THE MANNER OF SKOBELOFF'S DEATH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3511, 9 October 1882, Page 4

THE MANNER OF SKOBELOFF'S DEATH.

The Moscow correspondent of the London Telegraph throws discredit on tho official account of Skobeloff's death. Ho writes :— \ Skobeloff is indeed'dead ; but the details officially published concerning the manner and place of his decease are said to be absotely false. The facts are as follows : —The evening before the General's death he was in his usual health and spirits, and dined with some boon companions at one of the best restaurants in the town. After dinner the party proceeded to the Ermitage Gardens, a place of entertainment in the environs of Moscow, of the same character as the Cremorne Gardens used to bo in London. More friends were met afc the Ermitage, and after a very lively evening the party returned to town, Skobeloff inviting some of the party to join him at supper at a small hotel, of indifferent repute, in the Petrovta-street, named tho Hotel d'Angleterre. Jn this hotel and in this society the General died. Skobeloff had numerous enemies, and by many it is believed that he was a victim to foul play, but those who best knew his character, and who also knew who •were in his company at the time of his death, consider it far more probable that hewas killed by one of his male companions in a drunken brawl. I myself, immediately on hearing of his decease, sought information at the Hotel d'Angleterre. I was refused admittance, and when I attempted to question the proprietor, ho declined to reply. He 'had never seen General Skobeloff' ; ho did not know ho was dead ; and he did not know why I asked him about it. Other enquirers were in my presence similarly refused information. The general's body was at night secretly removed to the Hotel Dusaux, where tho next day it was given out that Bussia's greatest military chief had suddenly expired of heart disease." ___________