The daily sentinel., 1910-08-18
HER FRIENDS KILLED FOR
THEIR MONEY AT MIDNIGHT


dest girl in all Russia at the present
time is Olga Andreeff. Seventeen
years old, she has been the witness
and almost the victim of "a tragedy
which has made a profound sensation
from one end of Russia to the other
Gay as lark, she left the village OF
Rubanovk, in the Caucasus, where
she had been working for more than
year, and began the long Journey
to her home. 10 miles away. with
three other girls.
They travelled on foot, and at the
end of the first days tramp, utterly
weary, they determined to ask for
nights lodging at lonely farm
house. The farmer, Vassili Kalatch,
and his wife received them kindly,
and gave them leave to sleep in the
hayloft. Before retiring to rest they
ate some supper and talked with Vas
sill and their hostess. Gleefully they
related their experiences in the viii
lage, and proudly told of the hundred
rubles they had managed TO save and
were taking home to their parents
When they went to the loft the
farmer remarked that he would lock
them in, as there We're often robbers
about; and, if it We're known they
had money. an effort might be made
to steal it. They were frightened at
this statement, and, when the man
had gone, decided that the youngest,
Olga, should take the money and then
be covered up in a corner with hay.
This was done, and then the four
tired girls quickly fell asleep on their
soft couches of understanding hay
Soon after midnight they were
aroused by the grating of the key in
the lock. and, to their astonishment :,
Vassili kalatch appeared. In his
hand gltttered a long Caucasian dag
ger. In brutal tones he ordered the
covering girls to give up their mon
ey. They refused. The man, en-
ragged at their obstinacy, flew at the
one nearest him and plunged the dag
ger into her breast. mortally wound
ing her Then he seized her two
companions and stabbed the Shrek
ing girls to death. But he could no:
find the money ON their persons, and
realized that it was in the possession
of the fourth, Olga.
She had disappeared, and, thinking
she might have escaped during the
struggle with her friends, he went
out TO see if he could catch her. As
soon as he had left, the brave bu;
trembling girl crept from her hiding
place in the hay, rushed out of the
loft, ran wildly across the courtyard.
Jumped a hedge. and ran for dear life
along the road leading to the villaga
from which she had come.
Presently she overlook a cart slow
ly rumbling along with the goods to
sell at the market of Rubanovk. In
wild terror she told the driver her
story, and implored him TO save her.
The man at once gave her place in
his cart and the sobbing girl went
along with him.
Soon the sound of a horses hoofs
was heard in the distance. and a rider
was seen approaching at full gallon.
II was aVssli Kalatch. The girl
chung to her protector in terror as
the murderer came abreast of the
cart. Shouting to the market man to
stop. Vassili declared that Olga was
one of his farm servants and had run
away after having stolen 100 roubles
from him. But the wagner was not
deceived by this story and bade him
hegone.
Vassili, beside himself with rage.
drew his dagger and threatened to
XII the man who opposed his will.
The latter, shaking off the girl. who
~ SiHS " hlH lor protection,
sprang from the cart, and. drawing n
revolver, fired three times at the
farmer. wounding him twice and kill
ing the horse on which he was rid
| ing.
Leaving him there, the defender of
OlSa Andreef went on as quickly as
possible to the next village and reused
the peasants. Quickly they ran back
along the road and secured the assas-
sin, who was handed over to the po-
lice. The peasant women looked af-
ter Olga with the greatest care; but
fer days her life was despaired of.
fortunately she had youth and health
on her side and she is gradually re-
covering from the awful shock of her
experience.