Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-08
HIS MOTHERS ExEcUrIoNER.
A Russian Boy Kills His Mother to
AvcnKe His Fathers Honor.

There is now occupying the Russian Grim
inal tribunals tradegy which throws into
the shade the gloomiest imaginings of the
old Greek playwrights. 1t is the murder
of mother by her son, child nine years
old. The story is one of the most appalling
in the whole annals of human crime, and
witbal is 1t heart. touching as showing the
misdirection of q 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 intidelity had put upon
her husbands name The case is a most
remarkable one. There seems to be no
evidence of vicious disposition on the part
Of the boy. On the contrary, he seems to
have had loving heart, and TO have been
tenderlv attached to his dead father; but a
cloud came over his Young existence, when
his mother, forgetting her duty to the liv-
ing and the dead. contracted an illicit al.
lance with q government employe. The
woman seems to have troubled herself little
to conceal her amOurs from her son, think
ing that child of such tender years would
not be likely To pay any attention to her &C.
tions. She does not seem 10 have ever sus-
pected the precocious sensibility of her
child.
The boy, however, very soon began to
suspect the true relations existing between
the stranger and his mother. The function
ary entered frequently before the child's
eyes and at unusal hours into the house that
had belonged to the dead father The child
felt himself cruelty injured by the dishonor
cast upon his fathers memory, which had
remained enshrined In his young heart like
q sacred image. For a long time he con.
cealed his anger and his shane; but one
day his indignation mastered him, and he
resolved to make ap effort to win his moth
er from the path of shame.
Throwing aside all fear. he reproved the
widow for her infidelity to her dead hus.
band, and besought her to return to her du-
tY by respect to the memory of the dead and
out Of respect TO her son. The mother
treated these remonstrauces lightly, and
burst out laughing at the child Without
even deigning to hear him to the end, she
advised him to occupy himself with matters
more appropriate to his age. Several times
he seems to have renewed his exhortati0ns,
always, however, meeting with the same re.
ception.
Feeling that 1t was useless to appeal to
the better nature Of his mother the child
conceived the horrible design of washing
out in her blood the stain she persisted in
putting on his name, and which he knew
was no longer secret for the neighbors
Having once made up his mind his thought
became wholly absorbed in plans for carry.
ing his vengeance into execution. Where
ever he went he carried with him this idea
Of avenging the injured honor Of his name.
In solitude he pondered over It, until it be.
came In his eyes holy duty. Beside this
child of nine years taking upon his con.
science the responsibility Of Judge and ex-
ecutioner, thinking and planning before
taking action, Hamlet tormented by visions
and Stimulating madness 10 only capable of
inspiring pity. The heart is moved at the
thought of the anguish the child must have
suffered: First be dug the grave. This
was for his infant hands long and painful
labor. When he had everything prepared
he resolved to execute his terrible purpose.
One night, while his mother slept, he
armed himself with hatchet and silently
approached her bed. When his eyes rested
on the author of his being his resolution was
shaken. He gazed on the face he had long
loved and respected. The sight was too
much for his childish heart, and, bursting
into tears, he fell on his knees before his
mothers bed. There the morning light
found him stretched in slumber with the
deadly ha:chet still clasped in his tiny
hands. When his mother rose she was ter
ribly frightened at the sight. She awoke
the boy, who explained his presence by .
peasant fable, and then took the opportlni.
ty TO once more beseech his mother TO dis.
miss her lover and return TO the path of
honor. She. however, lost her temper, and,
ordering the child to hold his tongue, dis
missed him curtly.
This action Of the widow decided her son
to carry out his murderous resolution. The
following night he again entered his moth.
er's bedroom and. finding her asleep, with
one blow Of the hatchet he killed her. He
then took the body, which he dragged 70 the
grave he had prepared, and there inter
red it. ~ - -
The trial Of this strange p.rricide Is pro-