Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-10-09
Unjustly Condemned.

people OF Moscow, in Russia. were
startled by the news that Count Adolph
NOstikOf, young nobleman, and the
prospective heir of vast estates in the
central part of the empire, had been
found murdered, shortly after day
break, near small garden house be-
longing TO the country seat of VOleslar
StanirOy, a wealthy merchant of Mos
COW.
The unfortunate young gentleman
had evidently been stabbed to death in
the garden house itself, for not only
had his warm life blood stained lis
walls and floor, and the tell-tale GRIM
son spot led all across the snow to the
outer gate of the garden, where he had
sunk to the ground and expired-but
there was also found in the garden
house small pointed knife, the blade
of which was blood-stained. IL was
evidently the instrument with which
the startling deed had been committed.
The police authorities were speedily on
the spot, and so were the relatives of the
murdered man. In the pockets of the
Count NOstikoff7s coat were found two
crumpled notes signed "Alida," and
threatening him with the direst conse-
quences in ease he should not surren-
der certain letters. 1t was at once as
certained that these two notes had been
written by Aida, the young daughter
Of the proprietor of the country seat,
Noleslar Staniroy.
She was sent for and became intense
ly agltated upon beholding the stiff,
frozen corpse of the count.
Are these notes in your handwri-
ting:" asked the highest of the police
officers present.
They are,' she replied, in feeble
voice.
when did you see the deceased
last:''
About o'clock last night" she an
Swered, blushing to the roots of her
hair.
Where was that?'
''In the garden house." she wbis
pered, almost inaudibly.
''Do YOU know this knife ?''demanded
the officer, exhibiting to her the blood
stained knife.
Aida Staniroy east a wild glance up
on il; then she uttered shrek and
tainted away.
Her father, who caught her in his
arms. murmured in despair:
at is nv daughters knife.''
When the young girl had been re-
stored to consciousness. she succeeded,
by remarkable effort, in regaining her
presence of mind.
.'This is certainly my knife" she
said, rapidly, "nor do / deny L wrote
these notes to Count NOstikOff and met
him at the garden house last night, but
| swear most solemnly that he and /
parted company without any ill-feeling
towards one another, and that | had
nothing whatever to do with the assas-
sination."
As she uttered these words the beau
tiful girl laid her hands upon the cold
corpse, and then, lifting her eyes up to
heaven, exclaimed, in thrilling tone:
"Adolph, my. slain lover, couldst
thou but speak, thou wouldst at once
testify TO my innocence of thy murder.
This was very impressive, but it did
not convince either the officers or the
friends of the deceased.
The former took Aida, whose firm
ness seemed almost wonderful under
the circumstances. TO the parlor of her
fathers house, and summoned thither
the other inmates of the latter. Among
them were the coachman, Ivan Dull
zurok. and Alida's French maid, Marie
Nerin.
This maid was prepossessingyo young
woman of twenty-five, and endowed
with the most insInuating manners
She seemed to watch the proceedings
with the most painful anxiety, and re-
peatedly spoke words of encourage
ment to Mile. Aida.
The latter was asked TO state what
her relations TO the decea sed had been.
She answered frankly but modestly;
Count Adolph had, for two years,
been my sacred lover. This was well
known to my father, who disapproved
Of it, because he said the count was
bad man. l asserted the contrary, and
frequently had alterations with my
father on the subject. On the day De
fore yesterday, my father told me L had
almost every night interviews with
Count Adolph at the garden house, and
that he would put stop to this inter-
course. and that he would prove to me
that the count was utterly unworthy OF
my love. He made me promise to
abandon my lover if he should adduce
sufficient convincing proofs to the above
effect. Iagreed to this"
"Did your father furnish any such
proofs? 20 inquired the officer.
Aida hesitated momenti Then she
said slowly: