“The family of Romanov has been transferred from Ekaterinburg to another and safer place. “The Presidium of the Reg. Soviet of W., P., and R. Dep. of the Ural. * * * * * DECISION OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE ALL-RUSSIAN CENTR. EX. COM. OF 18TH JULY A.C. “The All-Russian Centr. Ex. Com. of Soviets of W., P., R. and Cossack Deputies in the person of its Presidium approves the action of the Presidium of the Reg. Sov. of the Ural. “The President of the Tsik, Y. Sverdlov.” * * * * * The discrepancies between the Moscow and the Ekaterinburg announcements are interesting and significant, but they need not be discussed at this stage. I would call attention only to the date of the Tsik’s “decision” and to the fact that it was kept secret for two days after its ostensible issue. As a matter of fact the whole murder had been directed from Moscow, and even the text of the “announcement” had been previously approved by Sverdlov, so it is not surprising that Beloborodov disregarded dates. But the real reason was that the Red chieftains feared the people and, above all, sought to obscure the facts. I now return to the woods. On the 17th, 18th, and 19th large quantities of petrol and sulphuric acid were taken from the city to the iron pits; at least 150 gallons of the former and eleven pouds (400 lb.) of the latter. Ekaterinburg being the centre of the platinum industry required large stocks of sulphuric acid to generate the intense heat necessary for melting this hardest of metals. The Komisar of Supplies was Voikov, ex-passenger in Lenin’s German train. He it was who furnished the acid to Yurovsky as his friend Sverdlov’s agent. (I remember I wanted to order a platinum ring at a local jeweller’s during my stay in the city. He could not carry out the order because there was no sulphuric acid “since the previous year.”) There is not the shadow of a doubt as to what happened around the iron pit, as the reader will convince himself after reading the next chapter. Yurovsky’s acolytes cut up the bodies, steeped them in petrol, and burned them. The sulphuric acid was used to dissolve the larger bones. I have spoken of the mock funeral invented by the murderers to deceive public opinion in Russia and abroad. Here is the telegram that appeared in _The London Times_ of September 23, 1918:-- “Amsterdam, Sept. 22.--According to a telegram from Moscow, the _Izvestua_ gives the following description of the obsequies of the ex-Tsar, which, according to newspaper reports, were solemnly carried out by troops of the People’s Army (_sic_) at Ekaterinburg.