Beasts in Cassocks: The Crimes of the Heads of the Russian Greek Catholic Orthodox Church in America/Chapter 34

by John Feoktist Dudikoff

CHAPTER XXXIV.

I Am Fed on Promises

The three of us then called on V. V. Buimistrov, at 350 West 87th Street. He first saw Father Ptashchuk, then inquired about my case, and promised to look into it. He told us to come for his decision on Tuesday. On Tuesday, when we called, he did not receive us in person, but sent his secretary to us, who brought this message: "We have investigated the matter of your money and confession. It was not Mearopolitan Platon who procured the confession off you, but Alexander and Father Richlov. Your confession is in Platon's hands, and if you want it returner, take back the $200.00 and cease making other demands.

I told him that I was rather to receive and not to return money. We proceeded to the Consistory, and asked to be announced to the Metropolitan or to Alexander. We were told that the Metropolitan was not receiving anybody and that Alexander had lefi for Brooklyn. Leaving Father Ptashchuk, who had some business of his own to attend to, at the Consistory, I left, bent for home. As I was mounting the stairs leading from the basement to the street, I met Bishop Alexander. I took off my hat, folded my arms, and asked for his blessing. Instead of a blessing, he shook his fist in my face, stamped his foot, and whispered maliciously: "Get out of here, you son of a bitch, you offspring of Satan! I'll break your head!" I cannot repeat

Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky, fugitive from justice because of
a robbery of a half a million dollars.

the profane words he uttered—and those very lips pray and preach in church! "I did not come to you for this abuse, Holy Father," I said to him, "but for my money, which I earned with the sweat of my brow."—"May you be accursed, Anathema! You and all your race unto the third and fourth generation! You will rot away in prison like a dog. I will have your accursed soul leave your body in the Sing Sing electric chair!" With these words he turned around, and, mumbling something, ran back to his apartments. Robbed, downtrodden, with contumely heaped upon me, I returned to our little room to my poor, sick wife.

Two or three days later Richlov came to me and coaxing me not to get excited, urged me to see Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky again. I took his advice and went to see Bishop Alexander. I found

Bandit General Semionov of Ludlow Street Jail.

with him Ambassador Boris Bakhmetyev and General Semionov. They told me not to worry about the money and encouraged me to go to Jugoslavia in order to join Baron Wrangel's Army. They hurried me away for a passport for Jugoslavia saying: "As soon as you get a passport anr bring it to us, we will turn over the money to you immediately, provided, of course, that you take your wife with you." Father Richlov accompanied me to the General Consulate, and I received in Richlov's presence a passport for Jugoslavia. I still have this passport in my possession as documentary evidence. Besides Richlov, the General Consul Vustinov anr Consul Rutzky, were present when my passport was issued.

 

---