late" Platon, I was arrested and thrown into jail, where I was subjected to the most horrible tortures. My poor, unfortunate babies (one an infant of two and one-half years and the other one and one-half years) were hacked up by Haidamaks (Ukrainian soldiers). Thus the "saintly" Platon deprived me not only of my money, but of my children as well.
After my imprisonment caused by Platon and Skoropadsky, I found Prelate Platon in this country in the very Consistory on East 97th Street where I had given him and Father Slunin, as heads of the institution, my savings. I came here with the sole object of getting back my deposit.
Early in November, 1921, I called at the Consistory where I found not Platon but another "Saintly Prelate" who, as is known, dislikes roast beef, but is very fond of flesh, particularly if it belongs to the female sex, and who also is not averse to males whom he can use for purposes of his own, This was none other than Bishop Alexander. Having heard me out, he told me to hand in a petition regarding the matter. When I did as ordered, he became infuriated and exclaimed "If you again dare to demand money of the Archbishop, I will have you arrested as a Bolshevik and deported to Russia."
Right there, in the Consistory, some "friends" gave me the following advice: "The well-known people's priest, Vladimir Richloy, lives in New York, on Madison Street. He is in the employ of Alexander and the Consistory. Get in touch with him, because he is a great favorite both with Alexander and with Platon himself. V. V. Buimistrov himself has the greatest reverence for him. Why, he was able to secure Buimistrov's promise to give him, as a gift, money for the purchase of the house which he, Father Vladimir, leased. This man can do anything for you, and you will get your money back to a cent."
I found Father V. Richlov at the address given me at the Consistory. In the presence of the Priest Father Vassily Ptashchuk, I tole Father Vladimir all about my trials and tribulations. Father Vladimir pretended to evince as much interest in me as my father or mother would have. He promised to aid me in everything, and showed me, in order to substantiate his claim, Platon's and Alexander's cards addressed to him. He also showed me papers in which he was addressed as "Bishop."
A couple of days later Father V. Richlov said to me: "You will get your money to a cent, but on one condition." I inquired about the condition. Richlov answered, "You see,—Metropolitan Platon has
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