New-York tribune., 1886-05-16
NEW YORK DAILY TRIBUNE SUNDAY 1sesxTEEN PAGES

I Marienschloss On July he appealed to the Grand
Duke to give him free pardon az ne was innoeshs %
tion of making full confession He asked to see the
Count. lle professed himset ~ Droken-nea,sou n,ea
penitcnt desirons of undoing by sincere COMES
| sion. as much of the evil as was possible
We will give his confession IN his own words -, .
| when 40 ) O'clock went TO announce 10 the
| Countess that was about to 90 TO the palace,
found both the glass door of the anterqom ana that
into the sittnYroom open; a9a wakeu fn bnr r
! parlor, of which tho curtains were drawn nor
was she In her boudor. | saw the doc, into the
little corner room 9jar, so presunea she was s, III
the little drawers, in which knew she KEPT
her valuables accessible TO my hand. Opportunity
makes the thief. 1 was unable TO resist the
articles / opened one OF the drawers. took out
gold bracelet one of gold fllagree, two of bronze
| pair of gold earrings, gold brooch aud trplee
chain of beads or Roman pearls aud pocFeted
these articles. which my father afterward had,
and. for the most part, melted up.
Most of these articles we're in their cases. At
that moment the Countess appeared on the
threshold of her boudoir and rushed toward me- |
do not remember what she exclaimed fear for the
consequences, and xiety 10 prevent the Countess
from making IL noise and calling assistance, and
thereby obtaining my arrest. prevailed IN my mind,
and thought only how might save myself
grasped her by the neck and pressed my THUMBS
into her throat. She struggled desperately was
Obliged to all my strength to hold her. AFTER
wreste of between five and seven minutes, her
eyes closed, her face became purple. ana iet her
limbs relax When saw she was dead was over
come with terror | let the body fall, whereby the
head strnck the corner of the left side of the
taire, and this made n wound which began to
bleed Then ran and locked both the doors hid
what had taken in my bed, and lott tho nousc
On my way to tho palace | stepped Into treys
tavern and drank three glasses of wine. Twas
afraid should arrive too late at tue palace where
appeared. however at half past D. The Count
did not return till half past q, as dinner that day
lasted rather longer than usual
"When the Count went upstairs to see ms VIE
on1t alah har natl ina nnnIh IN
with him from table, was not uneasy AT all, ior
knew that he would knock and come away 7 he
met with no response. SO he did. lie came down
without being discomposed, and remarked that he
fancied the Countess had gone out AT hall past
he left the house. In the meantime had been
considering what to do. and had formed my plan:
Now my opportunity had arrived. and FASTENED
to put it into execution. My plan was to etface
every, trace of my, deed by fire. and to comIi
suicide If interrupted.
"As the weather was chilly, the Count had some
fire in his stove. ! fetched the still glowing char
coal. collected splinters of iirwood and other COM
bustibles, ana matches. and went upstairs with
them. only the wine sustained me through what
carried out | took mp the body | put chair
before the opeu desk, seated the corpse on II,
placed one arm on the desk, laid the head on the
arm, so that the body rcposed IN position OF
sleep, leaning on the flap of the desk threw the
red-hot charcoal down under the head. heaped
matches, paper and wood splntcrs over them
took one of the blazing bits of wood and threw {
OF the divau III the boudOir; locked both DOORS
aud lung away the keys.
hen | went to my room and Lighted ire /
in the stove and nut the jewel cases on the Ire The
fire would not burn well, and thick smoke cams |
into the room. Then ! SAW that the damper WAS !
closed. | opened that, and the smoke flew up the |
chimney: this is what Colonel Won Stockhusen |
saw. There were lot OF empty match-DoxeS also !
the stove, and these burned with the rest"
such was Che confession of ;tauf How iar true. !
il is impossible to say. He said nothing about the !
bell pull being torn down, nothing about the holes !
burned in the sofa of the sittiD groom. According |
to TIE opinion Of some eXpermeDtalst., the way IN
which he pretenned TO have burned the Countess /
would not account for the appearance or thc /
corpse. HisUbiect was TO repesent himself as tho /
victim of Ovcrmasterug temptation--to show /
that the crime was wholly unprecedented ms !
the sole plea on winch be could appeal Tor |
sympathy, and expect a relaxation OF his sei tence
That sentence was relaxed. la 81 he Obtained !
n free pardon from the Grand Duke, ON condition /
that he left the country and settled in America. :
Including his Imprisonment before ms trial he had. /
therefore, undergone twenty-five years OF lncarcer-
alton.
When released be went to America. where he ;
probably still is.-L Ilelsrayia