STABBED BY A WOMAN

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 27

STABBED BY A WOMAN

ST. PETERSBURG, July 13. A woman who had shadowed a monk named Eesputin for a fortnight fatally stabbed him in the village of Pokrovsky, near Tobolsk. Rasputin was an illiterate Siberian peasant, who gained great influence with the Czar as a miracle worker. He rose to power in Court circles, and became agent for various political cliques. He also exercised influence in the Beiliss or blood ritual case., The monk Hiodor was imprisoned for thrashing and denouncing Rasputin as a false prophet. Rasputin’s wound is not considered to be mortal. He was walking in a native village with his son Dmitry, and, noticing the woman, Rasputin felt in his pocket for alms, when Guseva, who is a peasant woman, stabbed him in the abdomen with a dagger. Guseva tried to again stab him, but Dmitry prevented her and handed her to the police. Guseva stated that she to avenge one of Rasputin's girl victims, now in a convent. Guseva subsequently attempted to commit suicide by cutting a vein in her wrist with broken glass. Rasputin’s hypnotic gifts enabled him to play upon the feelings of hysterical women, and several of unblemished reputation fell under his spell. While movingin the highest society, Rasputin participated in Boccaccian scenes with village girls, who were always provided with an alleged religious raison d’etre. July 14. Crowds attempted ■to break the village gaol and lynch Rasputin’s assailant, who is apparently of unsound mind. Guseva is adopting” the hunger-strike methods. She is a fanatical follower of the monk Hiodor. Rasputin was delirious, but operations have brought him some relief. The Czar is constantly informed of his progress. July 15. The Czaritza has despatched a lady-in waiting and a Court surgeon to Federoft to attend the wounded monk Rasputin. A later message states that the monk is out of danger.