MURDER BY RUSSIAN JUDGE

Otago Witness, Issue 3662, 20 May 1924, Page 20

MURDER BY RUSSIAN JUDGE

AN EXTRAORDINARY PLEA. LONDON, May 12. The Daily Express’s Moscow correspondent records the following declaration by Enaknyasev, a former presiding judge of the Soviet Supreme Court at Vcronesh, in support of his plea of not guilty of the murder of Irena Argova : —“I am in my office a Turkish pasha who has every right to command the services of the women in my employ.” Irene Argova was his secretary and typist, and a beautiful girl irom the Ukraine. The trial revealed that she had resisted his advances, despite his giving her various lucrative positions, but she offered to marry him if he divorced his wife. He refused to do this, but continued assiduously to pursue the unyielding girl till finally he dismissed her from the court. When the facts became known he was relieved of the presidency of the court, and the girl was reinstated. Later she received a letter from Enaknyasev, which she returned unopened. Enraged at the rejection of the message, he waited outside the court and shot the girl dead. The prisoner made a dramatic defence, declaring that he was suffering f rom .rresistible passion. He said he ioved his wife, yet he could not live without Irena. Enaknyasev was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years’ strict isolation.