Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-18
A ST. PETERSBURG MURDER.
An AristOeratic Lady Murdered In her
RoOm..-Arrest Of a Member OF the
Russian Nobility.

The Russian newspapers give the
following particulars of a murder
which is causing great excitement in
St. Petersburg On the 10th of June
q bricklayer, in ascending a ladder to
mend the roof of a house in the
G%rodmenski street, perceived through
the window on the second stOrya woman
lying stretched on the floor. He paid
no particular attention to the specta-
Gle at the time, but on descending the
ladder several hours afterward he
observed, to his surprise, that the
figure had not moved since the morn
ing. He %thereupon mentioned the
matter to the dvornik, who, ascending
the ladder and finding the bricklayers
statement correct, sent off at once 10
the nearest police station. The police
Inspector soon arrived, and after
satisfying himself also that the woman
was still lying on the floor he gave
orders for the door OF the lodging
to be broken open. This was done BY.
the assembled dvorniks, and it was
then discovered that Nine Vlasof.
the occupier Of the apartments, had
been cruelty murdered in the drawing
room, aud her servant. Alexandra
Semened, done to death in the kitch-
en-. From the position of the bodies
the police Inspector drew the infer
eneo that the servant had been rem
dered iusensible first by a heavy blow
from behind, and that, after the mur
der OF the mistress in the drawing.
room had beou accomplished, the
assassin had returned TO the kitchen
aud finished his work with IA Ratchet.
After this he had apparently ransacked
the house, carrying off with him the
most valuable portable property and
rejecting a bundle Of government
bonds that could not have been real
lied without danger of detection. He
then carefully locked the door with
two keys and descended into the street
without exciting the attention of the
dyOrniks. At first it seemed as though
the crime was 50 involved in mystery
that it world be impossible for the
police to lay their hands upon the
criminal, but an investigation the next
day threw important light upon the
matter and ultimately led to the ap
prehension Of the supposed murderer.
AN ARlsTOCRAT INCRGMINATED.
1t seems that on the 9Th of June
the day, from various indications
inside the lodgings, the muir
der is supposed to have taken place,
the landlord noticed at Q o'clock an
officer dressed in the uniform of the
Imperial Guards enter the dwelling of
the victim. "Who is that2'' he de.
handed Of the dVornik. The latter
replied that he was a frequent visitor
at the house, and that the servant of
Nine Ylasof had told him that his
name was Lieutenant L~andsberg. an
officer in the Imperial Guards. This
information was confirmed by the
dvoruik, who expressed his belief that
Landsberg was the last to enter the
lodgings on the night Of the murder.
The attention of the secret police was
thercupon directed toward the guards.
man. Inquiries extending V e sew.
eral days elected that the morning
after the murder the officer demand
ed leave Of his colonel to nay a visit
to his estates at Shawl, in the prov-
inpe OF GTodno, aud on the latter's
asking what was the matter with his
right hand, which was suspended in a
sling, the lieutenant replied that he
had accidentally injured it
with his sword, Throughout tho
whole journey to Shawl Landsborg,
usually gay and talkatiye, was taciturn
and %sullen, and ate nothing tho whole
way. Four days after his arrival
home he telegraphed for an extension
of his leave, aud paid a visit to some
friends at Ponevig, near General
Todlebcns estates. On the 18th
instant he set out for st. Petersburg.
Detectives, who we're already on his
track, kept him in sight. At six
O'Clock in the evening the train drew
Gp At Tsapsko Solo Statian, where q
surprise awaited him. On the Plat.
form were gathered, in ~obediencp to
Tho arrangement of General Hourof,
MIR. SabOuroH. tho 81. Petersburg
prQcnrour Mr.. IIutchinsky, tho
public prosecutor Prince KildoshoG,
the commander of the Engineer
Guards, and the adiutant of the
Tsarskoe Selo camp, Mr.. Razulaof.
besides putilin, the head of the secret
criminal police, aud S~hedloysky, his
assistant. On alighting from the
carriage 10 proceed 10 tho Damn the
lieutenant encountered tue gazo bf his
commander, whom be salGted. The
latter took no notice of the Difference
paid him, but exclaimed in a loud
voice lieutenant Laudsberg'
vnu ana arrastoI ILL.,. "a