COUNT’S COFFEE POISONED

Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1929, Page 2

COUNT’S COFFEE POISONED

vALE i' OF PRINCE YOUSSOUPOFF PARIS, May 1. Wliat is believed to have been an attempt to poison Comte de Lareinty, a relation by marriage of Prince Yousoupoff, who is credited with having put to death Rasputin, the Russian .Monk, is engaging the attention of the French police. Comte de Lareinty, who lives at the ( nateau do Lac, a magnificent property in the Aude Department, recently •omplaincd of feeling ill every morning alfter drinking his coffee. lie sent a sample of the coffee to a Parisian Poison expert, who reported the presence of scopolamine, a poison akin to belladonna' and atropliin. Comtes.se do Lareinty, who was a Princess Demidoff before her marriage states that members of house parties and relatives staying at the chateaus also showed symptoms of poisoning. Suspicion Ifell on a Spanish valet named Baptiste Carbonncl. A detective visited the chateau under an assumed name, and he also felt unwell after the morning coffee. He questioned Carbonnel, who is alleged to have confessed that every morning while carrying the count’s breakfast tray from the kitchen to his room he dropped poison into the coffee A phial of scopolamine was found in the valet’s room. CONFESSION RETRACTED. Carbonnel declared that the poison had been given him by Illia Peban, Prince Youssoupoff’s Russian valet who he declared had promised him 50,000 francs when the count died. Then Carbonnel suddenly retracted his confession.

Prince Youssoupoff, who is now on a visit to Vienna, has expressed the opinion that the whole thing must be a mistake, as Redan had an excellent character.

Comtesse de Lareinty has told the newspaper, the “Journal”, that the Spanish valet appears to be a mere tool in the hands of Pedan. She added:

It has been said that Pedan who was unaccustomed to being treated as a servant swore that lie would avenge himself because my husband made him sleep in the servants’ quarters and put him in his proper place during a visit which his master paid to the chateau. Hut 1 do not think this is tlfe real explanation. 1 Oelieve that , 1 iincc Youssoupoff” s enemies, who have sworn to avenge Rasputin, were behind the plot.