The destruction of the Stroganov box office in St. Petersburg
“Pinkerton literature pales in comparison to the adventures of the former deputy of the 1st State. Duma I.I. Kuznetsova. This St. Petersburg “Arsene Lupin” was caught in the daring destruction of the office of Count Stroganov in the house of the Counts Stroganovs, famous for its beauty and wealth, on Nevsky Prospekt, near the Police Bridge.
To get into the house and get acquainted with the layout of the office, Kuznetsov brought into his gang, which had already labored more than once in St. Petersburg, the carpenter Chugunov, who two years ago had worked in Stroganov’s house and left his tool there. It was for this forgotten tool that Chugunov came to look and draw a plan of the office room… While sorting out the loot in the light of a street lamp, the thieves did not notice that all the documents on the abandoned envelopes were renumbered, and the evidence thus remained at the crime scene… By eleven By o’clock all the participants had already divided the spoils, bought a brand new dress and went to the tavern to “get things done.”
Envelopes with paper numbers ruined the undertaking so brazenly carried out. It was not difficult to trace the predators – and everyone, except the unknown comrade Douglas, was quickly found and arrested. Former deputy Kuznetsov turned out to be the organizer and leader of an entire gang of thieves of 14 people, which was credited with many dark exploits.
Kuznetsov is a simple worker, a carpenter, and got into the Duma thanks to his popularity among the workers of the Baltic plant. The time of troubles gave birth to the dark heroes of the day!…”
Magazine “Ogonyok”, 1912.
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