VEREGIN'S SON STILL IN RUSSIA?

Flock Search Trains and Wire Wildly For Missing Leader.

TALE OF OLD MEN

NELSON, Dec. 12—Nothing is yet known at Brilliant of the whereabouts of the mysterious son of Peter Vere- gin, whom ten thousand Doukhobors have acclaimed as their leader by kneeling in the snow.

Wednesday night the Doukhobors boarded the outgoing Coast train at Brilliant and searched it thoroughly from end to end, in the hope of find- ing their new leader.

Seek Aid From Friend.

Three different deputation's waited on W.C.E. Koch, who knows a num- ber of them intimately, to ask him if he could advise them of any means of tracing Peter junior.

A large number insist there is no warrant for the belief that Peter has ever left Russia on the supposed present trip to Canada. They also stated that he holds a distinguished position in politics there, being over- commissar of seven provinces popu- lated by the Doukhobors, by whose vote he holds that position.

With Two Companions.

Others, who believe, he is in Can- ada, say he is travelling with two old men: All state he is tall and re- sembled his father, that he is pro- gressive in politics, and believes in educating the Doukhobors. He is said to speak eight languages.

All the Doukhobors gathered at Brilliant seem to be prepared to welcome "Peter's Peter," and it is said that Anastasia Veregin's supporters are acquiescing with good grace in Peter's election. Wires have been kept busy over Canada in efforts to locate Veregin, but of no avail.

Whether he is in Canada or in Rus- sia is not known by his followers here who remain faithful to his call.

With the exception of twenty-six Doukhobors all of the 10,000 gathered at Brilliant favor the son as next leader.