Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-02
HIS MOTHERS EXECUTIONER.
A Russian Boy Kills His Mother q
AVenge HIS Fathers Honor.

HIS MOTHERS EXECUTI0NER.
A Russian Boy Kills His mother 60
Avenge HIS Fathers HOhOr.
New York Herald. June III
There is now occupying the Rus
sian criminal tribunals a tragedy
which throws into the shade the
gloomiest imaginiags of the old
Greek playwrights. 1t is the mur-
der of a mother by her son, a child |
nine years old. The story is one of
the most appalling in the whole
annals of human crime, and withal
is it heart-touching as showing the
misdirection of a noble nature. For
the motive of the crime was honor,
and the son slew his mother that
her blood might wash out the stain
her infdelity had put upon her
husbands name. The case is
most remarkable one. There seems
to be no evidence of a vicious dis
position ON the part of the boy.
On the contrary, he seems to have
had a loving heart, and to have
been tenderly attached to his dead
father; but a cloud came over his
young existence, when his mother,
forgetting her duty to the living
and the dead, contracted an illicit
alliance with a government en-
ploye. The woman seems to have
troubled herself little to conceal her
amours from her son, thinking that
o child of sNch tender years would
not be likely to pay any attention
to her actions. She does not seem
to have ever suspected the preco-
cious sensibility of her child.
WOUNDED HONOR.
The boy, however, very soon be-
gan to suspect the true relationsex-
listing between the stranger and his
mother. The functionary entered
frequently before the child's eyes at
unusual hours into the house that
had belonged to the dead father.
The child felt himself cruelty in
| ljured by the dishonor cast upon his
fathers memory, which had re-
mained enshrined in his young
heart like a sacred image. For a
long time he concealed his anger
and his shame; but one day his in
dignation mastered him, and he re-
solved to make an effort to win his
mother from the path of shame.
THE SONS APPEAL.
Throwing aside all fear, he re.
proved the widow for her infdelity
to her dead husband, and besought
her to return to her duty by respect
to the memory of the dead and out
Of respect to her son. The mother
treated these remonstrances lightly,
and burst out laughing at the child.
Without even deigning to hear him
to the end, she advised him to occu-
py himself with matters more ap-
propriate to his age. Several times
he seems to have renewed his ex-
bortations, always, however, meet
ing with the same reception.
POSSESSED BY THE FIEND.
Feeling that it was useless to ap-
peal to the better nature of his
mother the child conceived the hor-
rible design of wlping out in her
blood the stain she persisted in put
ting on his name, and which he
knew was no longer a secret for
the neighbors. Having once made
up his mind his thoughts became
wholly absorbed in plans for carry
ing his vengeance into execution.
| Wherever he went he carried with
him this idea Of avenging the in.
iured honor of his name. In soil.
tude he pondered over it, until il
became in his eyes a holy duty.
Beside this child of nine years tax
ing upon his conscience the respon.
sibility of Judge and executioner
thinking and planning before tax,
ing action, "Hamlet" tormented by
visions and stimulating madness 4
only capable of pity, The hearth,
moved at the thought of the an
guish the child must have suffered
First he dug the grave. This wal
for his infant hands long anC
painful labor. When he had every
thing prepared he resolved to exc
cute his terrible purpose,
ALMOST SAVED.
) One night, while his mothe,
7 slept, he armed himself with
r hatphet and silently approached he
l he'd. When his eyes rested OF
/ the author of his being lis resolu
! ton was shaken. lie gaged on tn
' face he had long loved aud respect
J, ed. The sight was too much 70
i his childish heart, and, bursting
: into tears, he fell ON his knees be
D fore his mothers bod. There th
j morning light found him stretche,
e in slumber with the deadly hatche
y still clasped in his tiny hand