Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-25
A MURDER TRIAL IN SWEDEN.

The trial of the Baroness Fagerskiold
for the murder of Captain Taube, g
captain of the Kings Guard, of Sweden,
began yesterday at Stockholm. Only
preliminary hearing is to be held just
now, bat it opens to public view one Of
the most sensational crimes in the az
nails OF European aristocracy. The
Baroness mas confessed, but expects tC
get off by the aid of her high connec-
tons.
Captain Taube died two years age.
He was a special counselor of the King
No suspicion of foul play was excited
a. the time, but when ii was discovered
that he had left all of his large estate
to his wife with reversion to the son Sc
lected by her ss 1.-The most worthy"
the scandal began. The eldest son ls Il
seaman in the Royal service with the
title 'reserve officer aspirant in the
navy"
1t now appears'that he wss the lover
of Baroness Fagarskiold, who had, upon
the financial ruin of her father, been
taken rto the Taube household by he
widow as companion. This womsn's
full name Was "Helaa Baroness of Fa
gsrskiold and soc mad assisted in the
rursing of Captain Taube. Young
Evert Taube, the eldest son, expe cted
20 marry this girl-indeed, was engaged
10 be married 10 her. As soon as the
contents Of the captains will bod beer
made public the bsroness accused his
wife of having poisoned him with sub
i'm 4te. The body was exhuned and
tue poison found in it 1t was not
shown absolutely, however, that the
poison had caused death and the widow
was released under bond.
After the Captains burial the Baron
IS told Mrs. Taube OF what shs claim
ed to kuow, hut said if she gave the es
tate TO the eldest son she would rot
disclose her knowledge to the world,
out if she refused would cause her al
rest. Mrs. Taube, protesting she wss
innocent OF til charge, paid no atten
;ioa to the atfsir.
The son EVert, who was the Baroi-
ess's lover and wanted ths estate, claim
ed 10 be convinced Of the truth of the
Baruness's story. Mrs Taube was tried
and indications seemed to prove her
guilty of the charge of murder. While
the trial was pending startling thing
happened which finally led TO sensa.
tiopal denouement-the acquittal ofthe
widow aud the arrest OF the Baroness
upon the charge upon which her trial
was begun Saturday. The latter wrote
a letter confessing that she herself had
committed the crime, but suhse quenily
declared that the letter was forgery.
In December last the Baroness claim
ed that she had received letter max
irg an appointment on the outskirts of
the city, where she would receive i'm
portant information. She showed the
letter 10 friends, and two of them ac-
companied her 10 within short dis
tance Of the spot. She left them but
did not return. They went to look for
HI and found her unconscious and
b eeding from cuts in the neck and
wrists.
She was taken home, and 16 stab
wounds were found upon her. The
police began an Investigation, and
found that the letter making the ap-
pointment had been written by the
Baroness herself. In the meantime,
she had written to Madame Taube,
confessing that heri accusation was
false, and that she would soon be dead.
Finally, upon her recovery, she ac-
knowledged having written the letter
to herself, and, also, having stabbed
herself l6 times with the knife. She
had stolen the knife from q relative.
and burned it in the fire so that no one
would recognize it.
Evert Taube, after a talk with her
in prison, after her arrest, broke CT
the engagement. Upon preliminary
examination she confessed to having
had a child by young Taube. that she
had herself killed Captain Taube, aud
then wished to frighten the widow it,
to giving the property under the will
over to her betrothed. She had writ
ten the letter concerning the appoint
ment where she received the wounds,
and had stabbed herself because she
wished to have it suspected that the
Taube family had attempted to Kill
her.