RASPUTIN THE MONK

. AMAZING STORIES OF IMPERIAL PATRONAGE .NEW .REVELATIONS During the^ last and most sinister decade of Rasputiji'e life, no one knew more of his secrets than Aron Simohovitcli, writes E. H. Wileox, Bei'lin correspondent of the "Daily Telsgraph." Their friendship dated from- 1900, when Simonovitch had a small 'jeweller's shop in Kieff. When he moved to Pitersburg a couple <yi years later, the acquaintance was rcsumod, and it gradually became more and more intimate, till at the end he was more-in'Ras-putin's confidence and had more influence over him than, anyone else. Nominally ha was Rasputin's 'secretary," but this post, was only a blind. In reality he remained a jeweller, moneylender and keeper of gaming-houses, and his propin-, quity to the most powerful man in ..Russia was of great value to him in these callings. He was, however, Rasputin's regular adviser on financial,, political, and other matters, and the ascendancy he acquired in this way he used for the benefit not only of, himself, but also of his fellow Jews, and especially of the poorest and most oppressed of them. • / At first the Tsarist police did not like Simonovitch'a association with Rasputiu. .By degrees, however, the Chief of the Petersburg police satisfied himself that the moneylender's influence over Rasputin was, on the whole, for the good, and that he restrained him in his licentiousness. In the end, very cordial relations were established between the police and Simonovitch, who even revealed to them his intention to secure through Rasputin the position of Minister of Justice for his friend N. A. Dobrovolski. This plan Simonovitch actually realised, and there can thus be no doubt that at least one Minister of State during the last days of the old regime in Russia was nominated by an obscure Jewish moneylender and keeper of gambling dens. He was, in fact, one of those "dark forces" behind the man behind the throne, of whom,so much was heard during the last sittings of .the old Duma. On the other band, the claims put forward by him in his memoirs, just published at,-Berlin, to have been, the-source of both the initiative and the decision in nil the most important acts of Government during the last months of the rciprn of Nicholas 11. cannot be allowed without very critical scrutiny. - A SIMPLE PILGRIM. After all that iias been established beyond doubt as to the power and performances of ;Rasputin, it is a little daring to say that anything was impossible in the Russia of Nicholas II.," but Simonovitch's statements, nevertheless, .^sometimes ' approach., very closely the .. boundary of credulity. Only with such reservations is it possible to repeat what he says on a few salient episodes, of which his ver-sions-differ materially from those of other equally credible witnesses. The cases in question are all among those on which he appeals either to his own personal observations or to the statements of Rasputin. Among the latter is the story of how the 'starcte" was discovered by the Montenegrin ' princesses, the Grand Duchesses Anastasia and Militza. They were in Kieff on a pilgrimage, nnd were staying at the hostel of the 'Monastery of St Michael. > "One morning they noticed in the coiirt-•y-ard of the monastery a simple pilgrim who was chopping wood. In this way he earned money to pay for his keep. It was Kasputifl;'. He had already made pilgrim'ageslto. holy places and monasteries, and was then returning fronv his second pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Kasputii looked at the ladies sharply, and gave them a. polite greeting. They put various questions to ( him, and in this way a conversation developed. The unknown pilgrim interested the ladies." ■ On further acquaintance "Rasputin told the ladies he could cure all sorts of diseases, feared neither devil nor magician, could foretell the future, and also could avert impending misfortunes. He talked with such fire and conviction, and his grey, penetrating eyes shone so. suggestively, that his hearers were- quite. delighted with him. They felt for him a mystical veneration.' Easily accessible to> every superstition, they believed they had met a worker of miracles such' as their hearts had longed for. One evening one of them put to Rasputin the direct question whether he could cure a boy who was suffering from haemophilia. Rasputin "replied with an assured affirmative., -Indeed, he...-said he was very familiar with the mysterious disease; and he described" its symptoms with astonishing precision. The picture he drew corresponded exactly with the 'illness of the Tsarevitch. Still greater-was the impression made by his assertion.; that he had already cured many persons of. this illness. He also named the herbs which he used for the purpose. The ladies were happy at the apparent opportunity to render the'lmperial pair an-un-forgettable service, by curing their son.; They told Rasputin about the.Tsarevitch's illness, which at that'time waa quite uri- 1 known to. the public, and he offered to cure it. In this way.AYas tied .the knot which waa only,;, cut i>y .the murder of the mir-acle-worker: and the storms of' the second revolution.;-:.-The rule of jftasputin had begun." •"■;■■/■■'■■- ':V ..'■;■■■-.. .:•. CORD KITCHENER'S DEATH. What the '■ author says about the death of Lord Kitchener .is certainly debatable. He writes that one day. Rasputin returned from Court with the ■ story. that a great misfortune had happened, and that the Tsaritsa, overcome with anxiety, was continually weeping and tearing her hair. "It is dreadful what papa. has been up to," added Rasputin; "it looks as if he would be the ruin of us all." At first the "s'taretz" refused; further details," but eventually he said:"A great misfortune has happened. An English general was on his way to ÜB.' He was going to help us and do something to bring the war to a.successful end. But his ship has been sunk by the Germans. It is said that we were to blame. German spies in Russia are said to nave betrayed, that the English general was on his way here." The author's narrative continues: "Rasputin told us further that' the Tsaritsa feared the suspicion of treachery might fall on her because she was a German.. She begged Rasputin to discover by means of his supernatural powers who was responsible for Kitchener's death. 'Thus I learnt for the first time,' said Rasputin, 'that we were expecting the English general. My powers do not work with foreigners, but I will soon find out who knew about Kitchener's departure. They say he was a very clever man.' '(Three days later I learnt from Rasputin that'he had had a talk with Nicholas 11. The Tsar was already somewhat calmer. He told Rasputin that he was ml formed of Kitchener's departure by a secret telegram. That morning he saw only the Palace Commandant Voyekoff and Admiral' Niloff. He lunched, with; them, and at lunch a good deal was drunk. "'Ah, I see,' said Rasputin'to the Tsar, 'so you were drunk and told your friends about the telegram. Voyekoff then blabbed it to the German spy Andronikoff, and he in his turn informed the Germans.' The Tsar inquired of Voyekoff, who con-, festeed that he had actually passed on to Prince Andronikoff the news which he had received from the Tsar."