Beasts in Cassocks: The Crimes of the Heads of the Russian Greek Catholic Orthodox Church in America/Chapter 39

by John Feoktist Dudikoff

The Holy Father's "Good time". Scene one.

The Holy Father's "Good time". Scene two.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Affidvait of Maria M. Bogdanova-Dudikoff

Wife of former Captain of the Russian Army, Priest John F. Dudikoff.

Maria M. Bogdanova-Dudikoff, being duly sworn, deposes and says that she was with her husband in Petrograd, Russia, in June, 1917 and that her husband wrote a letter to the defendant, Metropolitan Rozhdesttvensky, requesting him to return the $7,800.00 which he owes him;

That Platon Rozhdestvensky gave my husband 5,600 rubles in 500-ruble notes, in the Kiev Hostelry in the ecity of Petrograd, in the same month of June. These rubles were valueed at 42 rubles to a dollar;

That Platon was given a receipt by my husband and that on the lower part of the receipt which my husband signed, it was designated that the balance would be paid by Metropolitan Rozhdestvensky in American dollars;

That she saw how Rozhdestvensky crumpled up and threw away the old reeceipt which her husband contended should not be considered;

That her husband, having been seriously wounded in the war, the said Rozhdestvensky called her aside and said that her husband would hardly live long, and that she should not be afraid that the money might be lost and, making the sign of the cross, added: "I will pay out the money to a copeck, and I'll pay it in Dollars."

That she also was with her husband in Moscow in the same year and that there Metropolitan Rozhdestvensky, in the apartment of the all-Russian Patriarch Tikhon, at the Swiato-Troyetzky Hostelry, gave his word that he would refund the $7,800.00 with interest, in American dollars and asked her husband to wait a few days, promising to notify him when the dollars would come, in order to pay either her husband or herself.

That all these promises made in the presence of the all-Russian Patriarch Tikhon, turned out to be lies. Metropolitan Rozhdestvensky did not keep his promise and left for the Caucasus without having written a single word to her husband, regarding the payment in dollars, which he had promised to make before the Patriarch.

That she was with her husband in Kiev in January, 1918, and asked him to make up with Platon in order not to run the danger of being persecuted by the said Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky.

That some of their acquaintances advised him not to sign the bank account where they thought the money was not in danger, but that they considered that if the detendant Platon would succeed in getting hold of their account, it would be easy for them to prove it as soon as theey reached New York, as the money was deposited by the deponent's husband in the Cathedral at 15 East 97th Street.

That her husband believed that he would receive the money due him excepting, of course, the part which he had already received.

That deponent was also present when her husband signed the first part of exhibit "D" and that her husband demanded the money which, he was promised, would be paid him and which was not refunded;

That two days later she was present when her husband signed the second part of exhibit "D" and haw that, as soon as he signed it, soldiers rushed into the room, gave the deponent a severe beating and took her husband away. They demanded that the deponent also sign, which she flatly refused to do;

That no money was paid her husband at the time while she was attacked, and as a result threw herself out of the window from the second story into the street whence the people who assembled under the window sent her to the hospital;

That a few days later, having regained her consciousness the deponent learned that her two children had been hacked to death by the leaders of the infuriated crowd of Germans and Haidamacks (Ukrainian soldiers) who rushed into deponent's apartment;

That these leaders were Lubansky and Semashkevitch who were employed by Metropolitan Platon and Hetman Skoropadsky;

That later on, when various governments replaced one another in Kiev, they were in the habit of releasing prisoners and that deponent's husband escaped from prison and when Skoropadsky re-entered the city her husband had to go into hiding again;

That subsequently she rejoined her husband and, after the troubles and tribulations they had undergone, they went to Poland and succeeded in obtaining a passport to the United States, where they arrievd, in the Port of New York, on November 1, 1921.

Subscribed and sworn to before a Notary Public.

(Signed) MARIA M. BOGDANOVA-DUDIKOVA

208 East 13th Street, N. Y.
July 20, 1922.

AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
SS

I, PRIEST VASSILY PTASHCHUK, a villager of Troyanovoka of the Teofipolsk Rural Commuity, District of Starokonstantinov, Government of Volhynia, was, born on January 1, 1876, and am now residing in New York City.

The White Slave
Holy of Fathers

I met John F. Dudikoff in New York, in December, 1921, at the home of Priest Vladimir Richlov, who employed me in the capacity of psalm-reader. I saw Dudikoff at Father Richlov's house a few times and was present when he asked Father Richlov to help him, Dudikoff, to get back from Metropolitan Platon and the Consistory on East 97th Street the $2,800.00 plus interest, which Dudikoff had deposited at the Mission Bank for safe-keeping, and also the $5,000.00 which Metropolitan Platon took of him in 1914 and, together with Archpresbyter John Slunin, gave Dudikoff shares of the Oil Field Company, whose oil-wells are located between the Caspian and the Azov Seas, as security.

Later, from a personal conversation with Dudikoff, I learned in greater detail about this money and what Dudikoff had suffered at the hands of Platon in Kiev (Russia), because he dared to ask for the return of his money. Whenever Dudikoff and Father Richlov spoke about it at the latter's home, I was well aware what it was al about, in spite of the fact that Father Richlov would often call Dudikoff aside and hold a whispered conversation with him. The affair became still clearer to me when Father V. Richlov made the following demand of me:

"You must keep to yourself all you have heard at my home regarding the money deposited by Dudikoff in Metropolitan Platon's Mission Bank, as well as the money taken of Dudikoff by Platon and Slunin for which they gave him the Oil Field Compaly's shares as security. When you are alone with Dudikoff you must draw him out and report to us what he is planning to undertake against Platon and Alexander in order to get his money back. If Dudikoff should ever bring suit in Court and calls you as a witness, you must testify that you have never been prssent during my conversations with Dudikoff, never heard anything of his money or shares, and flatly deny everything. Owing to this, Dudikoff will not get his money of the Metropolitan, and the Metropolitan will thank you."

Seeing that they were intending to cheat poor John F. Dudikoff out of his money, I was more inclined to do all I could to help him rather than to side with the conspirators and cheats. When, therefore, Dudikoff himself asked me to be of assistance to him, I agreed without any hesitation or subterfuge to keep an eye on Father V. Richlov I always tried to be near Father Richlov, although unobserved by him. whenever he met John Dudikoff. I thus was present at their meetings, and this entire affair, unworthy of the high calling of the clergy, has not escaped my attention. Only once did Father Richlov see me in the Consistory with Dudikoff, but this was after last meeting of Dudikoff and Richlov.

On May 18, 1922, I saw Father Richlov leave Dudikoff on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 97th Street, New York. Richlov went to the Consistory, returned with a little book and handed it ti Dudikoff. It later turned out to be a Baptist version of the Gospels. I further saw that Father Richlov, after another talk with Dudikoff went once more to the Consistory, and having emerged from there fifteen minutes later, took him to an ice-cream parlor on the corner of 96th Street. I followed them to the ice-cream parlor and saw through the window how Father Richlov, having counted out nine bills at $20.00 each, handed them to John Dudikoff, put the tenth $20.00 bill into his own pocket, and taking out a card handed it to Dudikoff. Dudikoff wrote something on the card and returned it to Father Richlov. Afterwards, Dudikoff explained to me that Father Richlov had him sign a receipt for the $200.00, and having no paper, Dudikoff wrote the receipt on Father Richlov's visiting card. It was 7:00 o'clock in the evening when I saw all this.

The next day I was present, this time without hiding, at the meeting between Father V. Richlov and Dudikoff on Chambers Street. I stood so near them that I heard everything that passed between them, particularly so that, being excited, both spoke very loudly, especially Father Richlov. To Dudikoff's question: "When am I going do get the balance?" Father Richlov, all excited, replied: "Why are you so uneasy? What else do you wish? You received the Gospels, you received $200.00 and the rest of the money—the $2,600.00 you deposited in the Mission Bank and the $5,000.00 for which they gave you shares, Metropolitan Platon will pay you to a cent to-morrow. You will also get a position at $50.00 a week. And if you insist, you will get nothing at all, and I will say that I don't know anything about the matter. Remember that you have already walked into our trap by having signed your confession."

I saw the rough draft of the "Written Confession", whitten in Father Richlov's hand (his handwriting is very well known to me), from which Dudikoff copied his "Confession". I am familiar with the contents of the "Written Confession" because I had the rough draft in my hands and read it. This "Written Confession" was signed by Dudikoff in my presence and his signature was ceritfied by Notary Public Joseph Podlesny in the latter's office at 9th Street near Third Avenue.

Early in June, 1922, I called three times together with Dudikoff, at the Consistory, 15 East 97th Street.

The first time, on a Wednesday, we saw Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky. Dudikoff asked Bishop Alexander in my presence when his money, $7,600.00 would be refunded to him, saying that he, Dudikoff, had meanwhile received only $200.00 and a New Testament. To this Alexander Nemolovsky replied: "I know nothing about it. It was not I who sent you either the money or the New Ttestament. Com back at 3:00 o'clock on Friday afternoon. Father Richlov will be here then, and he will discuss the matter." With this Dudikoff and I left.

The second time we called, as told by Bishop Alexander, on Friday but at 2:00 o'clock instead of at 3:00 o'clock. We asked to be announced to Metropolitan Platon or to Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky. With us was also Dudikoff's wife. We had to wait until 3:30. We asked once more to be announced. The butler, returning from the Bishop's apartment, said to us: "The Bishop asks you to call to-morrow, because Father Richlov is not here at present and therefore you can get no audience."

In spite of this answer we decided to wait. Soon Alexander Nemolovsky appeared, accompanied by another clergyman. Dudikoff was the first to ask the Bishop for his blessing, but as soon as Alexander espied him he literally leaped aside and the priest who was with him instinctively jumped aside from the Bishop. Alexander then shouted: "Go to the devil! No blessing for you!" And in another minute he added: "I have already sent word to you that Father Richlov was not here and that therefore there will b no recption. I hav not and am not going to announce you to Metropolitan Platon. If you don't like the New Testament he presented you with, leave it here." After this, Bishop Alexander ran out of the room, and we went to call on V. V. Buimistrov, head of the Russian Relief, at his office, 350 West 87th Street, to ask his advice.

At first Buimistrov received only myself. After having heard my request, he asked me who the man with me was. I introduced Dudikoff, and the latter told Buimistrov in detail about his case, mentioning also his "Written Confession." Buimistrov promised to look in into the matter thoroughly and asked us to come for an answer on Tuesday.

Under the fresh impression of Bishop Alexander's words: "There will be no reception because Father Richlov is not in," I askd Buimistrov: "Mr. Buimistrov, will you kindly tel me, who is the Elder in our Consistory, and who is in charge of receiving callers, Bishop Alexander or Father Richlov?" To this Buimistrov replied that Alexander was in charge of receiving callers, and I told him how Alexander had got rid of us with thse excuse that there could be no audience because Father Richlov was not in.

On Tuesday, we called again at Buimistrov's office, as per appointment. In spite of the fact that he himself had invited us, Buimistrov did not come out to us but sent his assistant who stated: "We have investigated the matter concerning the money and your confession. It was not Metropolitan Platon but Alexander and Father Richlov wor entrapped you with your confession, but it is now in the hands of Metropolitan Platon, and if you want to get it back, return the $200.00 and cease making any further demands."

Dudikotf replied that he was not going to do so, and we went to the Consistory. This was the third time. We asked to be announced either to the Metropolitan or to Bishop Alexander. The butler went to the Bishop's apartment. He soon returned, stating that the Metropolitan was not receiving and that Bishop Alexander had left for Brooklyn. Dudikoff was about to go home, and I remained in the hall.

As soon as Dudikoff went outside, Bishop Alexander also left the Consistory. I saw through the window Dudikoff take off his hat and approach the Bishop; I further saw the Bishop shake his fist at him, stamp his foot on the sidewalk and shout something. Later Dudikoff told me that when he asked the Bishop when he was to call for the money, Bishop Alexander began to curse him together with his posterity, even to the third and fourth generations, and threatened to send him up to Sing-Sing. I saw how afterwards Bishop Alexander ran back to the Consistory, and how Dudikoff hat in hand, apparently having forgotten to put it on, with bowed head, walked off in the direction of Madison Avenue.

After all this, Father Richlov in person called at my home, 172 East Third Street, and in the presence of the landlady, Anna Wishnevsky and her children, asked me: "Have you ever seen me in Dudikoff's company?" And when I answered that I had, and more than once at that, and that I knew all about the trick they had played on Dudikoff and that I could prove it in Court, either here or in Russia, Father Richloy became terribly infuriated. He began to threaten Dudikoff and myself with arrest, deportation, etc., etc,. adding:

"After this, I go my way, and you, Vassily, and Dudikoff don't you dare show your noses at my threshold! Otherwise my wife will hit you with a broom—you Vassily, once, and Dudikoff, twice. If you only dare call on me you, Vassily, know my son, Volodia—he will stab you both with a knife in the belly." I did not reply to this. Father Richov left. My landlady then said to me: "For all oyur labor, for all the collections you have made for his church, and for serving him in the capacity of psalm reader—this is the reward you got from Father Richlov."

Thus, I was a witness of John F. Dudikoff being cheated by the conspirators, cheats, thieves and robbers, clothed in high ecclesiastical dignity, such as Metropoitan Platon, Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky, Provocateur Richloy and the rest of their gang.

I am to testify in open court in behalf of the outraged, robbed, and cheated John F. Dudikoff, and will not only confirm everything I am saying here in writing but am also ready and willing to tell all I know about the terrible, abnormal life led by Metropoljtan Platon, Archbishop Alexander Nemoovsky, Provocateur Priest Richloy and other persons.

Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 27th day of July, 1923.

Rev. VASSILY PTASHCHUK.

Abraham Yollis, Notary Public, N. Y. C., No. 15

SUPREME COURT, NEW YORK CITY.
JOHN S. KEDROVSKY, etc.,
Plaintiff,
— against —
ARCHBISHOP and CONSISTORY of the Rus-
sian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church, etc.,
Defendants

STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA,
COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA.
SS.

EUGENIA KOHANIK, having first been duly sworn, according to law, on her oath, deposes and says:

1. That she resides at No. 591 North Main Street, in the City of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and that she is the wife of the Reverend Peter Kohanik, Arch-Priest of the Russian Church at Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

2. That she knows Canadian Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky, as a man of a dangerous and immoral character.

3. That there are wide spread rumors among the clergy as well as the laity, of Bishop Nemolovsky's immorality, which have a fatal and disastrous effect upon the affairs of the Orthodox Russian Church in the United States.

4. That while she was residing at Jersey City, New Jersey, Bishop Nemolovsky was trying and did on numerous occasions, to advance his love and his "dirty propositions…" to her. Knowing the time, when her husband, as the superintendent of the Churches, was out of their house, visiting churches, Bishop Nemolovsky, used to come to their residence, not having been invited and contrary to her wishes. When by her reminded of the fact that her husband is out, attending to his duties, and that no one invited the Bishop, Bishop Nemolovsky replied, that he is the Bishop, and as such he has the right to call at the parrish house, at any time he may desire without any permission from any one. That is was very difficult for her to refuse him admission to their house, on account of the high position he holds with the Church, and especially due to the fact that under the old regime the Bishop was in a position to do much harm to the career and financial interests of my husband. That Bishop Nemolovsky was getting more persistent and unashamed continuously. That a good many times the Bishop Nemolovsky told her, that her husband is too old for her, that he is a “"mujik" (of common stock), and in no way good enough for her. That Bishop Nemolovsky was delaying his leaving of her house until pretty late in the night, and that she was thereby compelled on numerous occasions to ask him to leave her house, and that she in every way for her possible, was trying to make him understand that he is not welcome to visit their house in the absence of her husband. That at one time upon the invitation by the said Bishop Nemolovsky, for her to visit a museum with him, where a very interesting exhibition and a splendid orchestra was playing at the time, she unexpectedly found herself at the Edem, some sort of an Anatomic Museum, located at 23rd Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues, New York City. That during the visit at the said anatomic museum the Bishop Nemolovsky paid particular attention and was endeavoring to draw her attention to the naked bodies of men and women there exhibited. That he has shown special interest, it appeared, in the parts of the naked bodies, of which she is ashamed to speak and was asking very shameful questions. That she was very anxious to leave the said museum and that she hurriedly left same, suspecting that Bishop Nemolovsky had some immoral and dirty intentions.

5. That Bishop Nemolovsky did not cease his advances after the occurance at the above referred to museum, and has visited her house in the absence of hr husband and among his advances and his usually dirty talk, he unexpectedly for her, got hold of her and kissed her. That thereupon she showed him out of the house and gave him a severe scolding.

6. That in order to save herself and to safeguard the interests of her husband, she decided to leave Jersey City and did leave for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to continue in her studies at the University there. That the said Bishop Nemolovsky has advised her not to take such step and promised, that if she would remain in Jersey City, he would use his influence to obtain the appointment for her husband of any position in the diocese at her wish.

7. That in order to avoid trouble between her husband and the said Bishop Nemelovsky, she did not disclose the above facts to her husband immediately, but after she was commenced to notice, that the said Bishop Nemolovsky is takeing steps to injure the reputation and position of her husband, she disclosed the above facts to her husband, explaining such attitude on the part of the said Bishop Nemolovsky. That since that time the said Bishop Nemolovsky has caused very much trouble to her husband and herself, resulting in financial and other loss to her husband and herself.

EUGENIA KOHANIK.

Subscribed and sworn to before me,
this 23rd day of Octobe, A. D. 1918.
L. A. BLOOM
Notary Public.

Commission Expires February 19, 1921.

 

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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF PHILADELPHIA COUNTY.

STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF PHILA., PA.

I, Henry F. Walton, Protonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County, which are courts of Record having a common seal, being the officer authorized by the laws of the State of Pennsylvania to make the following Certificate, do Certify, That L. A. BLOOM, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Esquire, before whom the annexed affidavit was made, was at the time of so doing a NOTARY PUBLIC for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, duly commissioned and qualified to administer oaths and affirmations and to take acknowledgements and proofs of Deeds or Conveyances for lands, tenements, and hereditaments to be recorded in said State of Pennsylvania, and to all whose acts, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, as well in Courts of Judicature as elsewhere and

That I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said NOTARY PUBLIC and verily believe the his signature thereto is genuine and that said oath or offirmation purports to be taken in all respects as required by the laws of the State of Pennsylvania.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this 24th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen (1918).

Signature ——————————Protonotary.

JOHN S. KEDROVSKY, etc., Plaintiff,
against
ARCHBISHOP and CONSISTORY of the Russian Orthodox
Greek-Catholic Curch, etc., Defendants.

STATE OF NEW YORK,
CITY OF NEW YORK,
COUNTY OF KINGS.
SS.

Praskovia Kedrovsky, having been duly sworn, according to Law, on her oath, deposes and says:

1. That I reside at No. 191 Pennsylvania Avenue, in the Borough of Brooklyn, County of Kings, City of New York, and I am the wife of the Local Pastor Rev. John Kedrovsky.

2. That I know Canadian Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky, and that said Bishop has a bad reputation among this clergy.

3. That although knowing his low character, I never expected to be ofended by him, being a wife of the Pastor and elderly woman. We entertain Bishop: Nemolovsky at our house mostly to sans the Parishioners during certain Holidays.

4. That Bishop Nemolovsky once visited us in Brooklyn, on his. duties to perform services in our Church, after services my husband was delayed in the church by the people. Bishop Nemolovsky came along to our residence.

5. I greeted him waiting for Blessing as his customary in our Chucrch. Bishop Nemolovsky started to act strangely. He grasped my both hands and held them and shaked them all the time. He strated to tell me a story of a Pastor his friend who ruined a child girl of fifteen years of age, so that she was carried out of his office half dead. Then Bishop Nemolovsky shivered as in fever and strived to pull me to himself. Realizing his dirty intentions I sprang away from him liberated myself and I left the room sitting all the time in the kitchen until the return of my husband from the Church.

6. That I did not tell my husband of it at once, but Bishop Nemoloysky making some excuses for his going out left our house in short time.

7. That there are the rumors that the Bishop Nemolovsky is making the same in the families of other his subordinates taking advantage Of his position, influence and rank. All that is weakening our Church keeping many good people away and lessening the Church income.

PRASKOVIA KEDROVSKY.

Sworn to before me this
24th day of October, 1918.

RUBIN KUDLICK, Notary Public.

 

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STATE, CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, SS.

Maria A. Swidersky, residing at No. 344 Madison Street, New York City, being duly sworn, deposes and says:

Maria A. Swidersky.

That in August, 1913, she was asked by the Rev. John F. Dudikoff, then Inspector General with the Consistory of the Russian Greek Catholic Church of America, with offices at the St. Nicholas Cathedral, 15 East 97th Street, New York City, to call at the Consistory with the object of dusting the holy images and performing such other work as would be necessary to keep the House of Worship in good order;

That having accepted, as a good Christian, the said invitation, deponent was attacked and forced to have sexual intercourse against her will, with then Archbishop and at present Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky and Bishop Alexander Nemoloysky, who is at present a fugitive from justice in Constantinopole, Turkey;

That she is familiar, from her own knowledge, of the many orgies that have taken place at the Consistory and in which she was forced to participate, these orgies having been arranged by the said Bishops Platon and Alexander with the connivance and participation of other dignitaries and officials of the Consistory.

Deponent further states that she has known a number of other women who have been lured in a similar manner to the Consistory and suffer similar outrages at the hands of the above said Bishops.

Deponent also indentifies the photograph herewith attached as that of himself, said photograph having been taken about a year previous to the signing of this affidavit.

Sworn to before this 1st day of December, 1923.

MAX WENDELLL SCHWARTZ.

Commissioner of Deeds New York City, New York County, No. 124.

 

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STATE, CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK: SS.

Anna Rupeka, residing at No. 344 Madison Street, New York City, being duly sworn, deposes and says:

That in August, 1913, she was asked by the Rev. John F. Dudikoff, then Inspector General with the Consistory of the Russian Greek Catholic Church of America, with offices at the St. Nicholas Cathedral, 15 East 97th Street; New York City, to call at the Consistory with the object of dusting the holy images and performing such other work as would be necessary to keep the House of Worship in good order;

That having accepted, as a good Christian, the said invitation, deponent was attacked and forced to have sexual intercourse against her will, with then Archbishop and at present Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky and Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky, who is at present a fugitive from justice in Constantinopole, Turkey;

That she is familiar, from her own knowledge, of the many orgies that have taken place at the Consistory and in which she was forced to participate, these orgies having been arranged by the said Bishops Platon and Alexander with the connivance and participation of other dignitaries and officials of the Consistory.

Deponent further states that she has known a number of other women who have been lured in a similar manner to the Consistory and suffer similar outrages at the hands of the above said Bishops.

Deponent also intentifies the photoghaph herewith attached as that of herself, said photograph having been taken about a year previous to the signing of this affidavit.

ANNA RUPICKA.

Sworn to before me this lst of December, 1923.

MAX WENDELLL SCHWARTZ,

Commissioner of Deeds New York City, New York County, No. 124.

VASSILY IVANOVICH PTASHCHUK'S
SECOND AFFIDAVIT

OF CITIZEN (who was formerly a priest and re-
nounced his priesthood having been deceived by Bishop
Dzinbai and Arch-bishop Alexander Nemolovsky and
Arch Provocateur, priest Vladimir Richlov) Vassily
Ivanovich Ptashchuk.

I, Vassily Ivanovich Ptashchuk, was well acquainted with the formerly Arch-bishop and Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky and with Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky since the year 1910. I had the occasion to become acquainted with them at the Russian Consistory, which is located at 15 East 97th Street, the East Side of the City of New York, State of New York. I was singing then in the chapel of Ivan Timofeevich Gorokhoff, who was formerly the regent of the St. Nicholas Catherdal.

I, being good and honest, believed in what I did; and was convinced to the depth of my soul that others too believed in the doings of the Russian Orthodox Church. Having been advised by the Lords of the Church that the latter is in need of funds for the education, supposedly, of faithful Russians, I was donating from time to time small sums out of my means and was also lending large sums of money having been sure and deeply convinced that all such moneys will be used for good and educational purposes. But after some time I convinced myself that all my money went into the pockets of the leaders and fathers of the Church and this money, which by the way was earned by me through hard labor, the Lords of the Church used for drinking-bouts and orgies and to complete this women-prostitutes always played there the "first fiddle." And as if in derision of one's person, of everything that is clean and holy in a human being I was being sent to certain places to get the "goods." Being naive and afraid of the anger of the Lords I incontrovertibly fulfilled their wishes. I was always present at such orgies as a dumb and blind witness. I used to think that all I saw was not in reality, but in my morbid imagination. I tried to drive away these apparitions and tried to imagine that nothing special happened. Unfortunately, however, the truth stood before my eyes. God knows how I was anxious that all this should not be true, but to my great sorrow these were pictures of life which I personally saw.

After all what I saw with my own eyes my faith not only in the Lords of the Church was shaken, but my deep faith in the purity and justice of the Russian Orthodox Church lost all its meaning and significance. And since then I began more seriously to look up everything that surrounded me and especially to the circle in which I mingled.

Evidently the moneys which I gave did not let the Lords of the Church to rest and especially it was Alexander Nemolovsky who tried and succeeded under one or another pretext to obtain from me sums of money. When all my funds, so hardly earned, gave out and I could not be milked as a cow any more, Alexander Nemolovsky, in order to remain friendly with me and not to give me cause to be resentful at them, has organized specially for me a few sittings on which I was violated in a most brutal manner by the above mentioned Alexander Nemolovsky and other Lords of the Church. For each sitting I was being paid a few dollars. But the money thus earned was finally taken back in a most shameful way. When I was complaining of not having money for a living I was given a few dollars like alms which I sent to my poor wife and my crippled son. Thus is continued until I could not and did not have the strength to go on with such life in an atmosphere of falsehood and filth.

Being afraid that I might disclose much of the doings of the Lords of the Church, Alexander Nemolovsky promised to make of me a priest. I argued against such elevation, pointing out that I was not literate enough and am not fit tor the place after what I have performed together with the dignitaries of the Church.

"Your Eminence," said I, "I will offend the pure faith of the people in the Orthodox Church." To this Bishop Nemolovsky answered: "Nothing matters, darling, you just fit for the office and you will make a good priest; the herd and the most egregious fools," so he called the faithful Russians, "anyway don't understanr anything and you wil be for them a real parson." And so by the order of Nemolovsky I was given a packet with which I went to Bishop Stephan Dztubat at 233 East 17th Street. I gave him the packet and received orders to call on the following morning at the school of the Priest Vladimir Richlov at 367 Cherry Street, and I did so. In the school of father Richlov I received from the latter the following announcement: "I received orders from Arhbishop Alexander Nemolovsky and Bishop Stephan Dziubai to elevate you to the rank of priest to-day, i. e. October 12, 1920. Half an hour did not elapse when an automobile arrived to the school and from it appeared Bishop Dziubai. He entered the school and at once they put on upon me the sacradotal vestment, walked with me a few times through the school room and then they declared that I was already "a lawful and rightful priest". Bishop Dziubai demanded from me $100.00 American dollars which I gave him immediately. I was tod to come to the school two days later to receive the documents. In accordance with the instructions I came and received these documents written in English and Russian with the following order: "To keep it as a secret that I am a priest until my return to Russia as I can be a priest only in Russia, but not in America." But when the documents were looked over it was found that the Russian was made out in my name Vassily Ptashchuk, and the English document was made out in the name of some one "Ivan Ptaschchuk." I was very much surprised and thought that either the Bishops were very much drunk and mixed up my name or they did it with the purpose to deceive me and just at an unhappy toiler like me.

When the Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky arrived in 1921 I knew that he will take place of Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky. I began to ask the Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky to issue to me a receipt for the $4500.00 I loned him. Nemolovsky gave me a receipt, but this was later obtained from me in a deceitful manner by the Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky.

In November 1921 the Archpriest of the Cathedral, Leonid Turkevich, ordered me to come to 15 East 97th Street into the part occupied by the Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky who gave me his blessings and wished me success in my priestly work saying that he was glad that I "became by the will of God a priest." He asked me somehow to remain with him alone to talk over about some secret church affairs. When I remained the Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky at first asked me about the receipt which the Archbishou Alexander Nemolovsky gave me. Suspecting nothing bad on the part of the Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky I took out the receipt for $4500.00 and gave it to Metropolitan Rozhdestvensky. He read it and said: "It is nonsense, you will get everything, but listen to everything we will tell you because you are our old friend. Suddenly he began to tremble, had become excited. He seized me and began to kiss. In a profuse perspiration he undressed and lay down in bed. I thought that His Eminence the Most Eminent Metropolitan Platon was dieing when he convulsing in his bed called me: "Vassilek, come over here, rub me here, here, he took my hanrd and putting it on his stomach screamed in agony and wild extasy. Vasia, rub stronger my penis and as an insane one he seized me towards him began to choke me by the throat and then, when I was neither dead nor alive, he ravished me brutally. Remaining for about half an hour in bed, the prelate made me the most flattering promises which included the Eden of Mahomet and he became tired to chatter, got up from the bed, brought into order his clothes and drank about two glasses of wine, he gave me too, and I drank one glass.

At last the Prelate opened the door with a key and went out. In about five minutes he returned to the same room where he so brutally attacked me, but he did not enter alone, but with the entire suite of the following persons' Archbishop Alexander Nemolovsky, Archpriest Leonid Turkevich, Archpriest Peter Popoff, Archpriest Vassily Lisenkovsky, Arch-provocateur Vladimir Richlov, Gregory Kunashevsky, Valerian Grevies, who was just arrived, and the President of the Dussian Relief, Vladimir Vladimirovich Buimistrov.

I was much astonished by all this and by the fact that everyone who entered shook hands with me calling me their friend. Taking me aside the Metropolitan Platon began to beg me to listen to him and to all his intimates and to do a thing of great importance to the church. When I asked what it was the Metropolitan Platon came nearer to his suite and said: "Gentlemen, we all must know about the affair we have conceived, and you, Vassily", he said turning to me, "even if you will reveal our plot, nobody will believe you, better listen and do what we will ask you." I answered affirmatively. To encourage me and to make me feel happy the Metropolitan told me that they will give me so much money that I will not have to do painting work any more, that I will live on the money that will be given to me by the plotters of the Church. Then he said: "You know that from Russia came pursuing me Dudikoff with his wife, who tried many times to kill me, and B. Kuklevsky because we owe to Dudikoff $2800.00 which he gave for safe keeping to cur Church Missionary Bank and $5000.00 for shares which were pledged to Dudikoff. We owe him $7800.00 and 6% yearly interest while the shares he has are worth at least $42.000,00. You, Vassily, ought to try to get those shares and try to finish up with him." He was still more begging me and then he said: "Take Dudikoff somewhere and quietly thrust a knife into him so that nobody should see. He would give you a revolver but the sounds of the shot would be heard and you might be caught into a trap. The priest Richlov, Archbishop Nemolovsky and Gregory Kunashevsky were advising me to put poison into a glass of some drink which Dudikoff will use. When 1 asked where I could get it, Kunashevsk said that "everything will be given if I will ony try to do the thing." Especially insistent on such a terrible murder was the Metropolitan Platon Rozhdestvensky.

After such a terrible plot which was organized against the citizen and now a priest, father Ivan Dudikoff, who is fighting the evil in the Russian Oorthodox Church, I left and immediately warned father Dudikoff about the danger. But I did not tell him who were the plotters as I did not want him to start criminal proceedings against them. I, too. was afraid especially for my savings which were entirely in the hands of the Prelates and under prelates of the Orthodox Church.

After this I decided to reveal their terrible plot against the priest father Ivan Dudikoff, and decided to demand the return of my $4500.00 which Igave to the prelates and $100.00 to under prelate Stephan Dziubai, the sum total of $4600.00 plus six percent interest per annum. I wish to add that a part of this sum, i. t. $3000.00 were loaned by me from citizen Semen Semenovich Savchuk, who resides in the City of New York, for which sum I gave to Savchuk a receipt.

Having entirely given up the honor of priesthood which was conferred upon me by Archbishop Dziubai, I, as an honest citizen, who is desirous to return to a poor though but honest life, give my affidavit as before God Almighty not omitting anything of the doings of the Prelates and under prelates of the Russian Orthodox Church who have declared themselves to be the chiefs of the Greek-Catholic Church, doings which I witnessed during a period of thirteen years.

I believe and hope that Christ's Holy Church will arise and that justice will triumph among the Russian people after the elimination, of course, of the filth, of which there is so much in Russian Orthodox Church in United States of North America.

My affidavit was read to me and being in sound health
and mind and in the presence of witnesses and a Notary
Public I do swear to it and personally affix my signature.

VASSILY PTASHCHUK.

Witnesses:
1. M. J. Nestor
2. M. Zverina
3. D. Pollock.

Sworn to before me at my office, 178 Second Avenue, New York, this 4th day of September, 1923.

MARK WEINBAUM, Notary Public.

 

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