Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-28
His Mothers ExecutiOner.

Marriage and Death Notices fifty cents. Obitu-
| aries will be charged at advertisement rates.
HIS Mothers ExecuttOner.
There is now occupying the Russian criminal
tribunals a tradgedy which throws into the
shade tho gloomiest imaginiugs of tho old
Greek plsywrights. 1t is the murder OF q
mother by her SOD. a child nioe years old. The
story is one of the most appalling 10 the whole
annals of human crime, and withal it is heart
touching as showing the misdlrectlon or no.
BILE nature; for the motive OF the cllme Was
honor, aud tho son slew his mother that her
blood might wash out the stain her ithdellty
had put upon her husbands name. The $3.50
is most remarkable one. There seems to be
no evidence of vicious disposition co the part
Of the boy. On the contrary, be seems to have
had loving heart, and to have been tcndcrly
attached to his dead father; but cloud caino
over his young existence, when his mother.
forgetting her duty to the living and tho dead,
contracted an illicit alliance with government
employee. Tho woman seems to bavo troubled
herself little to conceal her amours from her
SOD, thinking that child of such tender years
would not be likely to pay any attention to le'
actions She does not seem to have over
suspected the precoclous sonslblhty o' r''
child.
Tho BOY, however, very soon began to
nect the true relations existing between To"
stranger and his mother. The fuDotonary e"
tered frequently before the ohild's eyes aud al
unusual hours into the house that had belong,
ed to the dead father. The child felt himself
cruelty injured by tho dishonor cast upon his
fathers memoirs, which had remained cDshrlnnd
in his young heart like sacred image. For
q long time he concealed his anger aud his
shame; but one day his indignation mastered
him, and he resolved to make an effort TO win
bis mother from the path of shame.
Throwing aside all fear ho rcprovcd the
widow for her in6dety to her dead husband,
and besought her to return TO her duty BY, TO-
soect to the memory of tie dead and out OF IT,
speot to her son. The mother treated these
remonslranoes lightly, and burst out laughing
at the child. Without even deignlUg to hear
him to the end. she advised him to occupy hlln-
self with matters moro appropriate to his age.
Several times he seems to havo renewed Ills
exhortstions, always. however, meeting with
tho same reception.
Feeling that it was useless to appeal to tho
better nature of his mother the child conceived
the horrible design of washing out 10 her blood
the stain she persisted n putting on his name.
and which he knew was no longer secret Tor
the ueighbors. Having once mado up his mind
his thoughts became wholly absorbed 10 plans
for carrying his vengeance into execution.
Wherever he went he carried with him thls
idea of avenging the injured honor OF his name.
In solitude he pondered over IT, untll 1t became
| 10 his eyes holy duty. Beside this child OIL
uipo years taking upon bis conscience the re-
spousibility Of judge and cxecutioncr, thinking
and planning before taking action, Hamlet tor
mented by visions and Stimulating madness Is
only capable of inspiring pity. The heart Is
moved at the thought of tho anguish tho child
must have suffered. First he dug the grave.
This was for his infant hands long and paln,,
| iul labor. When he had everything prepared
| he resolved to execute his terrible purpose :,
One night, while his mother slept he armod a
| himself with hatchet and silently approached
| her bed. When bis eyes rested on tho author
of his being his resolution was shaken. tie
eazed on tho face he had long loved aud TO-
spcctcd. The sight was too much for his child
ish heart, and, bursting uto tears he tel! on his
| knees before his mother bed. There the morn
| inp light found him stretched 10 slumbor with
tho deadly hatchct still caspcd 10 his tiny hands.
| When his mother rose she was terribly fright
| ened at the sight She aWoke tho boy. who
| explaned his presence by a peasant table, and
then took the opportunity to once more bosecch
| his mother to dismiss her lover and return 10
the path of honor. She, however, lost hnr
temper, and, ordering the child to hold his
tongue, dismissed him curtly.
This action Of the widow decided her son to
carry out bis murdcrous resolution. Tho trl'
lowing night he again entered his mother
bedroom and, finding her asleep. with one bio y
of tho hatchet he killed her. He then took
the body, which he dragged 10 the grave le
had prepared. and there inferred it.
TIE trial OF this atrangc parrcldo IS progr 8
inp in tho town of Valok, 10 tho government o.
Kharkow. Seldom have the Russian people
been 30 interested in a criminal trial, but TIT
sight of child niue years old standing IN the
dock as tho assassin of bis mother is we'll calci
lated to exotic the compassionate sympath!
pmong the people by whom tho family ties ar
regarded with something of the respect. OF III
natriarchal times. Mr.. vladimir, professor. 0
crimiual law at tho university OF Kharkow, TIA
simultaneously undertaken tho defenco OF IN
unfortunate child.--M 7. Herald.
Dneuing and Closing Of che Mails
The following will be the hours for open'n
and closing the mails until iurlner noslce
CLosING-Manassss Division o. m AIexat
ldria to Round Hill, Va, a. M; Alexandra
: Gordonsville, Va, 6 a. m; Now YORK city M al
the East II M, and 8 p. M Wsshinelo
baltimore and Philadelphis st II M, ana
M. Western 8 p. m; Southern mails, Y
Richmond, Va, s 45 p. m; and 9P; NJ; Seut
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msils1 9 pm; Danville, Va, 9p. m.
OPESINa-Northern and Western ma.s,