From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
My interest in a possible second occasion on which Churchill was
Home Secretary stems from this story he told:
"(some time after the Great War) The King called me in and introduced
me to a Russian gentleman who turned out to be the ex-Russian
Communist Ambassador from Vienna, who had defected to the White
Russian side and fled Austria in fear of assassination.
I questioned whether he had been wise, as we had had ten
ssassinations of White Russians in the last (month/3 months, I'm
not sure which). He seemed to think he had made the right decision.
I said that in fact a White Russian had been assassinated the day
previously and I presumed that was the reason for the pistol in his
pocket? He said that he knew, it had been a friend of his. I presume
that's his pistol in your pocket, I asked, that you don't have
authority to carry? Yes, he said. I presume some policeman returned
it to you, I asked. No, he said, the assassinated man's companion had
taken the pistol from his dead hand and shot at the assailant with it,
missing, and then pocketed the pistol, later giving it to him. I know
you have decided to disarm your people to prevent a revolution, said
the Russian, and I fear it will have tragic consequences. I am carrying
this pistol to defend myself with. I am a poor man and cannot afford a
fortress and armed guards, so I carry a pistol, even though your Home
Secretary would not like it.
I am the Home Secretary, I said, and if you apply to a magistrate tomorrow
I will see to it that you have authority to carry that pistol AND a
fortress AND armed guards, we have to stop this.
The Russian was on his way to a magistrate's court the next morning
when he and his companion were assassinated. Both were carrying pistols.
He had commented cynically that as a White Russian he now supported the
restoration of the Czar, the Duma, Holy Church and Mother Russia. He
also commented that the 'Communist Revolution' was in fact a coup by a
clique of the Russian intelligence service."
Anybody know anything about an open season on White Russians in London,
fairly soon after the Great War?
Regards
Norman Bassett
drakenfels.org
--
Hmm, I assume Churchill was referring to a Gun License under the 1870 Act
as magistrates have nothing to do with firearm certificates so it must
have been a fairly narrow period around 1919.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
___
T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
