A QUESTION OF COMITY.
The morning of the fateful 15th of September dawned at last; and long
before the hour fixed for the official inquiry, the court-room was
filled to overflowing by a crowd gathered from every grade of Society,
to each member of which the arrest and possible fate of so prominent a
person as Patricia Hildreth assumed a special and individual importance.
The very secrecy and mystery that had surrounded the case from the
outset, and the reticence of the Press regarding it--usually so
garrulous and self-opinionated--served only to whet the sensation-loving
appetite of the community. The examination being held in open court,
any one was free to enter, and to exercise that naïve candour of
criticism and good-natured interference in other people's affairs
peculiarly American. Not a member of the assemblage but was cognisant of
the case in all its details, or who could not, at a moment's notice,
reel off a synopsis of its peculiar features, embracing the names,
social standing, personal incomes, and general habits of the persons
most implicated in it.
The Folly, the _Deerhound_, and Esther Newbold, as the mistress of both,
were fully canvassed, together with Miss Darling's openly expressed
anger at being detained by the accusing party to give special evidence,
and Mr. Tremain's extraordinary conduct in refusing to act as Miss
Hildreth's solicitor; while Patricia's private life, her jewels, wealth,
and beauty, were scarcely more absorbing topics than were the treachery,
blackheartedness and ingratitude of Vladimir Mellikoff; who, having been
received with such cordial hospitality, returned it in so evil and
back-handed a fashion.
A strong party of Patricia's friends occupied prominent places, among
whom were George Newbold, Sir Piers Tracey, Freddy Slade, and Jack
Howard, further enforced by a feminine contingent of the _super-chics_,
to whom a morning spent in a court of inquiry, of which they formed, as
it were, an independent jury, to decide upon the guilt or innocence of
one of their own sex and order, offered too new a sensation to be
despised in this age of satiated experience. They came, therefore,
arrayed in the most exquisite of costumes, and bringing with them their
individual fads and fancies in the way of salts, eau-de-cologne, and
fans. They rustled into their places with the same arrogance and
assurance with which they distinguished a "first night" at Wallack's or
the opera, and, raising their long tortoise-shell handled _pince-nezs_
with elaborate superciliousness, gazed at the gathering crowd with the
same indifference as they inspected the unfamiliar face of an aspirant
to histrionic fame whose success was still in embryo.
Patricia Hildreth had indeed no severer tribunal to stand before than
these butterflies of the hour, who were equally ready to bestow upon her
smiles, congratulations, and assurances of their undeviating fidelity,
or scoffs and jeers of objurgation--none the less defamatory because
spoken in soft tones and with downcast eyes--according as the decision
was given for or against her.
As the great clock in the tower of the City Hall struck ten, echoed by
all the lesser clocks of the neighbourhood, the little crowd of
black-coated lawyers and attorneys, that filled the space between the
bench and a certain railed off space, within which a chair had been
placed, separated, the different members taking their places to right
and left of the official bench set apart for the District Judge, before
whom Patricia Hildreth was to stand arraigned, by virtue of arrest, on a
charge of murder. It was understood, of course, that the proceedings
were in a manner informal; the inquiry purported to deal solely with the
validity of the warrant issued against Miss Hildreth, and did not in any
sense partake of the nature of a trial; that, should Count Mellikoff
substantiate the arrest, would take place in St. Petersburg, before a
Russian tribunal. Nevertheless, to all those concerned in the case, and
to the onlookers, this official inquiry was regarded in the light of a
trial, especially since, owing to the gravity of the circumstances,
witnesses were to be allowed on both sides.
John Mainwaring's dark, clean-shaven face wore a somewhat anxious
expression as he bent down towards George Newbold and spoke earnestly to
him. Mr. Tremain, Esther, and Miss Darling were not present in the
court-room; later they were to be called to give evidence. Count
Mellikoff was there, however, looking very pale but perfectly
self-possessed, his deep-set burning eyes flashing looks of disdain upon
the unfriendly crowd, whose hostile expressions did not fail to reach
his ears.
As his solicitor Vladimir had engaged Peter Munger, one of the most
famous members of the Bar, whose name alone was supposed to ensure
success. He was a large man, with a forbidding forehead and an offensive
smile; and his very aggressiveness was popularly supposed to weigh
heavily with the Bench.
He spoke very little to any one, but scowled darkly upon Mainwaring, and
muttered a rather unprofessional expletive beneath his breath, against
his opponent's youth and inexperience.
"I had rather it had been Tremain," he had growled out to Count
Mellikoff, when first apprised of the name of Patricia's solicitor,
"it's worth my while to beat _him_; but that youngster--bah!" And out
flew a shower of little chewed-up quids of paper, which it was the great
man's habit to indulge in as a break-water to the more pernicious
tobacco.
Count Mellikoff had shrugged his shoulders and held out his hands in
deprecation, but made no other reply, upon which the giant snorted out
something not over polite regarding foreigners, which Vladimir felt it
was wiser not to notice.
As the last stroke of the hour died upon the air a moment's silence fell
upon the assembly, and in that silence the peal of old Trinity's bells
rang out, calling the worshippers to morning service. Vladimir, as he
listened to the deep peal, thought of Petersburg, and found himself
waiting involuntarily for the victorious pæan, "How glorious is our God
in Zion," which in his country followed the striking of the hour,
drowning the sadder notes of the _Miserere_.
But the bells ceased, and with their final chord of aërial music the
small door behind the official bench was thrown open, and the legal
_cortège_ entered and took their seats in a silence that was absolute,
save for the throbbing of the air stirred by the expectant breathing of
the waiting crowd.
Judge Anstice, the District Judge for New York, was eminently imposing
both in person and manner. He was unusually tall, with an intellectual
head, a face of much power and kindliness, and a reputation for leniency
whenever compatible with a strict observance of justice. It was to him
that both John Mainwaring and Mr. Tremain looked instinctively for
sympathy, though knowing him to be before all things a strict
disciplinarian in all points pertaining to his profession. He was,
moreover, a popular favourite with the public, who hailed his appearance
with subdued satisfaction.
The half murmur of applause which greeted Judge Anstice developed into
decided expressions of excitement as a tall, slight figure advanced,
piloted up the narrow aisle by a policeman, and shown into the railed
off space before the Bench. The new-comer was Patricia Hildreth, and the
hush of expectation, that followed close upon the audible comments
called forth by her appearance, became breathless, as, with a firm step
and upright bearing, she took the place indicated and stood for a moment
confronting her accusers.
Her beautiful face was colourless, her blue eyes looked black and
luminous beneath the dark brows, her lips were resolutely closed, with
just a touch of defiance in the firm set curves. She was dressed plainly
in black, and she wore no veil.
It had never been Miss Hildreth's custom to hide her beauty when most
triumphant; why should she do so now in the hour of her extremity?
It was intimated to her that she was at liberty to sit down, and with a
slight bend of her proud head she availed herself of the permission.
Mr. Munger opened the proceedings with a short and technical explanation
as to the nature and purport of the warrant of arrest, the issuing of
which had been formally requested by the Russian Government, and
acceded to by that of the United States, not as a matter of absolute
right, but through that comity of nations by which the relationships
existing between two great powers were kept intact and justly balanced.
The warrant thus issued had been executed upon the person of Patricia
Hildreth, _alias_ Adèle Lamien, _alias_ Adèle Lallovich, on the charge
of her having been an accomplice in the murder of Stevan Lallovich,
which occurred at St. Petersburg in the month of December last. The
investigation of this warrant was what they had before them now, and in
so doing he would first call attention to the point of nationality,
since upon this point very much depended. Should Miss Hildreth, or
rather should Adèle Lamien, prove to be a Muscovite subject, the
American authorities could have but one course open to them, namely, to
surrender her to the Russian officials, and let her be put upon trial in
the country, and according to the laws, where the crime was committed.
A like course had been adopted by another foreign Power, when the
United States was the petitioner, and the offender a political criminal.
Spain had at once delivered up this fugitive from justice,[1] though not
legally compelled to do so, and the offender was brought to trial solely
through the courtesy of a foreign Government. Having then this case as a
precedent, it would, according to national honour, be impossible to
refuse a like amenity in the present instance. As the Bench was aware,
the circumstances in the case now before them were of so extraordinary a
nature, it had been deemed wise to allow of evidence being given, a
course entirely at variance with the usual procedure in such cases.
Special emergencies, however, required special treatment. But before he
availed himself of the privilege thus accorded, he would call the
attention of the Bench to a few of the peculiarities of this case, by
which it would be seen how weighty and grave were the reasons which led
to the demand and the issuing of the warrant.
[Footnote 1: The late Mr. W. M. Tweed].
In his opinion there had never been a more deliberately planned and
executed murder than that of Count Stevan Lallovich, nor one in which
greater skill and _finesse_ had been displayed, both before and after
the perpetration of it. It was needless for him to tell the Bench who
the lady purported to be that stood accused before them; her name and
her position were far too well known and defined to require any
blazoning forth by him. His task was the more unpleasant one of proving
that this Patricia Hildreth had no right to her recognised patronymic,
since she, under the name of Adèle Lamien, had contracted a marriage
with Count Stevan Lallovich, and had subsequently consented to, and
participated in, the murder of the same Stevan Lallovich. It was owing
to these exceptional features that the warrant had been issued against
her, and he submitted to his honour that the papers of arrest would be
found regular on all these points.
Having gone thus far, Mr. Munger paused and threw an imperative glance
at the Judge and auditors collectively; it was plainly evident that his
statement had made a decided impression.
The public interest in the case had been pronounced enough even when but
little of its real nature had been revealed, and now, when the true
aspect of the charge was exposed, and Patricia Hildreth stood stripped
of all protection, even that afforded her by her name and position, and
was openly branded not only as a murderer, but as a wilful impostor and
adventuress, the excitement reached fever heat, and not one pair of all
those hundreds of watching eyes but were turned upon the proud beautiful
face of the accused woman; that face never faltered nor winced beneath
their gaze, eager though they were to note the first sign or expression
of fear upon it.
After this scarcely perceptible pause, Mr. Munger took up his theme
again, and in incisive phrases, with rough eloquence, told the story of
the brilliant, dissolute, captivating Russian noble, Stevan Lallovich;
painting his character in forcible lights and deep shadows; dwelling
strongly on his blood connection with the Muscovite Emperor, his life at
Court, the unstinted adulation poured upon him, the continuous round of
success that attended his every caprice; until it became an article of
belief in his circle that he had but to express a wish, or whisper a
desire, and the fulfilment of it was accomplished without the asking.
Like Jove of old, did he but nod his head his whole world trembled, or
smile and they rejoiced. With great skill the able pleader brought down
his narrative to ten years ago, when, as he said, with a disagreeable
smile, Miss Hildreth, then in the full glory of her exceptional beauty,
had left her native country--he would not suggest under what
circumstances--and for the greater part of those succeeding ten years
had been an independent wanderer over the European continent, answerable
to no one; concerning her experiences during those ten years Miss
Hildreth was known to be obstinately reticent. They had her admission,
however, as he would show later, of her having been in St. Petersburg a
part of that time, and also of her having known Count Stevan Lallovich.
The date of her acknowledged visit to Petersburg comprised the month
before and the very day of Count Stevan's murder. She returned to
America early in February, the crime having been committed in the
December previous.
It was a well-known fact among Count Lallovich's friends, that about a
year before his ill-fated death he had become so infatuated by the
extreme beauty of a foreign lady--foreign in the sense of her not being
a Muscovite subject--as to marry her according to the ceremonies of the
Roman Catholic Church, which Church, not holding communion with the
Greek religion, is looked upon in Russia as schismatic. After a few
months of retired felicity the affair became known to the Tsar, who
revoked the marriage by Imperial ukase, and recalled Count Stevan to
Petersburg; the unfortunate lady was thus turned adrift, with her
character ruined, and her personality numbered among the many suspects,
over whom the Chancellerie keeps so close a watch.
On the morning of the 28th of December, Count Stevan Lallovich was found
murdered in his own palace, stabbed through the heart. The assassin had
left behind no more tangible proof of identity than was contained in a
small handkerchief, evidently dropped in the haste of flight, marked
across one corner in embroidered letters _A. de L._; above these letters
the initials _P. H._ had been carelessly written in ink. The
handkerchief was that of a woman, and was traced as belonging to Adèle
Lamien, or de Lallovich, Count Stevan's repudiated wife. Suspicion fell
naturally upon this woman, a suspicion which soon became assurance; but
she, with consummate cunning, eluded every effort put forth for her
apprehension, and finally escaped to America, landing in New York some
time within the month of February last.
It would be understood that in so grave and terrible a crime, where the
victim was a member of the Imperial Russian family, no efforts would be
spared to track and find the perpetrator of the deed. From positive and
unimpeachable evidence the Chancellerie had reason to believe the
assassin to be in the United States, and they accordingly authorised
Count Vladimir Mellikoff, a member of the Tsar's household, to act as
their agent in the matter; and he it was who in the furtherance of this
work had traced the criminal link by link, and bit by bit, until he was
able to lodge such information before the proper authorities in this
country as resulted in the arrest of Patricia Hildreth; who now, as
Adèle Lamien, or Lallovich, stands accused of her husband's murder.
"That, your honour," summed up Mr. Munger, "is my statement. To prove
the regularity of the warrant, and the validity of the evidence upon
which it was issued, I propose first to show that the lady calling
herself Patricia Hildreth is, _in propriâ personâ_, Adèle Lallovich, and
that by her marriage with Stevan Lallovich, she became _de facto_ a
Russian subject, and is therefore answerable to Russian authority. To do
this, I will avail myself of the precedent established for this case, by
taking informal evidence upon it. I will therefore ask Count Mellikoff
to come forward."