The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-10-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
A CRIMINAL CASE IN RUSSIA.

THE HONEST IMPosToR.
CRIMINAL CASE IN RUSSIA.
1t is now more than twenty years ago
that a Jew named Abraham, the son ol
Abraham, made his appearance one day
in November at the office of Captain Is.
pravnitz, the head of the police in the dis.
trict of Radomyset, in the province OF
Kiev. This Abraham, the son of Abra-
ham, was tavern-keeper, and, in fact,
had the post.house at the little village Of
Semenowe-Lozy under his management.
Like all other Jews, not only in Russia
but elsewhere, he was strongly averse to
any regular agricultural pursuits, and con-
sequently, in country agricultural par
excellence, was driven to the alternative
Of eking out his pittance in life by retail
ing spirits, jobbing horses, and making
as much as he could of whomsoever the
i'll destiny of thirst. or hunger, or fatigue
might lead to his way-side house.
When. therefore, Abraham, the son of
Abraham, deposed before the head of the
police that Francis Salezy Kryntzloft,
lord-proprietor of the village Of Some
nowe-Lozy, rich and respectable man,
was an imposter who bore a false name,
and had acquired his wealth and station
by the most complicated system of ro-
query, the head of police gave evident
signs of incredulity. He observed, at
the same time, that an accusation of so
serious nature required the most irrefra-
gable proof; and that the peril was great,
which he, Abraham, the son of Abraham,
incurred in thus attackinga powerful and
wealthy individual, who enjoyed the rep
u.s. ion of civic virtue and Christian char
ity. Bat Abraham, the son of Abraham,
persisted. and gave substance 70 his accu-
sation by the following recital:
In the year 1900, there lived at Mozir
poor gentlemen, who was a widower,
and bad two sons-Francis Saley Kryn-
szloft and Joachim Krynszloft. Being
without any means of existence, the three
took service under Major Fogel, receiver
of the taxes at Mozir. The father, died
at that town on the 26th of May, 1909,
as can be proved from the public register
Of deaths. The elder son, Francis, enter
ed the military service of Russia, became
captain in the regiment of dragons of
the Ever, and was killed at the battle of
Borodino in 1919. An official communi-
cation of his glorious death was made to
the authorities of Mozir AS to the youn-
ger son, Joachim-accused in 1914 of
having poisoned the Countess Sero- -Komo-
leska, and moreover, of having drowned
the young Count Edmund Sero-Komoles-
ka, granddaughter of that lady-he was
thrown into the prison-fortress, and ar
raigned before the criminal court But
in the course of his trial he died suddenly
at Mozir, on the 18th of November,
1919.
you see, your honor added the Jew,
that there can no longer be family of
the name of Krynsloft It's dead race.
Consequently, the actual proprietor of
Semenowa-Lozy is either spirit or an
impostor.'
Struck with the logic of this argument,
and with the warmth with which Abra-
ham, the son of Abraham, concluded his
deposition, and half persuaded by the ap-
pearance of sincerity which pervaded the
general tone and language of his informant,
Captain Ispravnitz bethought him that the
affair might be worth investigating, and
dispatched an officer to Semenowe- Lozy
to commence the research.
To this officer, the lord proprietor
showed his family documents, and, among
others, the register of his birth, with the
name of Francis Salezy Krynsloft upon it,
born at Mozir the 22d of September, 1777.
This date exactly tailed with the age
which the captain of dragons, who was
killed at Borodimo, would, if still living,
have attained. But in spite of the coin
cidence, the officer thought it his duty to
conduct the lord-proyrietor to Radomyset,
where he was thrown into prison, and made
the subject of an indictment.
The fact of wealthy landowner being
suddenly torn from his home, incarcerat-
ed in the public Jail, and threatened with
an inquisition which should prove him
an impostor. both in rank and title, was
sufficient to arouse the attention of the
public. No one could imagine what pos
sible cause the feigned Francis Salezy
Krynszloft could have had for assuming
an extra name, that had even no connec-
ton with the property. With the most
minute precision were the facts of the
case entered into by the authorities
More than three hundred witnesses were
heard, and more than two hundred regis
ters, civil and military, examined. Off
GERS and soldiers who had served with the
real Francis Salezy Krynszloft were
brought from the army of the Caucasus,
and even from the distant garrison of
Siberia, to prove his death at the battle Of
Borodino.
On all sides, the proofs of the deaths
of the two brothers Krynszloft seemed es-
tablished beyond a doubt. The lord
proprietor was therefore an impostor, and,
as such, must be exposed before the pub
lie tribunal of justice, and punished ac-
cordingly to his deserts.
Pressed on all sides by the evidence OF
these facts, the pretended Simon Pure at
last made a full confession. He admitted
i Il