Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-01-03
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AZ Lsusfsk. "a Poland the criminal
court Wa Engaged recently with eas Of
the nsst extraordinary trials 81 record
and one that has been fuily reported IN
tbs French and Russian Journals The
accused WAS . Russian noslemas named
Kreakowski. whose exploits IS .
briyand pat Fra Dlavolo and ali his
brothers In the shade And the inter
esting thing about ali his criminal and
romantic career 10 that there Is ne room
for fiction La the story, because IL has
been established by evidences corrsoo-
rated and sworn To in court.
Der years past. says the Chicago
Times, this man KroaAowsh was In
the habit of carrying on = nocturnal
warfare upon the rich mobiles OF
yolhynia- Being the son Of rich par
ents who lived ia the Podolsk Govern
ment. he received an excellent edncs-
ton and spoken French like Partisan.
He spent = great deal Of his time IN
Paris at tho commencement OF his
career. and was the guest there Of
he was living very fast life in the
French capital. and when his fortune
began To slip away from him he organ
lied u band of brigands, the principal
officers Of which were his coachmen,
MS Wallets. aud some moujiks on his
own estate. Then he set out for the
Kejoff Government, and commenced TO
take the castles of the mobiles by storm
or strategy, according 20 circumstances
In Z short time, after u few skirmishes
with the Cars troops, he found himself
and his band surrounded, and nothing
seemed left for him but death or sur
render. The troops, however, only sue
ceeded in capturing q comparatively
small number of the brigands, and their
astonishment was great when it was
discovered that the chief had escaped
Then they remembered that n feeble
and white-haired man, bent with age,
asking charity of the officers. was per-
mitted TO pass through their lines. That
bogus old beggar was Kroukowski.
Two years slipped by and nothing
more was heard of hun until suddenly
he appeared at the head of another
band of robbers, which he organized
and equipped for service IN Galicia,
where his exploits were recon-
menced. OF course he never re-
manned very long in one place, and
his movements were singularly rapid.
he came upon community like biz
zar,i and his holiness knew no bounds.
At Loustals and Doubno it was shown
in the evidence that he often used to
walk about the streets and firt with
the ladies; but every time that the po-
lice got wind Of his presence the search
for him proved fruitless. Ono night,
however, the authorities became aware
of the fact that the celebrated bandit
was in a little inn at the outskirts of
the village of Kevertsi. The troops
were Immediately called out. The
place was surrounded and all the doors
carefully guarded. Suddenly Russian
officer in full uniform appeared. With
an air OF authority he asked to see the
officer in command of the troops. The
latter approached him respectfully and
told him the object of his visit. The
handsome officer seemed surprised at
first and then smiled at what he ap-
peared to regard as a hoax. Then he
requested the young Lieutenant in
command to be SO good as to give let
ter with which he presented him in the
politcst manner possible, to his friend,
the chief of police.
The Lieutenant took the letter, prom
ised to deliver it and saluted. The fine
looking Russian officer stalked away
after having returned the military
salute with which the troops honored
him. When the Lieutenant got back to
the village and reported, he handed the
chief of police the letter which he had
received from his brother officer. The
latter opened 1T, and read in French the
following:
"Kroukowski, chief Of the brigands,
presents his compliments to the chief
OF police"
The unfortunate Lieutenant lost his
rank for allowing himself to be duped.
Kroukowski also followed the ex-
ample of his Italian confreres in MAX
ing prisoners and demanding high
ransom for them. One of his prisoners
was the daughter of prominent Rus
sian Count. The Count paid the ransom
and got back his daughter, bet proposed
TO the outlaw TO marry his daughter,
and promised that IL he did so and re-
turned to an honest life he would do his
utmost to secure his pardon, and would
succeed beyond doubt. But Krou-
kowski replied that he regretted cx-
ceedingly that previous engagement
put it out of his power TO comply with
the Counts request lie was very much
IN love with another lady.
The authorities then went to work TO
discover that interesting young lady.
They found her, and watch was placed
upon her house, where. at last. after a
desperate fight, Kroukowsk was cap
tured.
Although his fights and drels were
innuTnerable, there was no evidence TO
prove that he ever committed cold
bloodcd murder. That was all that
could be said Of him. except that he was
a charitable robbor. and his gifts TO tho
poor were pTinoely. As he earned his
money easily, he parted with It lightly,
and he was a great favorite with the
rnoujiks, 20 whom he really owed his
facilities for foolinv the soldiers and the
police for so long time But the court
sentenced him 70 penal servitude for
life. and his appeal to tho Car has been
unanswered. lie viii be cent 10 sbe
island Of Sskhslise, in Siberia. wher.
h VIII be chained ~ some other convict
In The gold mines. from which no pris-
ouer has ever jet escaped.