The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-11
A MURDERESS.
The NefariOus Crimes of Rus
sian Woman of Noble Birth.
Convicted Of Forgery and Sent to Siberia, She
Kills a Governess to Secure Her
Passport and Escapes.

About fifteen years ago young woman OF
noble birth. Miss Goolak- Artemovskaya,
went from Vobynia to ST. Petersburg. and
soon became figure in the sociable circles
of the capital. Her youth, beauty, refine
ment and sympathetic nature, as the Rus
sian papers describe it. attracted to her
drawing-room a host of admirers. Officers
of high rank and young mobiles paid homage
to her, says the New York Sun. Miss Goo
lik-Artemoyskaya lived in high style; sto-
ries were current in the city about vast pos
sessions in the Crlmea and the Caucasus
which she had inherited. to account
for the Injuries in which she ill.,
dulged herself. One morning several
military officers of high rank discovered
that they bad been taken advantage of by
the beautiful Miss GOOak- ATtemovSkaya
at the innocent game Of dooratchky. The
police authorities found that the lady pos
seSsed no property, and that she derived tie
means of high living by fraud not only
fleeing her admirers at the caTd-t table, but
even forging was traced 10 her. She was
condemned TO deprivation of all personal
rights and eXiled to Siberia, in the Govern
ments of Irkutsk. A romantic incident was
connected with her fate. A young noble,
one Of her admirers, to whom she had paid
tested his true love for her. He married
her in prison, and followed her voluntarily
to the place OF her exile.
When the couple arrived at IrkutSk, early
in 1880, the Governor of that province as
signed to Goolak-ArtemovSkaya a dwelling
in an isolated village about a hundred
versts from the city. Her husband, as a
free man of good education, easily found
employment in the city of 1rkutSk. He
made his condemned wife's existence as
bearable as his means allowed. But her
isolated life did not suit the willy lady; she
wanted to live in the city of Irkutsk, where
life is gay and opportunities for s0clabilitY
comparatively plenty. The means TO attain
this end she found in religious hypocrisy.
She acted as very pIOuS and penitent
woman, went to church as often as oppOr-
tunlty presented Itself and became known
in the neighborhood for her "godlineSs."
Through this she attracted the notice Of
Bishop Benjamin, who, making bis official
rounds in the district, met her at her viii
lage. As he spoke to her words of comfort
and religious cheer. she began crying and
said that sill she desired was 10 eXplate her
sins at the foot of the altar If the holy
father could but get her transferred TO the
city of lTkutSk, where there ara many
churches and opportunities to attend re-
llgiOus services almost every hour IN the
day. she would consider herself happy.
Her pleading appeared so sincere that the
prelate went to the Governor and urged him
10 transfer the convict GoOlak- ArtenOvska-
va to the capital OF the Government in or
der TO afford her an opportunity TO engage
in works of piety and devotion. The Gov
ernor could not deny the Bishop his request
and allowed the artful woman to settle in
1rkutsk. Here, at last, she and her hus-
band appeared quite happy. They set up
respectable little household aud lived COM
fortably together for time. Their little
parlUrS soon became the center of attraction
tho HaraA onH tho Hio
nataries Of the city. The husband of the
tricky woman found out after while that
she conducted her household on larger and
more luxurious scale than he could afford
He discovered, moreover, that she had
dresses and jeHelry which he had not
bought for her. At last he learned that she
had become too intimate with the rich mer-
chant who owned the house in which they
lived. He demonstrated with her, but could
get no satisfaction. Having convinced him
self that the woman was incorrigible he
abandoned her. But she continued living
in her fashion.
1t seems. however, that her last trump
was played this winter. Among her friends
was a governeSs who had been Brought
from Moscow by one OF the rich merchants
of Irkutsk for his children. The lady was
highly educated and refined, and in stature
and apl earauce reSembled Goolak-ArtemOv-
skaya. Since her arrival in Irkutsk the
willy ATtemOYskaya has become her init
mate friend. Although the governeSs was
highly respected, no one wondered at her
friendship for the convict, because a lady of
better education aud tact could not be found
in the city. Last autumn both ArtemOv-
skaya and her friend, the gOvernesS, dis
appeared from Irkutsk. Searches were
made, but the fugitiyes could not be discov-
cred. At last a peasant reported that he
had found the body OF respectfully dressed
woman near the river few yersts distant
from IrkutSk. 1t was the body of the poor
gOveTness. As she bad disappeared from
the city together with the convict GoOlak-
ATtemOVskaya the suspicion arose that the
latter had played her foul in order to get
possession Of her passport. Searches for
the fugitive convict were made with in
creased energy. Early this March she was
discovered in the town of Maryinsk, in the
Government Of TOmsk. She mad assumed
the name of the poor goYerness and used
her passport She was arrested and taken