A RUSSIAN "ROMANCE."

NZ Truth, Issue 84, 26 January 1907, Page 7

A RUSSIAN " ROMANCE."

. — » THE FUGITIVE LOVERS. Betrayed Husband m Hot Pursuit. He Threatens to Kill. The Couple m Melbourne. Melodrama m Real Life— Ouchakoff-Essipoff Tragedy— Peculiar Propensity to Publicity— Some Candid Comments; (From M«lbourne " Truth.")

"I never plundered my friend and called it play. I never murdered my friend and called it honor. I never seduced my friend's wife and called it gallantry." So Bulwer Lytton made one of his characters remark. Captain Essipoff, of Russia, will have to plead guilty to the third indictment of the quotation, for he has run away with ' the wife of his friend, General Ouchakoff, a military and official magnate of St. Petersburg. The sensational story of the elopement and the melodramatic pursuit of the .fugitive wife and her* paramour has ! /already thrilled the world, and provided femininity throughout the -civil- j ised globe with as romantic anarra^j tive as any ever published m "Bow Bells" or the "Lontfe-n Journal." Renewed and local ' interfisC m the adventures of Madame OUchfikbS and iher lover has been created' rf'- by tiie announcement that the couple are 'm Melbourne. Madame is 3-7 years of age, and has, presumable, reached the a?e of discretion ; but what possessed her to publicly notify her whereabouts so that her ' ■ MORTIFIED AND BELLICOSE HUSBAND should discover where she and the captain are is one of those inscrutable operations! of the female mind which only woman can comprehend. Of this, however, more anon. The tale is a sorrowful and somewhat sordid one, and already it is stated to be beginning to have the customary termination of such episodes—distress, destitution, disillusionment, and, perhaps— who knows? — death. Madame OuchakoG, her betrayed husband and, possibly, her lover, only know what was the origin of it all. Most European peoples treat their womenfolk very differently to the ideas prevailing m Anglo-Saxon Communities. In France, Germany, Italy. and Russia today wives are commonly regarded as bond slaves, and, amongst the "nobility" of Czarland husbands possess the power of restraining their wives, even as was the law m Rome until late m the sixties of last century.. It may be, therefore, that Madame Ouchakoff suffered from illtreatment or cruelty from her husband, and that this caused her to flee from . him into the arms of Captain Essipoff. who is five years younger than herself, and. to DESERT HER TWO BOYS, who are aged 14 and 13 years 'respectively. However that may be, the woman whd ' has persuaded the "Herald" people that she is Madame Ouchakoff, speaks English and 'French' fluently, although she : informed her Melbourne interviewer that her captain companion only talks and understands Russian. Her story is upon the same lines as the statements, already widely published m the English narers, but with some . peculiar variations, to which reference will be made latter. Her startling narrative is to the following effect :— ln September of 1905, she , states, she went to visit her father, who was then Governor-Gene-ral of Turkestan. No doubt she witnessed many of the . . BRUTAL AND REVOLTING ACTS of "repression" and "pacification" carried out by her parent by' order of the reactionary Ministers' of "the Lit-> tie Father." There were m the province thousands of Muscovite troops and bloody Cossacks, and one of the officers of a, Russian regiment there 'was:- Captain Essipoff. Madame asserts that their meeting was a case of love at first sight, and they became inseparable.- But Essipoff had to proceed to. St. Petersburg to take un a staff appointment. Then her father died, and Madame arranged to >ro to the city on the Neva to join the Captain— for she preferred a young Captain :to an elderly and violent General. Easipoff met her at .Orenburf. but they went, on to St. Petersburg. The General was away m the South of France dancing attendance on a Grand Duke. Previously Madame had jurged her husband to get a divorce, but he had fired, up m wrath and yelled to her, . "YOU ARE MAD, MADAME. If you speak like that again I'll send you to a lunatic asylum. And she knew he would. So while OuchakoS was at Cannes, Madame and her Gabriel Essipoff cleared. She Jiad about 3500 roubles, she says, and he had about 3000— approximately, £650 m English money. The lovers had a; fortnight's start, and went first to Berlin. Thence they travelled to London, whence they journeyed, as- " Mr and Mrs Shofr," to Madeira. Afterwards they proceeded to Portugal, Spain, and France. At Gibraltar they took passage to New York, intending to settle m America, among the Russian Jews. But the immigration officers refused (so the interviewed woman said) «;o allow the fugfnves to land, a nd they went back to" France, and again to London. Resuming their flight, they went to

Cape Town, but decided to come to Australia by the Paparoa, bound for New Zealand, and landed at Hobart, and then went to Sydney, where they staved for a week before coming to Melbourne. But what was General Ouehakofi doing aft this time? As soon as he . HEARD OF HIS BETRAYAL, he loaded his revolvers and started ' m pursuit, swearing upon his most cherished ikons to be avenged. He took a solemn oath to kill Essipoff hefofce the eyes of his false and- -faithless • Wife: 1 "I wflF kill'" him Tbefore heir' where she stands, " he swore. So as the lovers fled, Ouchakoff pursued. He poured out money to effect his object of overtaking the pair. Everywhere' they went spies watched them and reported their movements to the General. He followed them even tp I America, and at New. York an immigration officer told Madame, "Your husband is now on his way here, and I he has sworn to . ! KILL THE CAPTAIN on sight." Even m Hobart and Sydney, Essipoff considered every man a spy. When m London the second time 1 Madame saw her mother, and urged" her to the General not to fol- \ low them, other friends joining m the entreaty. But Ouchakoff was, and, so far as is known, is still adamant m his determination to kill his betray ei\ Madame has evidently been a pretty woman. Essipoff is a rather goodlooking chap, of medium height and build. He is ill (the woman toW the "Herald" man), suffering from "nerves," fearful that every man is a spy, and imagining every time a door opens that >. . ' . THE FRENZIED AND FURIOUS OUCHAKOFF will enter to shoot him dead. The couple had spent -nearly .all their money, she added, but, through the French Consul, the other day Madame received £50 from her mother. She says that she is entitled to £50,000 when her mother dies, but is prepared to give that up if she can get a divorce and a small annuity to enable her and the Captain to live m Swutzerland.' For Essipofi's money has popped off, and he is a deserter, and cannot go back to Russia. "I long to see my boys',"" .sho says, "but I cannot to back. I must stick to the Captain."' And rather than face .General Ouchakoil the lovers declare they will commit . suicide. "We have often spoken of it," says Madame. That is the story told m Melbourne. „ But let us -throw -.-.... ■■'■•■ SOME FURTHER LIGHT , upon this apparent "mystery." The London "Daily Mail" of October 4had the following from its Paris correspondent :— "The Transatlantic Steamship Company's special, train, qonveying the passengers from 'La Savoie,' which arrived at- Havre this morning from New York, brought to 'the St. Laz&re station the two. lovers who had been hunted half round the world by tns lady's furious husband. The man is tall and dark, and was dressed m a grey lounge. suit and bowler hat. He has a slight moustache, closely cropped. He is about 30 or 32 years of age, and appeared somewhat nervous. With him was a lady dressed m a dark grey travelling cloak and a sailor hat. She looked very tired. I addressed the man as M. Essipoff, and he immediately drew back with a look half annoyed, half startled, while the lady stood still .as though petrified with sudden alarm. The man made a motion towards his breast, as though to DRAW A WEAPON from his inside pocket, but he as quickly withdrew his arm. " 'You_ are, no doubt, a detective,' he exclaimed- " 'No, I said, 'I am a newspaper correspondent.' " 'Ah !' he said.. His manner chan- | rried immediately, a smile coming over his pale face. He turned to the lady and said something, which I suppose' was m Russian, but which immediately seemed to satisfy her. " 'I' 1 have nothing to tell you,' he said. .'I suppose the newspapers have the whole story. What do you want of me ?' "I asked him whether he intended to wait m Paris for General Alexander Ouchakoff, the lady's husband ? " 'No, no,' he answered hastily, 'we are merely passing' through Paris ; we only remain here for a few hours. You will leave us alone ; you will not follow us.' . • .. . . -.= .... " 'But,' I replied, "'Your- case is qfpublic interest, and I should be glad if you would tell me what your intentions are,' and I proceeded to translate , to him the telegjram from New York, published m this morning's papers. (This was the announcement that General Ouchakcff intended to kill him.) He pulled nervously at his moustache. " 'Well,' he said, 'if I meet him, and if he gives me the chance, and if he does not act like a murderer, „ .. I WILL FIGHT HIM. You will then see that I am no coward. That is all I can tell you ; 'but, for the sake of this lady here, I wish to avoid him. I am not afraid for myself, but for my wife— for this lady is now my wife before God.' "After having passed his baggage (two trunks and a large valise), he hired a two-horse cab, the luggage was placed m it, and the couple drove away. They drove first of all to a Russian bank m the Rue dv Helder, but it was afiter 4 -'clock, and tbo Vlace was closed. They then drove a- ' cross Paffis to the Orleans Railway Station at the Quai D'Orsai, after seeing that two other cabs followed them.' They entered the buffet, while the cab waited outside -with the lug:--#ure. In the buffet M. Pi-siroK wrot? two o* three letters, which he posted

m the station letter-box. They then re-entered the cab and drove to the Lyons station, which m- a long drive. Here he booked for Marseilles with his luggage, taking two first-class tickets, and leaving by the 7.20 express." Then on October 8 the same journal had another article upon the fugitive Russians, and these are some extracts from it :— "It is tlie eternal story of LOVE AND PASSION —m this instance the story of one woman and two men. A wife, a husband, and a lover— they are the characters ; the elopement of the wife and the lover— that is the motive the grim, determined pursuit by the husband—that is the drama. A vendetta, m fact, ruthless and tireless. Here are the dramatis personae of this drama of vengeance which is being enacted to-day, and which has for its theatre the whole world :— "General Ouchakoff— the husband. ' j "Madame Ouchakoff— the wife.- i "Captain Essipoff— the lover. | "All are Russians of aristocratic birth, and all are rich, as they needs must be, for the lov?rs to continue their flight, and the husband t o pur- j sue his campaign of revenge. The | General holds a high position m the Russian Army. He is a full-bearded j man, of cold and stern countenance, a man who does not forget, a man ! who does not stop until his purpose is achieved,. ..." „,?'. 'I would-, mbt^ive-^dishoi^Sfe'life m niv husband's house,* says Madame Ouchakoff. 'I preferred to efface myself and go away at once/ Madame Ouohakoff does not attempt to' shirk her responsibility m the matter. 'I have given my husband the right to divorce me,' she says. 'I do not blame him for what has happened. I will never return to my- husband. I will kill myself first.' . . ." "General Ouchakoff contemplates no yiolence m regard to his wife. His pent-up wrath is directed solely against her lover. 'I shall take her back with me to Russia. She will come. Why shouldn't she come? When I have -found them there will not remain any reason for her not returning. For . HE WILL BE DEAD. I shall kill , him before her. Then I shall take her back to Russia.' "The lovers had not departed from St. Petersburg when the General heard of their elopement. Gabriel Essipoff had been a member of his staff, and a personal friend. Without a moment's delay the General started m pursuit, and for nearly five months now the chase from one place to another m Europe, from Europe to America, and from America back to Europe, has gone on. And at this moment it continues, with the aid- of numberless spies, and despite the obstacles and innumerable subterfuges.- --| ." 'The General was soon on' the track, and he followed up the scent hotly, but ha always arrived at a place to find that the hunted pair had fled. He traced them to Genoa, only to arrive there m time to see the smoke of the outgoing- steamer taking them to New York. At New York they were refused a landing, and started back on a steamer -for Havre. By the next boat the General came, wroth at first to find that the authorities had deported them. " 'But,' he grimly said, 'it does not matter. A week or two weeks, more or less, what does it matter ? The END WILL BE THE SAME.' So lie' left 1 New York immediately for Havre. Meanwhile' the lovers reached Havre arid came to London . D ogged incessantly by spies, they left London on 'Friday last (by motor car to Southampton), and on Saturday steamed out on. board a vessel which is now fast beajring them to a distant shore. "Captain Essipoff declares his willingness to pay the penalty Russian honor demands, and meet the General m a duel to the death. He has no need, he says, to fear to fight the man he has wronged, for as. swordsmen and marksmen there is little to choose between them if a fair fight were assured. But Captain Essipoff is convinced that the General, backed by the enormous secret resources of Russian offidialdom, aims, if he cannot take him by surprise and shoot him dead, at his DEGRADATION AND RUIN, and ultimate death, ..-by processes which those familiar with the system of espionage practised m the Czar's realms can readily imagine. "Madame Ouchakoff says :— 'The General means to kill the Captain, not to fight him. He is a man of honor, and would not himself stab t him m- the back, but he argues that the man I love, • and for whom I have ftiven up almost everything the world holds dear, is dishonorable, and oui>side the laws of honor. He would, therefore, shoot him at sight if they ever met. And I should be at the mercy of a husband who must have ceased to care a jot for, me, or he would not prolong this torture of pursuit. The General could, and would, nrocure my imprisonment for life. probably on the ptetext of insanity, m an asylum. No ; I would RATHER DIE AT ONCE.' I w-iirnever, never, be at the General's mercy.' "It is not: cowardice that is paralysing the nerve of the fugitives. As men and women go, they are brave enough. It is the helplessness that is like a shroud upon them that saps their courage— utter weakness' opposed to relentless bate and seemingly gigantic resources. For one thing, Captain Essipoff has persistently refused to remove his cavalry moustache, which would distinguish him among a thousand men, at any rate outside. Russia. It is characteristic •• of the man, and he knows it. " 'If I am killed,' he .said on Saturda.v. 'they may point tome m scorn and say I shaved my moustache to hide myself. I flee for Madame's sake ; if I am killed *she is alone without a real friend m the world. It is to save her life I go.' " 'We are ready to die together,' said 'Madame Ouchakoff. 'but T do not want the General to vill Gabriel, and thf>n heve to kill myself.' "Madame Ouohakoff talked feveriaihlv m French, which the captain speaks fairly well, to keep h«s spirits up. 'I have don* wron<r. sb. said, 'and I must pay the price. But you must not iudire us too harshly. There is no ttoine back for those who love as we have loved— Oabriel and I ' " SOME COMMENTS, There are several discrepancies bei tween the statements .attributed to Madame Oii'Chako'* : n ■'"* Gordon papers and those mad? m Melbourne by i the person interviewed by a reporter.

Let us examine a few of the variations, m the iirst place, Madame told the Melbourne pressman, "The Captain only talks, and understands Russian." Yet the "Daily Mail" states "French, which the Captain speaks iairly well," and the Paris correspondent spoke to him m French, and was answered m French by him, and did not understand Russian when he spoke it to the woman. Again, the photo of Essipoff published locally shows him to possess a heavy dark moustache. The "Mail" man m Paris says "He has a slight moustache, closely cropped." It is significant, moreover, that it has been m Melbourne that (m spite of her innumerable interviews with journalists and her apparent desire to parade her faithlessness m the limelight of full publicity), for the first time Madame mentions that she is entitled to £50,000 when her mother dies. Why? For this couple— the false friend and' the faithless wife— there CAN^BE NO SYMPATHY. For the woman there can, m particular, be no sympathy or feeling. Whatever may have been her conjugal grievances against the husband whose name and 'honor she has so besmirched, degraded, and dishonored ; whatever may have been the dictates of her 'unholy and illegal passion for her present .paramour, she was a mother, and by her heartless desertion of her children has forfeited any claim she might have had to consideration and to, human synvpathy., ,•; ■%:•/. ;,•:•£ ■-'■'Then; as to 'the' Money "aspect. V Taking Madame Ouchakofi's own story, so frequently and freely related for publication, the couple started on their wanderings with £630. That, Madame now states,' has all been "blewed." They did not know where the next penny was to come from, though they "expected" remittances. And vet, during all their travels, they stayed at most expensive hotels, travelled first-class, and journeyed m motor cars and squandered their re- j sources. But most extraordinary of all the '• details of this "romance" is the fact that, wherever they have gone, I Madame has courted publicity. -Everywhere she has given interviews freely apd fully to • journalists, even furnishin? them with photos of herself and the Captain. • Everywhere she has FLAUNTED HER INFAMY and- the treachery of her lover before the eyes of the whole world. Ordinary folk m such circumstances would have, sought not only to hide their disgrace and degradation, but to • keep; secret their whereabouts from the infuriated and betrayed and vengeful husband. Madame Ouohakon' and Captain Essipoff have, on the contrary, publicly notified their presence wherever they have gone. Their presence here has already been, cabled to Europe. What is there behind it all ? THE LAW PROTECTS-EVEN . THEM. And, finally, where is the meaning m Australia of all this talk* of fear of spi'ivi ; why all this senseless clamor of the fear of death' at the hands of General OuchakoH ? : Presumably, both Madame Ouchakoff and Captain Essipoff are persons of some education, and. possibly, with some knowledge'of the. world. They must know that, however it may be m Russia, there is no cause for fear m Australia. Guilty as they are, the Law protects them. Even as to spies, they can invoke the Law for tneir protection. And how much more are 'they safeguarded from any threatened . atsa&t by the jealous and vengeful General: Supposing the outraged husband did pursue them to Australia, his wife or the Captain would only have to swear an information before Mr Panton, or any other magistrate, that THEY FEARED VIOLENCE from the General, and the latjter would be at once arrested. And, presuming that the General did land here and shot dead his wife's paramour, he would soon discover (as he doubt- j less knows- already) that Australian justice keeps a rope for murderers, however highly placed they may be, even be they Grand Dukes themselves. In the glorious sunlight of Australia there is. nothing to fear even by so degraded and guilty a man and woman —save the torments of their own consciences , and the tortures of their thoughts. The identity of the couple as Madame Ouchakoff and Essipoff has been established. When/ m Sydney Madame communicated with the Russian Consul m that city, to whom she presented what are stated to be satisfactory credentials, and, when coming to Melbourne, she obtained a letter of introduction to the Vice-Consul here. Upon inquiry ut the Vice-Consulate we were informed by 'the latter gentleman that he was quite satisfied as to the IDENTITY OF THE PAIR, and this view has been substantiated by the cablegrams which he has receiveh regarding , them from London and from Itussia. But the vice-Consul remarked : "It was very foolish of them to go to a newspaper and relate their story. And all for a miserable £2." Further inquiry elicited the fact that Madame was paid this munificent sum by the "Herald" proprietary for the privilege of the interview. Considering that at that journal's usual rate Of payment pn "lines" for contributions the article would have been WORTH AT LEAST £3. As to the . question of the admissibility into the Commonwealth of Europeans, the Custom House officials state that, while the Immigration Restriction Act provides the power for. putting the test to Europeans, this power is never exercised unless there is reason to believe that persons coming here belong to* the criminal classes, or are likely to become a burden on the country. The law is enforced, however, against Asiatics, Africans, and American or West Indian blacks. The Russian levanters were, therefore, admitted without question.