The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12
ny JEANxErrE l.. GLIDER.

sions' Of the Countess Marie Tar
nowska, the Russian criminal. who
has just been released after eigh,
years confinement at TRAM. Italy. and
who has now gone TO Russia to serve
under an assumed name az a nurse in
a war hospital in Mos.ow. The CON
LESSONS" have been written down
from the lips OF Marie Tarnowska by
the Ang.o-Italian poetess Anne
Nivanti Chsrtres. and there Is an in
troductory letter by Prof. Luigi Bossi
OF the University OF Genoa, who was
an expert witness for the defence In
this cause celebre. | have the ad-
vance sheets Of the book before me.
II will be published In the course Of
q few days by the Century Company.
On the morning OF September 8.
1907. Count Paul Kamarowsky. a
wealthy Russian nobleman. was shot
to death in his apartments on the
Lido, in Venice, by ar intimate friend.
Nicolas Naumor. son of the Governor
of Orel The wounded man recognized
his assailant. but refused to make n
statement against him. going so far
escape from the balcony to a gondols
In waiting below. Three days later
Count K~amarowsky died in a hospital
Donat Prilukon. who planned the
murder, was condemned to ten years
penal s%ervitudc; Tarnowska. who per-
suaded NaumoN to commit Il. was
sentenced to eight years imprison-
ment. while Naumon. who fired the
fata! shots. got OFF with a lighter term
Of imprisonment, as he was really only
a tool in the hands OF the two others.
Signora Nivantl Charities was in
duced to write this book bv Prof.
Bossi. The professor has mad II his
life work to investigate the relation
In women between criminal impulse
and morbid physical condition, and in
the case OF Marie Tarnowska he be-
lieves a wonderful opportunity offered
Itself as an illustration of his theo-
ries. IL was important. he affirms. that
THE book should he written, for II
after her release and appropriate med
ical treatment the Countess Tarnow-
ska is restored. us many of us con
fident.y anticipate. TO the complete
sanity OF moral wei, being. your book
in the light of hat essential fact will
have fulfilled a notable mission.
ut will have helped to bring home
to the general consciousness the
knowledge, hitherto confined to the
scientific few, that moral obliquity in
is in most cases due to patho-
causes comparatively easy OF
dia gnosis and of cure: that a woman
criminal nay be morally redeemed by
being physically healed.
Your book. S!gnora, contains IA
truthful exposition Of a group Of psy-
chic values with which physicians and
believe that eventually ii will pro-
mote the realization that ever in the
darkest regions OF moral degradation
IL is possible for science to raise the
torch OF hope. Thus, though appeal
ing for the moment To the interest of
the general reader. II will ultimately
a significant document in
the history Of the evolution OF patho-
logical science"
Signora Nivanti Chartres tells us
the book was not written TO plead
Marie Tarnowska's cause and she has
sought in any way to minimize
her guilt or alternate her RESPONSE
bility for the sin and death that fol-
lowed In her train" She pities this
wom' : who wrecked so
many LIS, including her own. Marie
was born into the world
with a heritage of disease. including
madness. In a conversation with Sig
nora Nivanti Chartres, Prof. Bossl
Marie Tarnowska is not delinquent, |
hut diseased; not a criminal, but an
and her case, like that OF
many other female transgressors, Is |
one for the surgeons skill and the
compassionate care, not
for the ruthless hand of the law. In
deed, 1t is becoming more and more A
recognized fact that many asses OF
.~riminality in woman have a physical, |
a moral origin. The wider knowl-
fdge Of this simple scientific fact in
the social life of our time would re-
deem and rehabilitate thousands OF
unfortunate women who people the
prisons and the Warehouses; of the
AS for the unhappy Countess Tar
nowska," added Prof. Bossi. "the Ve-
netian tribunal refused to regard her
a suffering human being, but flung
her out OF society like some venomous
Read these notes that she
wrote in prison. II they touch your
heart, then do a deed OF justice and
generosity, Go to the penitentiary OF
Trani, see the prisoner yourself and
give her story TO the world. so will
YOU perform an act OF humanity and
by helping to diruse a
scientific truth in favor not OF this
one woman alone but OF all women"
The notes made by Marie Tar
nowska did touch the heart OF Signora
Charities and the book before |
me Is the result. The Countess Marie
IS fortunate in having her story told
so accomplished q writer and SYM
a woman. Signora Vivanti
Charities makes It read like fiction
II really IL most sordid fact.
In the nrst part OF the book the
quotes from Marie Tarnowska's
Dwn journal written In an old copy