The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-04-10
WiCkedeSt Woman I'm
the World, Bringing
Death and DISGRACE to
Everyone Who Loved
Her---Or is She the PerSe-
Venice, March 30.

Venice, March 30.
ftr AN the most unfortunate woman
that ever lived. l am a martyr to
my own beauty. For men to be-
hold me Is to love me. to prosecute me
with avowals of their deathless passion,
to die by their own hands from despair,
or. Influenced by jealousy. to become as
sassins, and involve me in the conse-
quences of their crimes. l am innocent.
yet they would make me suffer with the
guilty"
Thus the radiantly beautiful Russian
Countess Tarnovsky bewails the opera
tons Of destiny which have made her the
central figure in the most celebrated muir
der conspiracy Of the century.
"Beauty's martyr" sneer the Venetian
populace "She Is more devilsh than all
the Borgias and Strozzis rolled into one.
She is Mrs. Devil herself"
And they have mobbed her as she land
ed from the gondola which is the Vene-
tap BLACK Maria" to Join her fellow
conspirators before the tribunal of St.
Mark. where the trial is now proceeding.
They have mobbed her with cries from
enragei women:
Drown her! Throw the creature into
Yet, with only two weeks expired Of
the trial that will last probably four
months the feeling Of the Venetian popu-
lace is curiously changing. Her wonder
full beauty-a youthful, slender figure in
black with only touch of white at the
throat-and her constant protestations or
martyrdom to that beauty. seem to be
turning public sympathy in her direction,
That Venice should be the scene Of this
tragic drama. with its strange echoes
from the Fifteenth Century. is peculiarly
fitting. The scene might almost be that
Of Shakespears's most brilliant comedy,
1.-THE Merchant Of Venice" The history
Of the Countess Tarnovsky leading up to
the murder Of one of her passion-crazed
dupes by another. while third dupe
helped her plan out the details OF the
crime, probably would have inspired the
pen of the great Ellzabethan dramatist.
Chronology of the Tragedy.
Briefly the chronology of this greatest
OF modern tragedies is as follows:
August, 1Q0T-Count Paul Kamarovsky
insured himself in a Vienna office for
$780, 600 In the interest OF Countess Marie
Tarnovsky.
August 26-He left Vienna for Venice.
September 4-Count Kamarovsky was
shot at five times in his villa at Venice.
September 5-Nikolas Naumoff arrested
In the train at Verona.
September S-Count Kamarovsky died
Countess Tarnovsky and Luiz Prilukoh
arrested at Vienna. Prilukoff confessed
and charged the Countess with having In
cited Naumof to murder the Count.
September 9-Countess Tarnovsky con
fessed.
September 11--confesslon revised ant
retracted by Countess Tarnovsky.
January 10, 190S--Extradition from
Vienna to Venice OF the Countess anC
Prilukoff.
March, 191o-Trial Of Countess Tar
noysky, Elsie Perrier cher maid) Nlkola'
Naumof and Luiz Prilukoff begins il
Venice.
In spite OF the best OF proofs that thu
Countess had kept him near her for thF
purpose of making an assassin OF him
Eaumoff. the young aristocrat loves TN
woman with more absorbing passion
than ever. On the opening day Of the
trial. when he was confronted with hei
in court, he suddenly tore himself out
of the grasp OF his guards and fung
himself at her feet.
BY far the most interesting ana sen
sational facts about Countess Tarnov
sky--facts OF special value TO students o
acknowledgements her practices of tor
turing her lovers. This is a species o.
degeneracy which has distinguished
many Of the worlds famous fcuda
beauties.
In her early examination she told o
the torture which Naumoff underwent a
her hands. He suggested. she says. tina
she should burn him with cigarette end
and stab him with hatpins. and he foun'
his delight In suffering.
They used to stab each other with tn,
Pine and batho the wounds with eau d.
Cologne 10 increase the pain.