Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-03
Cootesses Murders
Without Emotion,
Horrible Story by Dr.. Pant
chenko in Russia.
Count De Lassy Offered Him
from $4,000 10 S25o,o0O
To Dispose Of Various Persons
Shocking Revelations.

chenko, who has confessed to poisoning
Count Vassilli Bouturlin, for the muir
der Of whom both he and the counts
brothcr-ln-law, Count O'Brien De Las
sy. are on trial. was the chief witness
in the proceedings today He was call
ed uron to plead second time to the
charge and he again pleaded guilty.
His counsel, who has been trying
to prevent Pantchenko from Wavering
since his confession, asked him on the
witness stand today whether De Lassy
offered him $4,000 to poison Count Bou
turlin, $4,000 to poison Gen Bouturlin
and $250000 to poison General Boutur-
Inns second wife. All three questions
Pantchenko answered in the atlirma-
tive. His answers caused d sensation
in the court room, where for the last
two days. the spectators have been al
most surfeited with exciting incidents.
The widow of the murdered count de-
scribed in her testimony the circum-
stances of his death. She and her hus-
band had been spending Easter at the
generals estate in wilma province
Her husband was then in excellent
health. Later lie left for st. Petersburg
ad on May % she received an urgent
telegram calling her to his bedside,
When she arrived she found he had
been subjected to spermo injections
and that il was too late to save him
She had never hidden her suspicious
that De LaSsy and Pantehenko Were
responsible for her husbands death
The witness broke down and wept
when Count Bouturlin's letters were
read in court
DR.. Cogan. Who had attended Count
Beuturlin after Pantchenko's injec-
tions. said that he was informed Of
the widows suspicious. He found evil
dence of bloodpoisoning but was OF the
opinion that this was due to careless
ness. In his earlier testimony Pant
chenko said that lie was not i'll the
habit of sterilizing his hypodernic
needles.
Tho Whole empire is interested in the
case, because of the wholesale confess
sion made by Pantchenko. Every myS-
teriCus death of recent years is re-
called and there are rumorS that the
poiSoner may have been engaged to
cause the death of members of the
royal family. He has admitted that he
made u business of killing for hire.
heirs, rivals in love, insistent creditors
and i'll fact. any undesirable person
whose enemy was prepared to pay lib
orally for his sudden taking off.
The poison doctor. according to the
police, has admitted some 40 deaths.
his fees running as high as s250OOo for
a single assassination. His method
was to inoculate the patient with
.I,a !, no. 1aI
to the bedside in his professional ca
pac;ty. Ordinarily it was necessary
that the proposed victim should be
caught while indisposed and some ruse
adopted to bring about Pantchenko's
attendance. He is now credited by
some with having originated the chol-
era epidemic of few years ago
The doctor is 20 years old and APP
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 Muravieff. with whom Pant
chenko lodged and to whom he says
he turned over his earnings. She fig
ures in the trial as an alleged accom-
plice.
De Lassy is a cousin of Countess
Tarnovska. who is serving prison
term in Italy for completely in the
murder of her fiance, Count Tomorrow
ski.
Count Bouturln was 26 years old,
the son of General Bouturlin. whose
family Is one OF the Oldest and wealth.
lest in Russia. Pantchenko says
that in the case OF his lat
est killing he used diphtheria baccilli.
For the murder he admitted he was
paid by De Lassy. but when en- the
witness stand has failed to repeat his
admission on certain points. for the
reason, it is claimed. that he is still
under the spell of his co-defendant.