The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-19
4 MODEL MURDER TRIAL.

How Things are Managed I'm the Orient.
A singular trial for murder has taken
place at Missivria, says correspondent
of the Levdnt Herald, and has ended
in the acquittal of the prieoners-twO
brothers-who were accused of the muir
der of their uncle, rich old Odessa
merchant. The old man. having re-
tired from active life and wound up his
BUSINESS, returned from Odessa some
years ago and settled down IN Misslvrla,
his native town. Here he gave much
in charity to the poor, and behaved
handsomely to his nephews, with whom
he lived, and whom he helped out OF
poverty into a respectable position IN
local trade. Three years ago the old
man suddenly disappeared. No seri-
GUS inquiry, however, was made TO as
certain what had become of him. His
nephews made liberal donations to the
churches, and inherited, or rather ap-
propriated, the old mans wealth. Prob
ably they would have been left entirely
undisturbed in the enjoyment of their
riches but for a circumstance which,
for a time, must have caused some
trouble and anxiety. On a certain day
in the early part of this year an old
woman asked for an audience with the
Cadi, and, on being admitted, made
deposition which has been repeated to
me as follows st 1t was dark. stormy
night, the old woman said, :" the wind
had several times blown in my window
sash, putting out my lamp, and causing
the embers of my fire to fly about the
room. Suddenly, amidst the howl
ing of the storm, I heard a
a shrek, then moan. Strange sounds
followed, which seemed to come from
the house of my neighbor, the Odessa
merchant. crossed myself and drank
little rali to keep up my courage, and
then I remembered that there was a
crack in the wall of my closet, through
which could see into the house of my
neighbor, the merchant. Thither I
went, and applied my eye to the crevice
in the mud wall, and this is what saw
Two men were pressing down pillow
upon the face of another man, whom
they kept prostrate, and a woman was
holding light. The old mani recog
nized him was very strong, for he over
threw his nephews, although his throat
was cut and blood gushed from the
wound. He would have escaped, but
the woman struck him in the face with
chair. His head was bent backward,
as though he could not keep it In its
place on account of the cash across his
throat. Still his eyes flashed life; he
staggered toward the window, but there
he was again struck down by his nephew.
Then they sawed away at his throat
till the head was separated from the
trunk" The accuser went on to- say
that she threatened the murderers with
disclosure of the crime which she had
Witnessed, but that they promised her
"hush money; ;" that, as she was poor,
she agreed, in consideration thereof, to
hold her tongue, and that she washed
the blood from the floor of the room
where the old man had been put to
death. The "hush money" had not
been paid, and as she was starving, she
determined to make known her story.
The story was told in March or April,
but no proceedings were taken until
August. The accused parties were then
arrested and confined in the Zaptieh
coda" The old woman, too, was put
in prison and was fogged and half
| smothered between mattresses night
| after night until the trial ended, and
| the persons whom the Uor 7oopuli still
stigmatizeas murderers were declared
| innocent.