Dunkirk Evening Observer from Dunkirk, New York • Page 9

I i i of i Freda liatpulm't orgies. I Tha titter caricature ia ilon is one the iUuitrah'ons from Falop- Mulert biography of the mad monfr. (Reproduced by courtesy ot The Viking By EMERY DERI ERY few of the recent European books have so greatly captured the fancy of American rcaden as Rasputin, Rene Fulop-Milkr's remarkable biography of that mysterious, monk who played so a part ia the downfall of Czarist Russia. Both the literary, world and the reading public received cqnaDy well this sensational volume which attracted unusual attention all over Europe and is now well on its way to being included in the list of this year's best sellers. This colorful account of amazing life paints Km as a contradictory figure--never completely a charlatan, sKver completely sincere; hypnotic in his power over women many men, supeihuman in his appetites and energies, lovable and odious, childlike and jet crafty.

"Preacher and brawler, redeemer and debauchee." says Fulop-Miller, "he became ihe friend of the Emperor and Empress, worshipped as a Mini by society ladies, and revered by politicians. Kenerals and princes of the church as au uncrowned ruler of Europe." The murder of the "Mad Monk." as this newest book him reveals, foreshadowed the death of an ancient djrnasty and hastened the collapse of the largest nation in Europe. While Mr. Fulop-Milltr's colorful biographical study is continuing its victorious march in this country, back in the author's natite Europe the sombre details of a grim tragedy are being unfolded by those few who know intimately the weird and peculiar story of this book. For behind the international success of published in this country by the Viking Press, New York-lies, hidden from the public, a human drama as strange and unusual the story of Russia's "Holy Devil." as mysterious and as moch fraught with intrigues as the tale told by the author of "Rasputin." OR three long years no one.

not even Fulop-Miller himself, knew the exact details of this drama. The heroine of the drama, a young Hungarian woman of matchless beauty, who so greatly contributed to the success of his book, had mysteriously disappeared and every attempt to solve the mjstery was thwarted by the Russian authorities. Fugitives Krom Russia told about a night raid on her home, about political intrigues, dark accusations, even about a love affair and fatal results--but the whole truth could not be learned. Here was a mystery drama with its most important scenes pieced together from a maze of contrasting information, but still lacking the climax, the mystery's final solution. At last, a few weeks ago, a new Soviet representative arrived in Berlin and brought with himself the solution of the drama.

"The fate of the beautiful Freda Gardos?" he said to those who inquired about the hero- ite'i fate. -TPoor is dead. Dead since three yean. It's a sad dory. She was shot! Found guilty of treason.

The reasons? Many "of them. The meat important is here." And be pointed at a book lying on his table. It was the German edition "Rasputin." Ifatfarg't Kurt. I was about four yean ago that chance pteaJeJ. brought together Rene Fulop-Miller.

the brilliant young Hungarian' writer, and Freda Gardos, a young woman famous for her exquisite beauty, her wit and her quite unusual culture. They net in Moscow, where Fulop-MiHer' had gone in search of original material for his contemplated book about the life of Ras- putin and where the beautiful Freda Gardos had lived since the downfall of the short-lived communistic regime in Hungary. It was not merely politics which prompted her to leave her native Budapest, where she was feted and loved as the accomplished type" of modem womanhood. She had' been particularly interested in politics and was drawn the circle of Hungarian radicals more by her family connections than by her own "enthusiasm for the principles Bolshevism. One of her listen, Mariska Gardos, was a very able poetess and an ardent worker Socialist Party, and her stirring poems were recited at well-nigh all labor neeticgs.

i. Freda married during the war. and her husband, the weD- foown Arpad Siabadot, alto'belonged tojihe general staff of the Hungarian Socialist Party. Though Freda herself was mere interested ia ait and educational w-oik, it was oruite natural that she became a' sympathizer frith 'the Socialist novemcBt, and matt of her friends were' recruited from the progressive circles. At her lea parties appeared not only the leaders of the radical movement, but also the young poets, writers and artists who fought for progressmsm in art and literature and regarded the Socialist leaders as their natural allies.

HEN a coup-de-main suddenly established the Bolshevist regime ia Hungary, the radical friends el Freda Gardoi were swept into power. Her husband received an important appointment from the government and Ihe position of a peoples commissar for education was offered to her. i Here at Last Is the True Story. i Of a Beautiful Hungarian 1 Woman i Who.Wfnt to Russia Refused The Advances of a i Bolshevik Spy Was Accused By Giving i A A Oecret Injormalion to IVlan. Who Wrolejhe Sensational Life Of the Mad Monk Rasputin Was Tried and Put to Death, Her Life the Unnecessary rf Rene Fulop-Miller.

To him the glory of a freal bool(. eipot- ing a momfrr aha posed as a monlf. On Aim, nfedlealf, the blame for the Jealh of Freda Gardot. Freda, however, refuted. saing that she did not know anything about politics and did not want to be forced into position for which she considered henelf unfit.

This was the reason why she was not arrested when the Bolshevist regime collapsed after three months and the Hungarian praons were filled with her friends, all leaders of the Communist Party. Dr. Arpad Szabados was also among those who were put in prison, charged with treason exiled Btla and fomenting revolution. Freda was left IntauJeJ. without any financial meani and was obliged gox to work a stenographer-in an office, supporting put of her salary not only henelf, but also various members of her family.

After months of anguish for the life of her husband, the court announced its sentence: tweUe years in prison, which was changed at the intervention of the Russian government to banishment from Hungary. All neighboring countries refused asylum to the Communist leader and there was only one place for Dr. Szabados to go: Russia. Freda, of course, accompanied her husband and made her home in Moscow, the city where all the radical ideas of her friends were realized and which now became the home cf.ill eiiled Hungarian Communists. ANY among these people, all of whom knew the beau- tifu Freda Gardos, received important from the Sonet gorerunent.

some of them even holding highly mflnential positions. There was Bela Kun, the tx-didator of Hungary, who was a people's comimstar Moscow: there was Joseph Pogany. the ex-head of Hun- Amy and.now one of the chiefs of the foreign propaganda committee, and there was her own husband, who abo received a position from the government. Atam the opportunity presented itself to Freda Gardos to play role radical politid. but again she refused.

If she had previously been mildly disinterested in politics, now she became tick and tired of this game, which caused her to live a exile. She took the modest job of a stenographer, was serene and cheerful and seemed to be content with her Jot. Of course, the unusual beauty of the young woman attracted the attention of inany in Moscow. Just as it' had in Budapest. But while in Budapest her beauty had provoked secret love and open admiration, in Bolshevist Moscow, when morals were more lax.

it had a more direct and somewhat embarrasxmg effect. Men courted her and wanted her to divorce her husband, ethers pursued her with offers of love. Freda, however, remained cool to all this wooing and admiration. (Ccpyrlffct. Ill), N'EA Uamlnt--JvlntM In U.

U. Dr. Arfad SzabaJoi. hut- band of the Freda CarJot. For Km prison.

ditgrace, exile. There was a small circle of fiiends which gathered around her interfiling figuir, but most members of this circle were her old friends, Hungarian exiles, who found a home-like almophere in her house. Sometimes a few Russians were also invited to her after-dinner lea parlies, men of literary interest or political influence. One among these, who appeared regularly at llie Szabados home, was a secret service man called Maxim Grus- now. commander of a so-called terrorist detachment, who loon fell under the magic spell of Freda's beauty.

In his mail passion this man became so aggmsie llial Freda aked her husband not to invite him any more. R. SZABADOS, however, was by now too much immersed in Bolshevistic politics and too little interested in his wife to heed Freda's warnings. It seemed to him impossible to tell Comrade Grusnow no; to come any more. He Has a man too dangerous to make an enemy of.

It happened under such circumstances that Mr. Fulop- Miller armed in Moscow and met Freda Gardos. The two knew each other from hearsay: Freda knew that the writer was a member of the staff of the Vienna Neue Freie Presse and a bom Hungarian, and the writer knew that Freda Gardos was one of the most beautiful women in Moscow. He- sides, the writer's wife having once been a good friend of Miss Gardos, it was cjuite natural that Mr. Rene Fulop- Miller was eager to nuke the acquaintance of this woman.

Shortly alter his arrival in Moscow he called on her with a letter from his wife and asked her lo help him along in Moscow, a city with which he was unfamiliar and where people spole a language unknown to him. For many months, practically all the time Mr. Fulop-Miller spent in Moscow, the two were almost always seen together. Freda, who spoke Russian fluently, served as an interpreter for the journalist, the introduced him to important Russian officials, told him where be could get authentic material for his book on Rasputin. Fulop-Miller.

introduced in Freda's circle of friends, made the acquaintance of Comrade Grusnow. too. They did not like each other particularly. Fulop-Miller knew that this tall fellow pursued Freda with his unsolicited attention, and Comrade Grusnow suspected a rival in the writer. But there was no open enmity between the two.

When Fulop-Miller left the Russian capital he didn't even think of Comrade Grusnow. He was sorry to leave Freda Gardos, promised to writ: her regularly. There came, however, no lettert from Freda Gardoi. i BOUT three months had passed since Fulop-Miller bad left Moscow, when Hungarian refugees from Russia brought strange newt lo Vienna, where Fulop-Miller then lived. They told that Dr.

Arpad Szibados had been arrested and, afler a speedy trial, sent lo Siberia. They also told that the who offered evidcsce against him was a man named Mtxim Grusnow, i member cl the Bolshevist secret service, that Freda was not permitted to leave her house. This was the last newt Fulop-Miller received about Freda Gardot from Russia. For three long years nothing leaked out about her fate except rumors. The Soviet authorities pretended to be ignorant of the Lf la i I a a graph eier taken of Freda Gar Jot.

In Dohheviit Afoscou', men courted her end iranled her to JiVorce her ItuibanJ. Became the remained tool, her life vat lalftn. of Freda Gardos and promised an investigation, but nothing came out of it. 'Hie strange case of Freda Gardos remained a mystery, until the solution was given by the Hungarian Soviet official in Berlin. Here it is: FEW days after the departure of Fulop-MiUer from Moscow, Dr.

Szabados told bis friends that Comrade Grusnow visited his wife at a time when he was certain that she was alone in the house, Grusnow had again declared that he was madlv in love with her and again asked her to divorce Dr. Szabados and lo marry him. Fieda refused, but Crusnow grew insistent, made im- advances and when Freda bade him leave the house at once, he uttered threats. Il is known lhat, two weeks later. Dr.

Szabados was arrested by terrorists, brought before the revolutionary tribunal and was acemed of having given anti-Communist material lo Rene Fulop-Miller, who med ihem in articles about conditions in Russia. It was a speedy trial, Grusnow being the slate's only wil- ne-ts. The court pronounced the sentence al once: exile to Siberia for an indefinite time. The night Freda's husband left for Siberia, some of his fiiends went to visit Freda and were not permitted to enter the apartment. Two armed terrorists with bayonets fixed stood Ruaid the door.

Freda's friends rushed to Bela Kun. aiking his immediate interference in the woman's behalf. The former Red dictator of Hungary went at once lo the Kremlin afler he had bade Freda's fiiends lo wait in his office. He returned two houis later, his face pall'il. AM sorry," he said.

"I can't do anjthing. Freda was taken into custody by Grusnow'i terrorists. The charge against her is treason and conspiracy. Grus- now sa)s lie has proofs lhat she gave important documents to Fulop-Miller. docuroelu which were marked in the chnes Documents about Rasputin and documents of political importance.

"Grusnow also says that lie has proofs thai she is a spy. She received, according lo Grusnow. payment from Fulop- Miller in the form of gifts. For the time being she is in Grusnow's hands. There will be a trial, of course, and 1 will see whit I can do then As is known, there was a trial in the case of Freda Gardos three months later.

During these three months she was held incommunicado in the subterranean prison where the most dangerous political prisoners were held. None of her friends ever saw her alive from the time she was imprisoned, and none of them learned where she was buried. As lo the trial, it was held behind closed doors. The records about it are rather laconic. Comrade Grusnow was the only witness, who testified that he had been watching; Freda's "activities" for months for the sole purpose of getting evidence against her.

He also told that he had overheard dialogues between Freda and Rene Fulop-Miller. in which she give the author "acti-reiolutionary information" about conditions in Russia. He often referred to documents about Rasputin, which, he said, Fulop-Miller received from Freda Gardos. I iHE defendant denied these accusations and asked that other witnesses be heard. The court, however, having been satisfied with the evidence, denied this motion.

She was found guilty of treason, conspiracy against thr Soviet Republic and was sentenced to be shot The sen- trace was exmitrd the following rooming in the cellar of the prison. The body was given lo the Grusnow detachment for burial, but the actual record of the burial is missing. Two months later Grusnow hrnnelf was sent to the Caucasus. Nothing has been heard of him since. Futop-Miller, after learning of the fate of Freda Gardos, is said to have suffered a nervous breakdown, in spite of fact that he knows the Hungarian woman's violent end was brought about by the villainy of spurned Terrorist Grusnow.

So keenly does he feel the tragedy of the friend whose life was the unnecessary price of "Rasputin," be dors not even want to discuss his literary triumph..