New-York tribune., 1911-02-05
RETRACTS CONFESSION
Of MURDER BY GERMS
mr. PantChenkO Denies His
Statement That He Poisoned
Count Bouturlin.
WAS INDUCED TO CONFESS
co,s Promise of His Release and
THAT of His Mistress, Nine
Muravieff, Was Not
Kept.

petersburg. Feb 4-Dr Pant
10 who has twice pleaded guilty to
49, murder Of Count Nassili Bouturlin
,.oc,.la-ing him with diphtheric toxin
"a who. prior 20 his appearance on the
,.,ees stand. made an elaborate con-
,...ion of his guilt. later retracting parts
:, =, and modifying other parts. to-day
..,orished the crowded courtroom with
,reerinc denial Of his confession and
..o,omert that he had been induced
,,ske the admissions Of guilt on the
..,,,ee that his mistress Nine. Mura-
,,,s would be freed from charges and
A.. no himself would be released from
CUSTODY.
psrtchenko. who has been wavering
,-oo, his confession for the last two or
,,,ee davs followed the testimony close
:, during that time. Yesterday, after
,,s medical experts had testified that
potvrIin's death was due to poison,
.,d that the poison might have been
5,cb,beric toxin. Pantchenko refused TO
,nsver whether he had injected diph
,bs-i. toxin into Count Bouturlin. To-
S., bs denied that he had done So. and
,.,-,otcd absolutely his original story.
Freed 10 Abandon Subterfuges.
pantchcnko's sweeping denial Of his
confession came when the prosecutor
had forced him 10 abandon the series of
,nerfgges in which he had taken refuge
throughout his examination.
YESTERDAY Dr. ZdrzheHoVsky testified
,bo, no had given the defendant diph-
,bertc toxin at the latter's request.
p.r,crsnko did not deny this testimony,
but tinreply 10 a question from the court
said that ho would answer as TO what he
did with the poison later
To-day the public prosecutor. after re-
,erng unsatisfactory replies 10 several
QUESTIONS. abruptly asked: How came
The name Of DR.. Zdrzhekoysky in this
case in the first place.
Pai7,-henso hesitated. appearing at
loss for reply consistent with his ad-
missions Of yesterday. and then suddenly
made a complete retraction Of the orig
,lal story Of his guilt.
He said that when he was first arrested
end preliminary examination given him
The magistrate before whom he was ar
ragncd promised him that Nine. Mura-
yief. 20 whom he had said lie had given
his murder fees would be kept out of the
case and even that NE would be released
f he made a confession. These promises
had not leen kept.
Pan,chenko said that believing in the
good faith Of the magistrate. he had de-
Coej 90 fabricate a confession in pre-.
larns this the magistrate had asked
him what poison he would say he used.
lie replied "Dys5ntericai." but the mag
istrste iu making copy wrote "Diph-
theri.ie.' This Pantchenko later con-
frmed as De- said it was a matter Of in
6IfTonce o. him what poison was men
toned .u the false statement. The de-
iendant explained his plea Of guilty to
the Indictment ly saying that he re-
iered TO tine use OF an unclean hypo-
dermic ueella
At this point typewriter experts were
called 20 determine the authorship of a
letter written in French and attributed
b. thc pros.c cut.,u o. Count de Lassy
Tie letter had been introduced to show
an association between the count and the
doctor
Servants on the Stand.
Several Witnesses We're pat on the
stand to-day. including the servants OF
tho Muravirfr and Bouturlin households.
They testified that the poisoning Of
Count Eou,Ir'in had become backstairs
gossip even before the count died. II
vas common talk that Pantchenko was
s'"ays m need of money. According 10
ne testimony Mm, MWaviens servant
roasted 20 the front door porter My
mistress is soon 20 become rich" A
'''ant cf tie B1r,4rlirs once came to
t'minon 'r Pantchcnko and said T. the
lo'ier. "He poisoned cur master; now
~ Doesn't come % sec him"
+&i"cnc+ was adduccd to show that
(---'henso and Count O'Bricn de Lassy,
WHO ls charged with having hired Pant
'nsnko - Kim Rolturlin. had numerous
conversations over the telephone and
,'a' Ie -assr once called in person.
'"aais a, the Grand Hotel testified
'ai De L>>.5 STAYED there from MAY -
" - l9'' Tho Ioisorcus injections
'i' said g. have been made on MAY II
ana lG Throughout that period De
--f''l was .u close communication with
Ean,cheuk5.
" student tutor Of Nine. Muravicrs
0.dren. described her as an iraSclble
i"soh 1ut - loving mother. at which
~'Ne Murauon won't into Mysteries. and
ue Session OF the court was interrupted
1sN'.aeaAc tenduiy wrapped her in his
'N u' resumption Of the proceedings
q" '1cer Starkon. entered the court
.''m and bowed TO the woman. who
D'e4 "heerfuny i'm reply. Stariko4
'H That Nine Muraycns husband,
,l Ae was dying. had intrustcd his
"''| 10 The care Of Dr. Pantchenko,
'' Toe latter sworc not to forsake
" Ta' court then adjourned until
'm'now afternoon.