Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-01-31
A RUSSIAN BRIGAND.
Kroukowskl Is Enroute TO Siberia's
Gold Mines.
kidnapping, Torturing and Holding
for Immense Ransoms Was tho
Exile's Especial Forte.

New YORK, Jan. ga dispatch from
ST. Petersburg by way of London says
that one of the greatest brigands Of
modern times is now on his way with a
convoy of exiles to the island of Sank
haline in Siberia, where he will remain
chained up for the rest of his life in the
gold mines. The convoy left today.
Kroukowski, which is the name under
which the brigand was tried and con-
victed, was a Russian by birth and came
Of wealthy family. lie spoke French
and English fuently, having frequently
visited both Paris and London, where
he was received into the most aristo-
cratic society
Five years ago, as the result of high
living and excessive play at the gaming
tables OF Paris, no found that littlo more
than remnant OF his once magnificent
fortune remained. Accordingly return
ing to his estate in the province of Vol
hynie, he proceeded to organize band
OF brigands, the first members Of
it being his coachman, footmen and
few moujiks, or peasants. belonging
TO the estate. At the head OF these he
invaded the government OF Kejef and
commenced a system of pillage upon
the chateaus of the nobility, securing
booty by the tens of thousandsof dol
lars Finally the entire band, except
the leader, was surrounded by the Rus
sian troops near the town Of Potschajef
and captured. After trial that was
little more than farce, one and all
were sentenced to Punishment to ST.
| IBERIA.
Three months later Kroukowski reap
| peared at the head of a new band formed
| in Galicia, Austria, when his exploits
| became more daring than ever. He fire.
quently visited Loutsk and Doubrio and
| did not hesitate TO promenade the
streets On one occasion the gendarmes
were informed that he intended to pass
| the night in small inn close to the
village OF Kevertzi. The troops were
| Immediately called out and with an iE-
| fnitude of precautions the inn was en-
tirely surrounded. At this iuncture a
Russian officer in full parade uniform
approached the chief gendarme and,
after inquiring very politely after the
health of the prefect OF police asked
that his card might bo handed to that
functionary. The officer then quietly
withdrew, saluting the soldic-s, who
presented arms TO him as he pa ,sel !.
Their commander took the card to tho
chief of police, who found written on it
| in the French language the following:
"kroukowski, the brigand chief pre-
sents his compliments to the prefect Of
| police" The unfortunate officer of
gendarme lost his position for having
allowed his prey to slip through his fin
gers thus easily.
Kroukowski made it a rule not TO kill
any of his victims, but was not averse
to torturing them if he thought they
we're concealing any of their valuabies.
kidnapping was his especial forte. Last
October he carried off an aged princes $
for whom he demanded a ransom OF
$4,000. Her relatives instead of at
once paying the sum demanded, set the
police and soldiers in motion, but with
out result. The. unfortunate lady. who
was addicted to corpulency had been in
the habit of going TO Carlsbad every
year to reduce her weight. She was
captured about the time for making her
annual pilgrimage, but Kroukowski un-
dertook to act as her physician, and
under his heroic treatment she became
weeks. Her friends were apprised oi
the fact and decided to ransom wha
| A week ago he captured young gffl
of Is, whose father was one of the chiei
state officers. 1t was three months before
the heavy ransom songht was forthcom
ing and on the return of the young LADY
it was developed that she was enceinte
Her father then proposed that the bri
| ,ya nd ohinf chnul1 hio Ian 70
and assured him that he would guaran
tee him indemnity il ho, would return
to the path of rectitude. The brigand
emphatically refused however, on tho
ground that he was in love with the
daughter of a poor peasant This
amour proved his ruin. On November
16 the police received information Of [;
rendezvous between the brigand and his
charmer. No less than 200 soldiers, gen
darmes and Cossacks surrounded the
place and after desperate struggle
Kroukowski was captured, bound hant
and foot and taken prisoner. After hi'
conviction ho addressed petition to the
car, asking for pardon and Offering t.
disclose secrets which would make hin
valuable as one of the chiefs OF the
secret police. No reply. however, wa
returned, and the probabilities are tha
for the rest of his life he will pay pen
ance for his crimes in the Siberian gol(
mines.
The peasants in their hearts regre
the capture OF the brigand who treated
them better than most of their masters
Superstition cast halo around him II
the minds Of the ignorant common peo
pie, who firmly believe that he has al
immense treasure hidden in some mys
terious spot, and are equally certain
that he will return in the near future
bolder and moro daring than ever.