she
found shabby hat, a green shawl
(by which I was to recognize herr
and two slips Of paper. One was a
pass signed by the proper officials
the signatures, of course, being
forged-saying that she entered
'Gorochovaya Dva' to see some pris-
oner relatives and that she was to be
allowed out before 7 p. m. The other
said, Walk straight to St. Isaac's
and go in
"Mrs. March told me afterward
that she was at first SO bewildered
that she did not know what to do.
She followed the instructions, how
ever, and walked past half a. dozen
guards into the street, giving up her
pass at the door. She walked
straight to st. Isaac's and I met her.
She donned the hat and cloak I had
provided, and that evening she was
transferred safely across the Finnish
frontier by Finnish smugglers Of Ro-
manoff's acquaintance. There she
joined her husband"
A great deal of his time was de-
voted by Sir Paul Dukes to the
study of the machinery and opera
ton of the Extraordinary Commits
sion. He formed no fewer than five
organizations of assistants-later
reduced to two-many of whom were
planted by him in the Extraordinary
Commission as agents, and thus OBJ
tanned an inside view of that most
terrible of ali Bolshev;st institutions.
Russia's Terror
So great is the powe-- Of the
Extraordinary Commission, this
giant octopus with a million ten
tacles extending into the home of
nearly every inhabitant of the Rus
sian cities, said Sir Paul, that even
high Bolshevist officials live in ter
ror of it. It's authority often ex-
ceeds that Of the central government.
and there have been conspicuous in
stances when even Lenine and Trotz-
ky themselves were unable to over
ride the decisions of the Extraordi
nary Commission.
The councils of five decide the fate
of the people who are gathered by
investigators. Below the investi-
gators is an army of agents whose
duty it is to follow the doings not
only Of the entire population of the
towns, but also of the army and the
lower ranks of the Communist party.
investigators vary greatly. 1t is
in the hands Of the investigator that
the fate of any given victim really
lies. Some investigators are sincere
but demoniacal visionaries, who see
the dawn Of proletarian liberty
through mists Of non-p -proletarian
blood. They are actuated by wild
longing for revenge. There are
others who are merely corrupt, who
are ready to sell themselves for a
price and regard their jobs as means
Of making fortunes by bribery.
The Good Take Bribes
THE general public class these
investigators quite simply as good
or bad, the first being those who
are human enough to take a bribe
and let their victim go, and the
second being those who show no
mercy. When any one is arrested
the first thing his friends do is to
lind out which investigator is en-
trusted with the case. If he is of
the second class hope is given un
at once. If the investigator in cues
ton is found to be good the victim
IS considered lucky and means are
taken to find out what the investi-
gators price is. The usual proceed
ure OF such an investigator is to put