The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-02
Professional Poisoner Is Ar
raigned in Russian Court.
He Admits Responsibility for
Death of 40 Persons.
HE is A PHYSICIAN.
Method Was InOcula-
tiOn With Germs of Disease.
Suspected of Starting a Cholera
Epidemic in This Way.

st. Petersburg, Feb. 2.-There was
an unusual occurrence at todays ses-
sion of the trial for murder of Count
OBrien De Lassy and the notorious
poisoner, DR.. Pantchenko, the latter
being called on to plead second
time. He pleaded guilty as before.
The count is accused of having en-
ployed the doctor to murder his
brother-in-law, Count vassili Boutur-
lin, the heir to estates of an estimated
value of s3.500,000 in order that the
property might be inherited by Coun-
tess 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 was led into matters
of detail and his lawyers We're quick
to strengthen his original defense by
declaring that their client was still
under the influence of the count to
little retracting the vital points of his
confession Today the public prose-
cutor took cognizance of the situation
and after referring to the proximity Of
the prisoners in the dock made a mo-
ton that the cardinal question of his
guilt or innocence be proposed again
to Pantchenko. He said that the re-
plies of the prisoner had been unsat-
| isfactory throughout his examination.
The court granted the motion and the
formal question of the indictment was
| again read. Once more the aged ply
sician replied that he was guilty OF
Bouturlin's death.
! His examination was then contin-
ued. Asked whether he had adminis-
tered poison to his victim, Pantchenko
demurred, saying he would answer
that question after the data of the
medical experts who had made the
postmortem had been presented in
court.
Admits 40 Murders.
The whole empire is interested in
the case because of the wholesale
confession made by Pantchenko. Ev-
cry mysterious death in recent years
/ Is recalled and there are rumors that
/ the poisoner may have been engaged
| to cause the death of mem berS of the
royal family. He has admitted that
he made a business of killing for hire.
heirs. rivals in love, insistent creditors
and in fact any undesirable persons
whose enemy was prepared to pay lib
orally for their sudden taking off.
The poison doctor, according to the
police. has admitted some 40 deaths.
his fees running as high as $250,000 for
a, single assassination. His method
was to inoculate the patient with
cholera or other bacilli after he had
been called to the bedside in his pro-
fessional capacity. He is now credited
by some with having originated the
cholera epidemic of a few years ago.
The doctor is 20 years old and ap
pears to have had some standing in
society despite his dual profession.
Count De Lassy is a young man Of
Irish descent The woman in the case
is Madame Muraveiff. with whom
Pantchenko lodged and to whom he
says he turned over his earnings. She
figures in the trial as an alleged ac-
comp1ice.
De Lassy is cousin of Countess
Tarnovka who is serving prison term
! in Italy for completely in the murder
of her fiance, Count Komarowsky.
Count Bouturlin was &c years of age,
the son of General Bouturlin whose
family is old and wealthy Pantchenko
says in the case of this killing he used
: | diDhtheria bacilli