The Black Russian (39 page)
Authors: Vladimir Alexandrov
1
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2
Galata quay, Pera Palace Hotel, Frederick and Codolban:
Bareilles, 4; http://www.perapalace.com/en-EN/history/64.aspx; Kazansky, 120–22.
3
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4
Pera’s mixed population:
Constantinople To-Day,
18; Criss, 21.
Frederick saw similarities:
Kazansky, 122.
soundscape, “Allahu Akbar”:
http://islam.about.com/cs/prayer/f/adhan_english.htm.
city’s noise and
appearance:
Armstrong, 72–73; Frank G. Carpenter, “Colorful Life Along the Bosporus,”
LAT,
April 13, 1924, J11, J22.
Armstrong:
Armstrong, 73–74.
Galata Bridge, Stambul:
“Turk Capital Inert Under Enemy Rule,”
NYT,
June 26, 1922, 18; “City of Minarets and Mud,”
NYT,
Nov. 5, 1922, 4, 13; “Constantinople, Where East Met West,”
AC,
Aug. 5, 1923, 21; Carpenter, above; Reshid, 75, 86–87; Dwight, 4–10, 14, 16–17; Andreev, 192.
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6
Allied occupation:
Shaw, I, 144–45.
dismember Ottoman Empire:
Criss, 1, 8–9, 14; Zürcher, 138–39, 145–46, 149–53.
foreigners in Pera:
“British Constantinople,”
NYT,
June 19, 1921, 35.
7
Turks on race:
For this information I am indebted to Dr. András J. Riedlmayer, Documentation Center of the Aga Khan Program at the Fine Arts Library, Harvard University, e-mail Aug. 6, 2010.
no special word for “Negro”:
Redhouse, 217.
Baldwin:
Campbell, 210.
8
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9
little Western entertainment:
Teffi, 566; Editorial,
ON,
Aug. 14, 1919, 1.
a few European-style establishments:
e.g., advertisements:
CM,
Nov. 10, 1918, 2; Dec. 18, 1918, 335; March 22, 1919, 340; April 6, 1919, 341;
S,
Nov. 22, Dec. 13, 1918, 4;
ES,
March 22, May 2, 1919, 2;
Galata port area, traditional Turkish habits:
Constantinople To-Day
, 356–57, 261–63; Armstrong, 74; Teffi, 567.
moneylenders, usurious interest:
Rue to Bristol, Aug. 24, 1923, DPT 470.
Reyser and Proctor:
Note by Burri, Nov. 26, 1920, CPI 327.
3,000 Turkish pounds:
the sum paid by a new partner for Reyser and Proctor’s half share (Note by Burri, above).
The exchange rate from 1920 to 1922 was approximately seventy
American
cents to one Turkish pound:
ON,
Dec. 1, 1920, 3; March 11, 1921, 3; Feb. 7, 1922, 3.
Ltqs:
common abbreviation for “livres turques,” French for “Turkish pounds.”
Proctor, “top limey spy,” “political whispering gallery”:
Gilbert, 47–48; Mackenzie,
First Athenian,
331–33; Mackenzie,
My Life,
119–20; Rowan, 147; Dunn, 282–83, 288, 299, 420; Lawford, 130; White, 317.
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11
“Anglo-American Garden Villa,” “Stella Club”:
ES,
June 14, 1919.
empty lot, Chichli:
Pervititch map.
old shade trees:
“Spectacles et Concerts,”
S,
June 17, 1920, 3.
mini Aquarium:
Zia Bey, 158. Morfessi, 150, describes the rival garden that he opened in 1920; it probably shared generic features.
“Stella Club” on second floor:
ES,
June 14, 1919, 2.
opening on June 24, 1919:
advertisement,
ON,
4.
“Friends of the Salonica Army,” “Moscow Maitre d’hôtel”:
ON,
July 20, 27, 1919, 4.
weather problems:
ON,
Sept. 19, 1919, 3.
unique
combination
:
advertisements,
ON,
July 20, Aug. 12, 1919, 4; Sept. 7, 1919, 3.
12
first jazz:
ON,
Aug. 31, 1919, 3;
ON,
Sept. 23, 1919, 4.
Villa a success:
ON,
Sept. 27, 1919, 1;
ON,
Oct. 31, 1919, 3; Nov. 13, 1919, 3.
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14
passport, Allen a Kentuckian:
Register,
1922
,
86; “The Political
Graveyard
: Index to Politicians: Allen, C to D,” http://politicalgraveyard.com /bio/allen2.html#0XZ1CO0HD.
Frederick’s forms and what happened to them:
DF.
Frederick’s invented sister:
Frederick never mentioned her again to American authorities.
Paris hospitable:
Lloyd, 75–76, 87ff.
Constantinople newspapers on American racial
policies
:
ON,
June 19, 1920, 2; March 30, 1921, 3; “La question nègre aux États-Unis,”
B,
Oct. 20, 1921, 1.
Frederick and Philippines:
“Many Ugly Women Still Retain Veil,”
CDM,
Aug. 13, 1926, 2.
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16
high prices:
“Turk Capital Inert Under Enemy Rule,”
NYT,
June 26, 1922, 18.
Capitulations:
Constantinople To-Day,
95–96, 329–30.
Matakias:
DPT 403.
Ravndal’s past:
Register,
1922, 170.
Mendelino,
Bulgarian
(Bochkarov), baker:
CPI 320, DPT 412.
another man:
CPI 327.
French firm (Huisman):
CPI 327.
Ravndal’s admonishment:
to Frederick, Dec. 19, 1919, CPI 320.
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18
search for Olga:
DPT 411.
Royal Dancing Club:
ON,
Jan. 20, 24, 25, 29, 30, Feb. 6, 11, 20, March 6, 1920, 3.
baccarat; Bertha’s Bar:
Gilbert, 47–48.
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20
Frederick’s relations with Bertha and Reyser:
ON,
May 13, 1919, 3, lists Bertha’s Bar; the following day it is gone:
B,
May 14, 1920, 4; notes and correspondence: CPI 327.
Frederick to Ravndal; Elvira’s help:
ibid.
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22
martial law:
Criss, 2, 16, 65, 71; Shaw, II, 808, 829–31; Zürcher, 142.
Wrangel:
Kenez,
Civil War South
, 1977, 261, 265–67;
S,
April 7, 1920, 2.
Pera’s Russian restaurants:
ON,
April 2, 1920, 4; April 30, 1920, 2; March 6, 1920, 4.
Strelna:
Morfessi, 66, 147–52.
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24
“dame serveuse”:
Mannix, 27.
Caucasian jackets, “agents of vice,” British ambassador’s letter, cartoon:
Mansel, 398–99.
Baudelaire:
ON,
Oct. 21, 1920, 2.
soubrettes:
Murat, 70.
tourist from Duluth:
DNT,
Oct. 22, 1922, 12.
Russian officer kissing waitress’s hand:
S,
June 10, 1920, 2.
Murat:
Murat, 76.
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28
insinuations about Frederick:
Rue to Bristol, Aug. 24, 1923, DPT 470.
gala evenings for waitresses:
ON,
April 4, 1922, 3.
charity festival:
S,
July 20, 1920, 4;
ON,
July 23, 28, 1920, 2.
29
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30
new creditors, Allen’s and Ravndal’s tone, Zavadsky:
CPI 327, DPT 412.
Valli resurfaces:
Wheeler to USSS, July 18, 1920, Central Decimal File, 361.11/3465, RG 59.
Valli in Berlin:
CPI 326, 337, 352.
Valli’s application for passport, related correspondence, Berlin consul, no record of Valli’s application:
DV.
life in Berlin:
“Exchange Decline Depresses Berlin.”
NYT,
Sept. 17, 1920, 26.
Valli’s letters to American consulate general and British embassy:
CPI, 326, 337; FO 782/15, Correspondence Register, British Embassy, Constantinople, Nov. 16, 1921; Jan. 9, 23, 1922; Feb. 20, 1922.
“I request you to indicate”:
CPI 326.
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2
Wrangel’s evacuation, refugees:
Petrosian, 162–72;
Russkaia armiia,
7–9; Ippolitov, 6–26; Andreev, 191–228.
makeshift housing,
employment
, money changers:
Slobodskoi, 80–90; Andreev, 173, 175, 187, 193–96.
officers sell medals:
ON,
July 24, 1921, 2.
Dos Passos:
Dos
Passos, 13.
high culture:
Deleon, 66–67.
Alhambra Theater:
S,
Nov. 20, 22, 26, 27, Dec. 2, 1920, 3.
Frederick’s meals:
Argus.
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4
pneumonia:
ON,
Dec. 14, 1920, 2.
passport application, Allen’s
statement
:
DF.
diplomats documented past:
CPI 327.
Quinlan to Easley, Carr’s response:
DF;
Department of State Personnel,
30, 31, 25.
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6
Valli’s documents:
DV.
Ravndal and “your husband,” “your wife in Germany,” Frederick’s letter:
CPI 337; I preserve his spelling.
“
free-love
companion”:
DF.
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8
Olga:
CPI 337; CP Paris 837; Paris Police Prefecture Archives, telephone inquiry, Dec. 16, 2007.
Elvira’s outfits:
CPI 338.
American tourist:
Sackett.
English-language schools:
British school,
ON,
Aug. 24, 1920, 3; Bowen School for Boys,
ON,
April 1, 1921, 4; American School for Boys,
B,
Aug. 21, 1921, 3.
Mikhail in Prague:
Interview, Nov. 8, 2006.
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10
victories at Sakarya, Kemal as field marshal, “Gazi”:
Cleveland, 177–78; Hanioğlu, 127; Lewis, 253–54.
Frederick’s situation improves:
CPI 339, 354.
new passport application, Burri’s assessment:
DF; there are mistakes on the form.
Burri a New Yorker:
http://political graveyard.com/bio/burrage-burrowes.html.
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12
Vertinsky:
ON,
Oct. 2, 1921, 3.
New venture, Maxim:
B,
Nov. 21, 1921, 2; Karay, 104–5; Hildebrand, 280; Argus.
“very special amusement”:
ON,
Oct. 8, 1921, 2;
JO,
Dec. 18, 1921, 3.
Carter:
CPI 344.
“greatest artistic event”:
B,
Nov. 21, 1921, 2.
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14
“Thomas, the founder,” “heart of gold”:
Sperco, 144.
less worldly Turk:
Karay, 104–5.
Adil:
Adil, 8–10. I am indebted to Dr. András J. Riedlmayer, of the Documentation Center of the Aga Khan Program at the Fine Arts Library, Harvard University, for calling Karay’s and Adil’s recollections of Maxim to my attention, and especially for his kindness in translating them into English (I have rephrased his translations).
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16
“going very well”:
CPI 354.
Valli bombards diplomats:
CPI 352; Valli about Frederick to British embassy, Constantinople, Feb. 14, 1922, FO 782/15.
merchants’ complaints:
CPI 338, 354.
provision in Carter contract:
CPI 344.
crime:
Zia Bey, 159; “Turk Capital Inert Under Enemy Rule,”
NYT,
June 26, 1922, 18; “Constantinople Crime City,”
WP,
Oct. 24, 1920, 66.
Ravndal’s watch:
CPI 320.
Italian count:
Reynolds, 52.
cocaine addicts:
B,
Aug. 26, 1921, 2.
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18
State Department’s review of passport application, Randolph’s letter, Randolph informs Berlin, Carr:
CPI 348.
Department of State Personnel,
25.
Dunn:
Dunn 420–21; “He Knew the Country,”
Kingston
(New York)
Daily Freeman,
Oct. 24, 1922, 3.
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20
American tourists:
ON,
March 2, 3, 8, April 2, 1922, 2; Beatty, 705–6.
Farson:
Farson, 442–43.
Mrs. Lila Edwards Harper:
“Constantinople Cafe Owned by Southern Negro,”
Columbus
(Georgia)
Daily Enquirer,
Oct. 7, 1922, 7; spelling normalized.
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24
Adil, “Champion Osman”:
Adil, 37–38. I am indebted to Dr. András J. Riedlmayer, of the Documentation Center of the Aga Khan Program at the Fine Arts Library, Harvard University, for calling my attention to this source, and especially for his kindness in translating it into English (I have rephrased his translation).
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“as wicked as you like”:
Mannix, 270;
Vertinsky’s “La Rose Noire”:
Duke, 77.
camel fights:
ON,
March 4, 1922, 3.
procession of sultan, dervishes:
Dwight, 304–7; Sperco, 87, 113; Mannix 271–73.
cockroach races:
“Tarakan’i bega,”
Zarnitsy,
May 8–15, 1921, 28–29.
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2
Turkish offensive:
Lewis, 253–54.
Bristol’s memorandum:
Sept. 23, 1922: Hoover, Frank Golden Papers, box 36, file 15, Turkey/
Americans
in Constantinople; CPI 472.
650 Americans:
“List of Americans in Constantinople,” Nov. 15, 1922, Pence, MSS 144, box 7, folder 7.
Mehmet VI:
Zürcher, 142; Lewis, 251–53, 257–59.
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4
Frederick’s rush to consulate, diplomats’ reaction:
DF; CPI 151, 363; Moore,
Digest,
927, 936.
Paris as haven:
Lloyd, 74–75, 91, 95–96, 101–2, ff.
Frederick’s note, Washington’s response:
CPI 363.
5
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6
Bristol’s involvement:
March 4, Nov. 13, 1923, MLB.
Rue to
Bristol
:
DPT 470 (typos corrected).
Turlington:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/45752619/Rhodes-Scholars-Roster [1911]; TT.
Brist asked
colleague
:
DF.
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8
vacillation on prohibition:
Vp,
Oct. 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 24, 25, 1923, 3;
Hoover, Fisher, Oct. 30, 1923, 3-4; Ravndal to World League Against Alcoholism, Dec. 1, 1923, CPI 370;
S,
March 19, 1924, 1; May 25, 1925, 2; March 6, 1926, 2; Jan. 11, 1927, 2.
epochal historical changes:
Shaw, IV, 1963–1964; Lewis, 261–62;
American present:
Hoover, Fisher, Oct. 7, 1923, 3–4.
crowds on streets:
Hoover, Fisher, Oct. 30, 1923, 4.
shop signs:
Vp,
Oct. 9, 1923, 3.
Mikhail leaves for Prague:
Interview, Nov. 8, 2006; Andreyev and Savický, 41, 53, 65; Keeny.
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10
Frederick’s boasting:
Sackett.
Krotkov, Frederick’s “broad” Russian nature:
Argus (a band’s percussion instruments are more likely than Krotkov’s “pots and pans”).
Fourth of July:
“Gallant Yanks Organize a Klan to Rescue Pearl,”
CDT,
July 27, 1924, 16.
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12
Bebek, downpours and destruction:
S,
June 14, 15, 22, 24, 26–28, 1924; Jan. 20, 1925, 2.
La Rose Noire:
S,
June 26, 1924, 3; July 19, 1925, 3;
Le Moscovite:
S,
April 30, May 7, 1925, 3.
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14
tourism increases:
S,
March 2, 5, 10, 1925, 2; July 3, 1926, 2; Hoover, Fisher, March 20, 1925.
the most audacious plan:
S,
Aug. 25, Nov. 27, 1925, 2;
S,
July 2, 1926, 2.
Serra’s financial deal:
S,
April 29, 1927, 2;
Yildiz
; DPT 539.
Hagia Sophia:
Interview, June 16, 2009.
American companies write to consulate general:
CPI 398.
“American
Association
of Jazz Bands”:
“Would Jazz in St. Sophia,”
NYT,
Jan. 12, 1927, 6; “Sophia Mosque for Dances,”
NYT,
Dec. 16, 1926, 10.
Maxim’s
entertainments
:
S
, July 2; Aug. 5, 25, 31; Nov. 7, 11, 13; Dec. 24, 1925, 3; Jan. 28, 1926, 3; Feb. 11, March 10, 1926, 2;
La République,
Nov. 26, 1925, 3.
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16
caliph leaves:
Shaw, IV, 1965;
S,
March 10, 1924, 2.
fez abandoned, Soviet Union takes over embassy:
Hoover, Fisher, Sept. 26, 1925; Lewis, 253, 283–84.
new laws:
S,
March 12, May 25, 1924; May 25, 1925; Feb. 28, March 6, 11, 1926, 2; Hoover, Fisher, Feb. 1, 1924;
Vp,
Feb. 2, 1925, 3.
restrictions on foreign workers:
Hoover, Anna V. S. Mitchell Papers, Stokes to Bouimistrow, Feb. 18, 1926, box 1.
Turkish language mandatory:
S,
Jan. 18, 1926, 2.
Nansen:
Nansen, 36.
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18
“Villa Tom”:
S,
May 6; June 24; July 14, 21, 27, 1926, 2; June 10, July 1, 1926, 4; Aug. 19, 1926, 3.
Olga:
CPI 393.
waiter at Maxim, flower merchant:
CPI 403.
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20
Yildiz Municipal Casino:
DPT 539; Greer, 318–20.
Frederick tries to continue:
S,
Dec. 18, 1926; Jan. 2, 10, 11, 1927; Feb. 17, 1927, 2.
Englishman:
“Finds Trade Dull in Constantinople,”
NYT,
July 31, 1927, E2.
new restrictions:
S,
Jan. 2, 11, 19, 1927, 2.
Greer:
Greer, 319–20.
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22
Frederick flees to Angora, city character and population, “Villa Djan”:
S,
May 5, 1927, 2; Ahmad, 91.
competition:
Argus; “Angora Made into a City of Jazz Bands,”
CDM,
Oct. 6, 1926, 14; “Life Is Less Hectic in Constantinople,”
NYT,
July 8, 1928, 50.
French consul
general
:
French Consul to American Consul, June 18, 1927, DPT 660.
creditors seize Maxim:
S,
May 18, 19, 21; Dec. 19, 1927, 2; June 17, 1927, 3.
“ex-Villa Tom”:
S,
June 17, 1927, 3.
job in Angora:
“Mr. Thomas de Maxim invite ses créanciers à Angora,”
P’st,
April 26, 1928, 3; the note is dated April 1 and mentions that the report of Frederick’s sighting in Angora was “delayed”; other evidence also suggests that the encounter was during the last half of 1927.
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24
in Angora prison:
“Dancing Negro in Angora Jail for Old Debts,”
Milwaukee Journal
(The Green Sheet), Monday, Jan. 16, 1928, n. p.; Allen to USSS, Nov. 1, 1928, CPI 409; Elvira to Allen, March 8, 1933, CPI 443; Argus.
demise of Yildiz Casino:
Crosby to USSS, Sept. 28, 1927, DPT 539; Grew to USSS, Oct. 24, 1927, DPT 539.
25
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26
Constantinople prison:
“Sultan of Jazz Dies in Poverty,”
Boston Post,
July 9, 1928, 10.
prison conditions:
Constantinople To-Day,
336–43;
S,
Nov. 20, Dec. 22, 1927, 2; “Prison Life Is Easy in Constantinople,”
NYT,
Feb. 2, 1930, 53.
illness:
Allen to West, July 20, 1928, CPI 409.
death and funeral:
S,
June 13, 1928, 3; Sperco, 144; SE; FC.
“Sultan of Jazz”:
W. G. Tinckom-Fernandez, “Life Is Less Hectic in Constantinople,”
NYT,
July 8, 1928, 50.
