The Washington times., 1894-07-25
FIRST WIFE, THEN DAUGHTER
Both Members of "Count" Smolianin-
offs Family Disappear.
HE SAYS OLGA MAS KIDNAPPED
Another Chapter in the Romantic History Of
the Russian-He Wants to Leave This
Country, But First Must Find His Loved
0nes-0pposed By Relations.

city, is again courting publicity with the al
legation that his wife, Nellie. has been alb
Quoted and his child. Olga, has been kid
naDed OF spirited away from him, and he
offers n large reward for Information as to
their whereabouts. He says that his wife's
relations are at the bottom Of the abduction
and kidnapping scheme in order to prevent
him from seeing her or his child, but he de-
clares that he will find them il they are on
this continent and he should spend fortune
in doing So.
| The following advertisement appeared in
Yesterdays TIMES, and behind it is another
chapter in the remarkable story Of romance,
love, and crime which has been published
| from time to time:
A LIBERAL REWARD WILL BE PAID FOR
IA information concerning the whereabouts of
my child, Olga, years old, dark chestnut hair,
blue eyes. was taken from my house and was
last seen at 625 F St NV. s. SMOLIANINoFF.
The curtain will soon fall upon the present
act OF this drama in real life. as Smolianinof
is about to l.ave this country for Russia to
take an important position under the govern
ment there: but he AYERS that he will not sail
| from these shores uLtil he has seen his wife
| and daughter. Smolianinoff told the story
of his present domestic troubles In detail to
| TIMES reporter yesterday.
| He has already been twice married to his
wife, and a third marriage will be necessary,
and, he says, must and shall take place in
| order to legitimRtize his child's claims to his
estate IN Russia. By way Of explanation Of
this apparently peculiar matrimonial COM
plication, in which divorce or legal separa-
| tion has never figured. Smolianinoff said:
''Six or seven years ago my wife and I were
very much in love with each other, land we
are still for thu. matter
"The members OF. her family were opposed
to our marriage, or we feared they would be,
which practically amounted to the same thing,
so we planned runaway wedding and went
to Baltimore and got married. When we re-
turned here and announced the fact OF our
marriage to my father-in-law and the other
members OF her family. they could not any
longer object nor do think they would have
done so in the first place. But they did object
to runaway marriage, SO proposed that We
have public wedding here in Washington
before announcing the fact. That was agreed
to on ali sides. and We were accordingly mar
ried second time"
HILL CHILD ILLEGITIMATE.
With regard to the necessity for third
marriage Smolianinoif explained that he is a
member of the Greek Catholic Church of his
country. by the laws of which any marriage
performed by any other tribunal, civil or re-
ligious, IL not recognized. According TO the
laws OF my country and my church I am nm
unmarried man. and my child. although born
in honorable wedlock. is illegitimate and
could not inherit in Russia my estate or prop
erty.
Smolianiof was asked II he could be mar
ried TO legifimatize his child's and wife's
legal claims in Russia without taking the lat
ter to Russia. In reply he said: Not in
Washington or New York
Thar 10 Cotb oh in
Orleans, another in Baltimore, and another
in San Francisco. These are the only
churches of that faith in this country, and
ceremony performed by the priest in either
would be legal according to Russian law"
The reporter asked if he intended being
married here il he would take his wife to
Russia, and Smoliannoff said he would rather
do the latter and had made preparations to
that purpose. And this by the way, Is the
cause of the abduction of my wife and child
he added. Her people are so much afraid
that will take her to Russia that they have
spirited her away and will not let me know
where she is. but 1 shall find her. do not
insist upon her going to Russia with me. but
l do insist upon her marrying me according
to the Greek rites, in order to legalizs my
child's claims to my estate in Russia l am
willing to settle upon my wife s200 month
for the support Of herself and Olga while
an away, provided she will live in a place
HIS WIFE LOVES HIM.
.'Does your wife wish to legally separate
herself from you?" was asked by the reporter.
mo. Indeed. she does not On the con-
trary, she vows she will not, although her
people. in their opposition to me. wish her to
do so. They say they are afraid will kill
her. love her too much to harm her.
would kill without eompunction any person
who would harm hair Of her head. NV wife
loves me. and when she is with me she is
mine, body and soul. but she is so easily in
fluenced by the false stories her people tell
her of me, she allows them to keep her away
from me-"
Being asked when he saw his wife and
child last, Mr.. Smolianinof said: "They
were here with me within week. They
were then stopping at Takoma Hotel and I
sent for them to come into the city. as
could not afford the time to go out When
they were here Judge Pelham, my good
friend, took my little girl out to buy candies.
in order to give me a chance to be alone with
my wife. When we were alone I extended
my arms and said, Nellie, come to me- but
she did not need the invitation. She rushed
into my arms and was as devoted and loving |
as ever she was in the days Of our early, un-
alloyed love.
II showed her letter from my brother in
which he says he has purchased a mansion |
for Nellie When she left me 1t was with the
understanding that they were going to Ia |
koma Hotel Instead she and Olga went to
see her sister, understand, and she has not |
been seen since. at the hotel or elsewhere. |
have not been able to find any trace of them. |
1t seems as if they had been swallowed up by |
the EARTH"
WHY HE MUST GO TO RUSSIA.
Regarding the necessity for his going to |
Russia, Smolianinoff said that his brother is |
chief civil engineer OF q railroad Of 1900 |
miles which the government is building in
Russia to connect the fertile plains with that |
part of Russia where famine is Of frequent |
occurrence. MY brother wants me to assist
him, and besides have great deal Of pri
yate business to look after. l own an estate
of 81, 900 acres on which there 1t palace fit |
for queen. but this is 800 miles distant from
where my brother and his family live, so he
has bought mansion for Nellie and near to
his place.
''The Russian government has guaranteed
me 10, 900 rubles a year from the first OF this
month, and have received tho first months
remittance and copy Of the government
guarantee and contract through the Citizens
National Bank In this CITY,"
Smolianinoff entered into lengthy history |
of the opposition Of his wife's relatives, in
which charges Of robbery, vandalism, forgery, |
and other things almost as bad figured promi- |
nently.
hat h.y,lx