The Kremlin
Moscow, Russia
11:00 P.M., July 16, 1918
No greater example of the inefficiencies of the centralized government functions of the Bolshevik regime could be found than the railroads. Goretsky had left Petrograd on the 7:00 P.M. train to Moscow. He and many others hadn’t yet recovered from the stunning news of the death of Comrade Mozger. Goretsky remained especially affected, for he believed that he might well have been the last man to see Mozger alive. It was Zinoviev who had discovered his body slumped over his desk. Goretsky was deathly afraid that he would somehow be implicated in the comrade's death. He reasoned that the best way to conduct himself would be to carry out the assignment that Mozger had given to him. It had to be of the greatest importance.
Unfortunately, the transit took several hours more than usual. In addition to problems with track repairs, the scheduled delivery of coal to the Petrograd Station had been delayed. The train had to stop for a few hours at one of the intermediate stops and wait for more fuel to be delivered. He didn’t arrive at the Kremlin until nearly 10:00 P.M. the following evening. After presenting his identification, he received permission to wait outside of Lenin’s office in the Yellow Palace. Lenin was in a prolonged meeting with Stalin and had left instructions not to be interrupted under any circumstances. It wasn’t until after 11:00 P.M. that Lenin finally emerged from his office. “What do you want at this hour?” he demanded.
“Comrade Lenin, I bring you a critical letter from Comrade Mozger. I have been instructed to hand-deliver it to you.”
“What?” barked Lenin. “Mozger is dead! What are you talking about? I should have you killed!”
“Comrade, I didn’t know that Comrade Mozger was dead until after I left Petrograd,” fibbed Goretsky. Lenin absolutely terrified him, seeming to imply that somehow he had been involved with Mozger’s death. “You were supposed to have received a telegraph from him explaining the purpose of my visit. Did you not get this?”
“I don’t know, let me check. I’ve been extremely busy all day.” Turning back into his office he saw a pile a letters and messages that he had not had the opportunity to address. Looking back at Goretsky, he asked, “What is it you have for me?” Goretsky handed the letter from Mozger to him. Lenin thanked him and ordered him to leave. Walking back into his office, he sat behind his desk as Stalin puffed silently on his pipe. Rapidly sorting through the stack on his desk, Lenin finally found the telegram from Mozger and ripped open the envelope. He read the short telegram and gasped. With a stunned expression, he looked up at Stalin and handed it to him. As Stalin read the telegram, Lenin next read Mozger’s letter. He held the two photographs in his hand and stared at them, shaking his head from side to side. He then handed the letter and the photographs to Stalin.
After Stalin read the letter, he looked at Lenin and said, “You know what needs to be done. Comrade, you'd better act quickly. Moryak may well be up to something tonight.”
“You are exactly right,” Lenin replied. He sat at his desk and began writing out a telegram. He addressed it to Filipp Goloshcheckin and kept it short and direct. It read:
COMRADE MORYAK GUILTY OF TREASON STOP ARREST IMMEDIATELY STOP PREFER HIM ALIVE AND SENT BACK TO MOSCOW TO STAND TRIAL STOP MAY BE PLANNING RESCUE OF ROMANOVS STOP DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE STOP LENIN
Lenin called for an aide and instructed him to send the telegram to Ekaterinburg immediately. He turned to Stalin, who calmly continued to puff on his pipe. He seemed to almost be talking to himself as he said over and over, “How can this be? How can this be?” Stalin noted that beads of sweat had developed on Lenin’s forehead. Your days are numbered, comrade, he thought to himself. You are weak. Bolsheviks never sweat! Don’t you know that?