The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-17
RUSSIAN ROMANCE.

Russia has not, it appears, escaped the
epidemic of scandal III high lite, which
seems lately to be making tour of the
world. A great trial has just been
brought to close at 81. Petersburgn,
which throws much new light upon Rus
sian character and society. Even in
these days of enlightenment, it is aston
ishing how little is known OF Russia, its
social customs and events, beyond the
trial OF the Greek Abbess Mitrofania re-
veals, especially, degree of religious
fanaticism hardly suspected. Her con-
yiction for series Of iorgeries which, for
their long duration and impunity and
vast extent, can scarcely find parallel
in the records of criminal audacity, has
been attended by the unfolding Ol a tale
as startling and sensational as it is un-
precedented.
The Abbess, it seems, is a lady of pa
trician blood. The daughter Of Baron
Rosen, formerly Chief in
the Caucasus, her first appearance in
public was as a lady of hopOr-to the EN-
press OF Russia. Impressed, probably,
| with the CZarina's own religious zeal,
Baroness Rosen soon resolved to devote
her life TO the service Of the Church.
Brilliant, full of energy, enthusiastic to
| fanaticism, she attracted the attention
OF the venerable and beloved Philarete,
Patriarch OF Moscow. He induced her
| to become the Abbess of q Convent; and
| soon after she herself, using her influence
at the Imperial Court, founded new Or
der OF Sisters OF Mercy, at Moscow, with
branches at st. Petersburg and Pokoff.
Into this project she entered with q
vigor ana persistency which were amaz-
ing. Her great need was money; to pro-
cure this she employed methods at first
cunning, then criminal. An especial ia
vorite at court. she procured offices and
titles for rich and ambitious mer-
chants, who in return contributed liber-
ally to her order. Sometimes she bor-
rowed large sums and refused TO return
them. Sometimes she caj0led merchants
TO lend her their names on blank prom
issory notes, which she filled up at will.
She employed such crafty artitices and
carried them out with such consummate
skill as to stamp her as woman OF re-
markable intellect and resolution.
But u time came when artitice could no
longer avail her, when she had exhaust
ed her credit with the merchants, and
her schemes to secure funds by mere
strategen. In her frantic zeal the Alb.
bess was drawn into the domain Of crime.
Hospitals, alms-hOuses, converts, re-
rection: still she could not rest satisfied,
Her first criminal act was to forge the
name OF rich lumber merchant to bills
reaching the sum of y, 000 rubies. Then
she pitched upon a Wretched lady VINO,
owing to her dissolute habits. had been
placed under trustees by her wealthy
husband, insinuated herself into her con-
tidence, received her in the Convent, and
extracted from her not only large sums,
but signatures to blank promissory notes.
Thus the husband soon found bills in
circulation against him, signed by his
vile, to the amount OF 100000 rubles.
The Abbess Mitrofania became embold-
ened by success. Her schemes took a
more audacious turn than ever. A rich
old Skoptsi merchant had been thrown
into prison at Moscow, where he died.
In no long time flood of bills purport-
ing to have been signed by him appeared
in circulation. They We're drawn in IA
vor OF the irrepressible Abbess. She
stated that the old merchant had given
them to her as payment for her efforts to
procure his release from prison.
His heirs resisted the bills and de-
clared them forgeries. The develop
ments which succeeded brought the Alb
bess under suspicion, which speedily
took theiorm OF an arrest, Indictment
and trial. Ihe ADDeSS conducted n6r
own case with amazing skill and nerve.
She examined the witnesses, and proved
herself a perfect mistress of the minutest
details. But Notwithstanding this her
friendship and influence with the Gar
ina, and her success in packing the jury
with religious zealots, she was brought
in guilty on every count.
She was sentenced to an exile Of three
years at Yerisei, and to confinement in
Siberia for eleven years thereafter. 1t
would be hard to find SO strange story
in the criminal records of any country.
1t indicates, however, that Russian JUS
tice once aioused to self-assertion, is
inexorable, and bears as heavily on the
patrician as on the peasant; and that not
even cherished iamiIiar of the Palace,
and one protected by the priesthood, can
violate the Imperial laws with impunity.