The Portland daily press., 1889-09-17
A RUSSIAN LINGUIST IN THE TOMBS.
He Speaks seven Languages and
Has Served In the Army.
Nevertheless He Was Charged With
Stealing a Pocketbook.
Appearances In this Case Certainly
Favor the Accused.

New YORK, September 1G.-Cell 80 on the
a narrow, stuffy affair, with but a single cot.
The cell has two occupants. One is man
accused Of going into store in broad day
light, while drunk, and marching ont with a
fine pair Of double harnesses over his should
ers. The other inmate of cell 80 is Rus
sian gentleman of refined appearance, Of ex-
ceptional education, a gentle voice, and an
almost pedantic air, strangely at variance
with his surroundings. The Russians name
is Staaislas Bortkiewitch. formerly Lieu
tenant in the Fifth Dragon Guards of the
Russian army, and later an Instructor In Ian
guages in Paris. He speaks, besides Rus
sian. English, French. German. Polish,
TOmbs today, accused of highway robbery,
in having seized pocketbook ON September
from the hands of Miss Annie Brown,
principal of fashionable school for girls on
Fifth avenue.
Miss Brown was standing at the time in
the main hall Of the Equitable building. hav-
ing just come from the banking office Of Au-
gust Belmont. Miss Browns pocketbook
contained 81 in money. Lieut. Bortkiewitch
had SIT and gold watch. No pocketbook
was found on him, or in fact any other proof
of his crime. Still somebody seized him, and
Belmont's office she identified him at once
as the man who had grabbed her S4.
BoItkiewitch's voice shook with emotion
as he told his story, speaking both French
and English. Pressed for his reason for
coming to America, the Russian lieutenant
looked down for an instant, then raising his
eyes manfully. he said simply: II met a
c0untrywoman Of yours In Paris, a sweet
American girl, and we are engaged to be
married. 1t was to see her that came to
this country. / had $500 and 100 Russian
roubles. l went to Boston because my fan
Gee lives near that city; though | cannot
bring myself to tell you her name. While in
Boston 1 boarded at 50 Rutland square. |
have many articles of value there still, as
well as most of my wardrobe. had letters
to President Eliot of Harvard College, rec
ommendiDg me to a place in the college
library, as well as others to gentlemen OF
prominence.
"Finally came to New York because Of a
despatch from CracOw, which arrived at Rut-
land square saying letter with money had
been sent to me to New York. Besides, l
wanted to see Mayor Grant about getting
some position under the management Of the
Worlds Fair because of my linguistic attain
ments. l had been to the Post Office after
my letter, and finding nothing, | took car,
and was told that the New York branch of
Kiddel, Peabody 81 Co., of Boston was in the
Equitable building. While standing In the
hall moment somebody jostled against me
violently and threw me against another man,
who seized and held me. l was then taken
before Miss Brown as the man who had
assaulted her, and she was told to identify
me. MY glasses had fallen off in the excite
ment. and Miss Brown said l was her
assailant.
"Why," he said in q most ingenious
manner, show could a gentleman steal a
lady's pocketbook? 1t would be most i'm
polite"
None of the Russians guard think that he
had anything to do with the case. He does
not drink, so that fact is in his favor. There
are also three exits from the hall at the
point where Miss Brown lost her 81.