THE MYSTIC MONK.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1917, Page V

THE MYSTIC MONK.

RASPUTIN'S CAREER. STRANGE fNFLUENCF. IN ROYAL , HOUSEHOLD. Gregory Rasputin, the notorious "mystic monk," whose death has lately been reported, was an extraordinary person age, ,vno exercised a, strange' influence over the Czarina. It .is stated that he inspired her with the belief that so lons as he was injar no evil oould befall the Czarevitch, and when, by a strange oo incidence, the heir to the throne was striken by a mysterious illness nearly five years ago, the fact that Rasputin was awfty at the time strengthened the mother's belief in his miraculous faculties One by one the Czarina's trusted friends and retainers left or were dismissed, and their places were taken by Rasputin's nominees.

For instance, a woman who superintended the education of thp Grand Duchess, an old, trusted retainer, resigned after a stormy interview with the C/tar. during which she protested strongly against Rasputin being allowed to Winter the young girl's apartments at anv hour of the day or night. Later or., Rodzianko, President of ~'ic Duma, also spoke to the Czar .on the same subject, only to lie abused for "impertinent interference."

Two years ago Kionia Goussiewa, j SiDerJM; woman, attempted to stab the monk. Following the news of the attempt upor. Rasputin's life, the International News Service correspondent went b J'okrowskoie, where, after considerable difficulty, he succeeded in obtaining an interview with the woman. Mine. Goussiewa. She was a pathetic figure, old, bent, and somewhat hideous-looking, owing tc having lost her nose as thj result of illness. ' The assassin is a staunch supporter of that other notorious monk, Uliciore, who owes hi disgrace to the influence of -Rasputin "I had long intended to kill Rasputin," said Mine. Goussiewa,. ''in order to avenge the hideous wrongs he has do:io t'Jider the guise of religion. "Nobody can have any idea pf what a monster he is. He'deeeiv.es everybody, he has dishonored our Czar and brought shame upon the whole of Russia "Knowing he is assured of immunity, dozens of women and.girls, both rich arid pcor, have fallen under his spell It was lie who caused the fall and disgrace oi that holy man lllidore.

"I'm only sorry I didn't kill him outright. I wanted to give him another blow, but hi? son seized my hand. Whet do I care for life? I'm incurably ill, and it is a matter of indifference to mo whether I die sooner or later.

"I followed Rasputin for a long time, determined to kill him, and bought the knife especially to do so a year ago. Before Whitsuntide, in Yaltai, I once got quite near him, -and was preparing to strike, but he was surrounded by Court ladies, who always follow him, and I didn't wish to harm them." lleio the woman burst into tears,

"Even if he doesn't die now, Rasputin will bo. killed before long. Russia 'can't bear the shame with which this monster covers her."

The Czarina went into dreadful hy terics when she heard the news of the slabbing, and wanted to go immediately tc Pokrowskoie to nurse Rasputin herself, but the Czar almost by force hud 1-er put on the Imperial yacht for Finland, where she is completely prostrated, and refused to return to Petrograd to receive President Poincaire of France

Before leaving the Czarina insisted that her friend Mme Wyronbcff, go te Rasputin's side immediately and send daily reports of the monk's condition. Until he was*3p years of age Rasputin was only known in his obscure village in, the south of Russia as a horse thief and a debauche. He was a splendidly successful horse-lifter; he was a Rabelaisian reveller. Then lie suddenly became religious, retired into solitude, and gradually acquired the reputation of a saint and a faith healer. The superstitions peasants saw in his reformation the intervention of their Providence. lie went to a small monastery and schemed his way irregularly into holy orders In the confessional he intrigued with a rich merchant's widow, inveigled her into becoming his patron, and through her reached Petrograd. He possessed some extraordinary Svengali influence over all womenkind. They were as putty in his hands, and he used them to push his way through the church to the court,' until he stood on the right hand of ho Czarina, ami became the Law and the Word to botli her and the Czar. Hi: became immensely wealthy by using hi; position at court, and although he was only a common moujik, scarcely able tc, I read or write, his sway was so univerI sal and the greatost in the lain] sought admission to his saloon. Wherever he went he was always accompanied by a bevy of beautiful fertile disciples, quite a number of whom died unexpectedly from some undetected ailment. He was a chartered libertine of Russia, yet the Czamsa openly attributed the birth of the Czarevitch in 1004 to Rasputin's intercession. He made open boast of his gross immorality, and was once banished for a particularly shocking scandal. Put he told the Empress that something terrible would follow his exile. The Czarevitcji fell ill, and he was brought post-haste back to Petrograd again t) become the sinister man of mystery.