THE CZAR'S END.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1920, Page 6

THE CZAR'S END.

r WHOLE FAMILY MURDERED. A GHASTLY STORY. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyrlelit. London, Aug. 2S. The story of the actual murder of the Czar and his family is ghastly. Yurovsky was Soviet leader at Ekaterinburg-, and Medveder acted when he was ab-' sent. Yurovsky ordered Medveder to collect a guard and revolvers and inform tie guard it was intended to shoot the Czar and the whole family. The guard received the information without protest. At midnight Yurovsky visited the P.Qtfal chambers, awakened the houseIXjld. and explained that trouble was imminent in the town and that it,was necessary to remove thorn to ensute their safety. The family dressed and took with them pillows, possibly containing valuables. The Czar carried the Czarevitch Alexis, and descended to the semi-basement. where in the var-1 stood a motor lorry ready to carry off the bodies. They entered the room, the windows of whMi were covered with gratings. A machine-gun was placed at the door. At the Czar's request chairs were provided. •Afte" waiting some time Yurovskyentered, and announced: "Your relatives tried to save you, but failed, so we are compelled to shoot you." As' he ended speaking twelve Red Guards fired, and all the Royal party fell. The Our, Czarina, and three of their children. tJie doctor, and two servants were killed instantly. The Czarevitch struggled on the ground, and Yurovsky finished "him off with a revolver. The Grand Duchess Anastasia rolled on the floor and fought desperately, till Yurovsky shot her. Demindove, maid of honour, was untouched by tile fifst volley and ran p-maming about the room till bayonetted. The bodies were then removed, and all hands started cleaning up the roorn. They knew the public would not approve of the murders, and there was 110 time to frame up a story to lit the surroundings. Clear corroborative evidence of the above story has been secured from Mcdverder and two others, Yekimovd and Proskurialco. .Medveder told his wife everything, boasting that he was the only Russian who participated, all the others being foreigners. The other witnesses, when arrested for blowing up a bridge, confirmed the whole except their personal participation, though they admitted they watched the others do the killing. In his signed depositions Medveder states that Yuroksky sent him out to see if anybody was about who had heard the firing. When he returned lie saw the floor covered with blood, which was flowing in torrents. The Czarevitch was still alive and groaning. Yurovsky fired point blank two or three times. Yekimovd was formerly a sergeant in the Russian Guard. He corroborated the story, and declared that he. felt sorry for the prisoners, but dared not speak. He saw the murders with his own eyes, and in his terror went about all over the town repeating the story. Proskuriakov, a youngster, was locked up on the premises for drunkenness, and released for the eJean-up. He heard Medveder admit the guards and discuss the murders.—Aus.-X.Z. Cable Assn.