RASPUTIN.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 May 1919, Page 3

RASPUTIN.

DARK FORCES STILL SURVIVE. Though, Rasputin, the evil monk, lias been dead for well-uigh two years, his influence survives in Russia, and the little clique of his followers who were described as the “dark forces’ ’ of Busia exercise as much power with the B’olshcviks as they once did at the, court of the Czar himself. The strange story of these Occulists, known in Petrograd -and Moscow as “the Rasputin gang,” is told by two mining engineers, who have just made their eccapo from Russia after nearly a year's ineffectual struggle to got ■away.

Ames B. Truscott, an American, and Arthur Wcarstonc. an Australian, both hold papers signed by Trotsky himself, permitting them to leave Russia. These papers they obtained by the personal intervention of Anna Vyrubova, once the favourite lady-in-waiting on the ex-Czarina, and now th c intimate friend of Trotsky, and Madame Bronstei, Trotsky's- wife,“Of course, we had to pay through the nose for them,” Mr Truscott explains. “It is notorious among foreign ors left in Russia now that the best way to obtain permission to leave is to go with money in your hand to the Rasputin gang..”

Those people, yho exploited Kussia for money in the early days of the war. and hatched the intrigue which actually cost the Czar his throne consist of Vyrubova herself, General Yoyeikoff. Schegovitoff, and the quack doctor Badmeleff. These four, with Prot/opopofT and JEasputin himself, formed the Occult band which surrounded and corrupted the cx-Czarina. When the revolution look place they were all thrown into prison, and were still awaiting trial when the Leninites overthrew Kerensky. When that was accomplished, the release of the Oe-

enlists was one of the first cares of

tlm Bolshevik leaders. Vyrubova, thc evil genius of the unfortunate cx-Em-pross, and th e , woman who actually introduced Rasputin to her notice, was soon installed in a free apartment in the best part of the capital. While thc mistress who had fallen victim to her intrigues was first imprisoned and then murdered by the Bolsheviks, this woman was associating on terms of the closest intimacy with the very murderers of the ex-Czarina. Her wealth, and the abundant supplies ofallneces sitios and luxuries she obtains in a starving city, are one of the latest scandals of Petrograd. Thc last luxury she enjoys is that of revenge. Thc men who brought -about the revolution and shook and her friends from power down into prison, have had to flee from their lives from Russia.