Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-15
A MEDIEVAL TRAGEDY AT VENICE
WILLIAM CURTIS
Special Chicago

Naumoff in fury of Indignation. because
of telegram which the woman pretended
to have received from Kannarovski The
telegram repudiated the marriage engage
ment for the most insulting reasons. and
notified the countess that she would never
hear from him again.
1t has since been disclosed that Prilu-
koff followed Kamarovski to Venice and
spiracy. The countess was therefore alone
with Naumoff at their apartment in
Vienna. When she showed him the mes
sage his chivalry was aroused. and the
nominal husband being absent. and be-
yond communication. the young man
started for Venice for vengeance.
Reaching this city by an early morning
train. September T. 1907. he went straight
to the counts palace. found the way to
his bedroom and MORALLY wounded him
in his bed with five shots from his re-
volver. When the cylinder was empty
the young mans excitement seems to
have subsidized. and he says that his bleed
ing, victim inquired: why Go you kill
Naumoff now admits thai the count de-
MED having sent the telegram. A brief
conversation seems to have made clear
to both the murderer and his victim that
count urged his assassin to escape be-
fore the assault became known.
X x
Naumof did not leave the palace until
he had aroused the servants and sent
for a doctor. who came
Fatal Immediately, called con-
suitation, and decided
0A~AA6' that an operation was
necessary to save the victims life. The
latter declined to take anesthetics and
smoked cigarettes while the. We're prob
I'M tn1I
wounds were fatal he sent an afectionate
telegram to the Countess Tarnovski to
that effect. and imploring her to come to
him TO receive his blessings before his
death. He seemed convinced that Pril,l-
koff had interviewed from motives OF jeal-
ousy: that the countess was guitless and
that his assassin was acting from a high
sense of honor under a misunderstanding.
The countess refused to come, but sent
loving message. When he read it he
turned to his nurse and remarked:
Good, kind woman: now l can die
content" and shortly after expired.
After leaving the palace Naumoff took
gondola to the railway station and
bought ticket for Vienna, but while he
was waiting for the train the police were
notified of the crime, obtained his descrip-
ton and caught him by telegram at We
roma. When he was arrested he was con-
fused, remOrseful and penitent and
promptly admitted his guilt we'll as his
identity. He had $1,000 in currency upon
his person and several letters from his
father and mother imploring him to leave
his disreputable associates and return to
his home in Russia. The policeman who
arrested him said:
He carried little golden cross upon
chain around his neck. which he kissed
continually, praying and calling upon
his mother He said that Kamarovslsi
had inslllted the woman he loved and he
had killed him to protect and vindicate
her honor. When he signed the process
verbal his hand trembled so that / had
to hold it for him. He drew away and
said, DO not touch hand that has kill
ed a man."
From Naumoff's, confession and the
ante-mortem statements of kamarovsk
the police obtained a very clear idea OF
the situation, and when Prilukoff, who
had been secretly In Venice all the time
reached lis apartments in Vienna he was
greeted by a policeman, who had already
arrested his mistress and her maid.
While he was IN prison awaiting eXtradi-
ton TO Venice he made several attempts
to commit suicide and has ever since
been in a desperate condition. 1t has
been necessary to watch him continuous
ly in order to prevent him from taking
his life.