Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-25

A Russian Boy Kills His Mother to aVenge
HIS Fathers Honor. 80,
New York Herald. |

New York Herald.
There is now occupying the Russian
criminal tribunals tragedy which throws
into the shade the gloomiest imaginings of
the old Greeks playwrights. It is the muir
der of mother by her son, child 8 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 remark
able one. There seems to be no evidence of
vicious disposition on the part of the boy.
On the contrary, he seems to- have had a
loving heart, and to have been tenderly at
tached to his dead father; but cloud came
over his young existence, when his mother,
forgetting her duty to the living and dead,
contracted an illicit alliance with govern
ment employee. The woman seems to have
troubled herself little to conceal her
danOurS from her son, thinking that child
of such tender years would not be likely to
pay any attention to her actions. She does
not seem to have ever suspected the pre-
cocious sersibility of her child. 3
The boy, however, very soon began to sus-
pect the true relations existing between the
stranger and his mother. The functionary
entered frequently before the child's eyes,
and at unusual 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 re-
manned enshrined in his young heart like a
sacred image. For long time he concealed
his anger and his shame; but one day his
indignation mastered him, and he resolved
to make an effort to win his mother from
the path of shame.
Throwing aside all fear, he reproved the
widow for her inidelity to her dead hus-
band, 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 occupy himself with matters
more appropriate to his age. Several times he
seems to have renewed his exhortations, al
ways, however, meeting with the same re-
ception.
Feeling that it was useless to appeal to the
better nature of his mother, the child con-
| eeived 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 from the neighbors. Having
once made up his mind, his thoughts be-
came wholly absorbed in plans for carrying
| his vengeance into execution. Wherever he
went he car led with him this idea of aveng-
ing the injured honor of his name. In
solitude he pondered over it, until it became,
in his eyes, hole duty. Beside this child
of years taking upon his conscience the
responsibility of judge and executioner,
thinking and planning before taking action
Hamlet, tormented by visions and Stimulating
madness, is only capable of inspiring pity.
| The heart is moved at the thought of the
anguish the child must have suffered. First
he dug the grave. This was, for his infant
hands, a 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 Ratchet 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 hi
mothers bed. There the morning igh
found him stretched in slumber with th,
deadly Ratchet still clasped in his tiny hands
| "nCAA AAo AAOG4CA 1OSC5 ohO W0o OCAAAOAa
!, frightened at the sight. She awoke the boy
who explained his presence by peasan
fable, and then took the opportunity to one
more beseecb his mother to dismiss he
lover and return to the path of honor. She
, however, lost hertemper, and ordering til
child to hold his tongue, dismissed hir
CURLY.
This action of the widow decided her so
to carry out his murderous resolution. TIL
2 following night he again entered his mother
| bedroom and, finding her asleep, with on
/ blow of the Ratchet he killed her. He the
3 took the body, which he dragged to th
!. grave he had prepared, and there inferred i
ri The trial of this strange PARTICLE is pr,
! ! crossing in the town of Valok, in the GO
s eminent of Kharkow. Seldom have the Ru
!. sian people been so interested in q crimin
: trial, but the sight of child nine years o.
standing in the dock as the assassin, of b
mother is well calculated. o.excite the cor
passionate sympathy among q. people
= whom the family ties ara regarded wi
d something of the respect of patriarch
e times. Mr.. Vladimir. professor of Grimm
Is law at the university at Kharkow, h
i spontaneously undertaken the defense of II
e unfortunate child. se