When Willis Jones is at the police station talking to Jack and Phryne (about 35 minutes into the story), on the bulletin board just behind him is a picture postcard image of the crime scene photo of Abby Borden, (step-mother of Lizzie Borden) murdered in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA on August 4, 1892 by an unknown assailant.
Someone calls Tatiana a White Russian. This probably refers to the Russian civil war between the communists (reds) and their various opponents (whites).