Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-03
PRISONER PLEADS HYPNOTISM
Defendant in st. Petersburg Murder
Trial Make Unusual Defense.
DIG EsrATE is NvoIvED
DR.. PantchekO says lie Was Hired
by Count DE Lassy 60 Poison
Count BOutcrIin, HIS
Brother-tn-Law.

ST PETERSBURG. Feb There was
an unusual occurrence at todsy's session
OF the trial for murder OF Count O'Brien
de Lassy and the notorious poisoner, Dr.
Pantchenko, the latter being called on to
plead a second time. He pleaded guilty as
before.
The count is accused Of having employed
the doctor to murder his brother-in-law.
Count vassini Bouturlin. the heir to
estates of an estimated value Of S3,5oO,OOO
in order that the property might be In
herited by Countess de Lassy.
Pantchenko confessed his guilt. but set
up the defense that he committed the
crime while under the hypnotic influence
Of the count AS the trial progressed he
wavered in matters Of detail and his law
yers we're quick to strengthen his original
defense by declaring to the court that
their client was stil under the influence
Of the count tc such an extent that he
was little by little retracting the vital
points Of his confession.
Prisoner Pleads Guilty.
Today the public prosecutor took cog
nlzance of the situation and after refer
ring to the proximity OF the prisoners in
the dock made a motion that the cardinal
question Of his guilt or innocence be pro-
posed again to Pantchenko He said that
the replies of the prisoner had been un-
satisfactory throughout his examination.
| The court granted the motion and the
formal question Of the indictment was
again read. Once more the aged physician
replied that he was guilty Of Bouturlin's
death.
His examination was then continued
Asked whether he had administered poison
to his victim, Pantchenko demurred, say
Ing that he would answer that question
after the data of the medical experts whC
had made the post-mortem had been pre-
scented In court. He explained that h,
did not sterilize his hypOdermic syringe
after he had sent some one on the way t
the grave. because the spermo preparation
diminished in effectiveness when thu
syringe was sterilized
Makes Business OF Murder.
The whole empire is interested in tn,
case because of the wholesale confession
made by Pantchenko. Every mysterious
death in recent years Is recalled and ther,
are rumors that the prisoner may hav,
been engaged to cause the death of mem
bers of the royal family. He had admitted
that he made a business OF killing for hire
heirs rivals in love, insistent creditors an,
In fact any undesirable person who's
enemy was prepared to pay literally 70
their sudden taking off.
The poison doctor, according to the police
has admitted some forty deaths, his fee
running as high as $4,000 for single as
sassination. His method was to inoculat
the patient with cholera baclH after he ha
been called to the bedside in his profes
sional capacity.
Ordinarily II was necessary that the pro
posed victim should be caught while indis
posed and some ruse adopted to brin
about Pantchenko's attendance. He is no,
credited by some with having originate
the cholera epidemic of few years ago.
Woman In the Case.
The doctor is 20 years of age and appear
to have had some standing in societ
despite his dual profession. Count d
Lassy Is young man of Irish descent
The woman in the case is Madam Murs
veiff, with whom Pantchenko lodged an
to whom he says he turned over his carr
ings. She figures in the trial as an allege
accomplice.
De Lassy is a cousin Of Countess Tarr
ovska, who is serving a prison term
Italy for completely in the murder of he
fiance, Count Komarowsky.