Romanffs' Treasure

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 219, 15 September 1928, Page 13 (Supplement)

Roman ffs' Treasure

Mystery Woman’s Claim AMeged Damghteir ©f Tsar

r | ’EN Y r EARS have elapsed since the deposed Tsar and Tsarina of Russia and their children were assassinated in the course of the Bolshevist reign of terror. A few months ago a stir was caused by the appearance in America of a mystery w’oman claiming to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia, a daughter of the late Tsar, wdio had been numbered among the victims of the ruthless butchery of Ekaterinburg. How she escaped from the clutches of tho assassins who were ordered by Moscow to exterminate the imperial family has not. been explained. Survivors of the House of Romanoff, scattered in exile throughout the world, have not publicly recognised the supposed grand duchess. Now comes a startling development, foreshadowing a legal fight for the possession of a fortune of £200,000 W'hich the late Tsar is said to have concealed in London banks. This money, i/it exists, belongs to the heirs of the Romanoff family, but claims arc now’ being put forward for a substantial share of the treasure on behalf of the mystery woman. The story of the woman’s claims had preceded her visit to thje United States, and had created the liveliest interest among American newspapermen, but the stranger Lad a horror of publicity, and was in a state of nervous collapse when her ship arrived at New York. In order to avoid reporters and cinema operators with their artificial flares, she was permitted to remain on board the vessel aJI night. Since that time she has been living in strict seclusion as the guest of Mrs William B. Leeds, the former Princess Xenia of Greece, and has avoided all would-be interviewers. Among those who met the supposed grand duchess was Mr Bleb Botkin, son of the Russian court physician during the last days of the Empire, and playmate of the Tsar’s children. Mr Botkin is responsible for urging the woman’s claims to a share in the fortune supposed to be hidden in Eng-

land by the late Tsar. “As I was responsible for bringing the grand duchess to this country and made all the arrangements for her trip,” he declared, “1 feel we owe it to her to see her get a fair deal. Unless prompt steps are taken to register a. protest in the name of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, whatever money may be deposited for her in the Bank of England will bo claimed by her two aunts, tho Grand Duchesses Olga and Ecina, who have refused publicly to recognise Anastasia as the true heiress of the late Tsar. 4< \Ve cannot believe that thiJ refusal is either just to the Grand. Duchess Anastasia or in accordance with her wishes. Neither Mr nor Mrs Leeds has any question as to tho authenticity of their guest. They have publicly and privately recognised her as a daughter of the late Tsar. I cannot see, therefore, why they should prevent her from taking steps to obtain the property which is lawfully h'ers. Those of us who believe in Anastasia and her claims ask only that whatever money may be found to exist in England be not turned over to any of the other heirs of the Romanoff family until Anastasia’s case has been fully and legally presented’ ’ It was in the summer of 1918 that the Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina, their crippled son, a boy of 12, and their four beautiful daughters, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia, were imprisoned in a house at Ekaterinburg, a town beyond the Urals. The eldest of the grand duchesses was 23, and the youngest 17. In the early hours of a July morning the wretched captives were awakened and ordered down to the cellar. All the prisoners, except the Emperor, fell on their knees, and were shot by their remorseless executioners. The assassins bayoneted the dead, and beat in the skulls of the corpses with the butt-ends of their rifles. The bodies were taken to a disused mining shaft in the forest and flung down the pit.