From the June 16, 1909 New York Times:

“St. Petersburg--Dispatches from Perm, European Russia, say the local police have begun an investigation into the ‘Sect of the Crimson God,’ the members of which are accused of human sacrifices and various other horrible practices. Repeated disappearances of people in the region where members of the sect dwell drew suspicion to the organization, which worships a red wooden idol colored, according to the statements of the country people, with human blood. The police have located a secret grave containing the mutilated body of a man supposed to have been sacrificed, and they expect to find others.

The Ural region, of which Perm is the centre, is a breeding ground for many fanatical cults. It is a meeting place for the Pagan tribes of Asia, as well as persons who flee from Russia on account of religious persecution. These refugees have lived for centuries in the dense forests of the district, and their beliefs have developed along the most fanatical lines.”