diary of Syvorotka.

Among his documents, however, has been found the following letter,
not in his characteristic handwriting, but in that of someone else,
bearing directly upon the incidents narrated by the diarist. Written
in ungrammatical Russian, bearing many orthographic mistakes, this
document seems to be a fragment of a report, by some unidentified
co-operating agent, to his unrevealed superior.

It is deemed necessary, therefore, for purposes of clearness, to
append this document, as I find it among the literary remains of Al.
Syvorotka:

56

... "four or five days after your departure, I gave the story to P.D.;
he took it to the E * * * *; the latter made but a few corrections in
it, and P.D. copied it,--as you ordered: with different ink, and on
different paper. The fourteenth passed quietly. The new man who
took command of the guards and his assistant, assembled the men and
organized a meeting; Syvorotka was present. Some of the people spoke
of the "hidden treasury"; some spoke of the People's Tribunal; some
insisted upon a wholesale killing,--for the loyals and the Czechs are
rapidly approaching, and from everywhere come rumors about uprisings.
Finally it was decided to try the Family immediately.

The next day we were busy with the trucks; towards evening all of
them were in shape including the Number 74-M in which you ordered the
change of magneto, and ready to move. So you see--_we have done what
you ordered_, and if all happened so that we could not foresee, it was
not my fault, nor Syvorotka's, nor Phillip's.

All the day of the 16th the investigation continued, and the
Commissaries asked for the E * * * * twice; once four men went to
Ipatiev's; their conduct was outrageous. At eight in the evening I was
on my post in the red house, the wires were working fine and Philip
answered. Nachman's place answered too.

At nine I signalled to the Ipatiev's, and Princess waved "all well,"
but could not continue for a Red came to the window and shut it with
a bayonet. It had already begun to get very dark, so I phoned again to
Philip and Syvorotka and asked them whether they had orders to start.
I was told that they had not heard anything from the house. I decided
to wait a little longer and then to 'phone to Tikhvinsky to inquire
whether or not the Nun was on her place, so I could go and investigate
why S-y did not start. At ten I called up, but the 'phone was dead.
While I was waiting for some