What was this Bialiatsky doing? He committed robbery in the Smolensk province and brought such fear to the entire region that even children were frightened with his name. What stories have been told about him, and you won’t understand what is more in these stories - truth or deception! They caught Byalyatsky more than once, but they just couldn’t keep him in prison. You know, the shackles did not hold him when he escaped from prison three times.
A robber would attack a man's house and cleanse everything, but he would not destroy human souls. He takes the young lady with him and lets him go: go home, mother.
In the Smolensk district he attacked the estate of the local landowner Maria Petrovna. Maria Petrovna knew what to do. She went straight to the governor and fell on her knees in front of him:
– Your Excellency, what should you do: live at home or run away from home? What to do when there is no peace on the estate?
Don't think that she wanted to humiliate herself in front of the governor in order to pity him. She wanted to shame him. What did the governor tell her? The governor said:
- Be calm, madam! What does she mean to him?
“As you wish, Your Grace, but if you do not protect us, we know where the king’s gates open.” The governor became very angry.
“The police,” he says, “are no good.” However, he summoned the police officer and began to scold him:
“What kind of police officer are you, since robbers rob in your district without any hindrance?” Find them immediately! Until then, don’t appear in your house, I don’t want to answer for you, idle people. What is it? I, the governor myself, have to catch robbers.
The police began to look for the robbers: the police officers, the police officer, and the police officers from neighboring districts - they could not find anyone. It was as if Belyatsky had disappeared, and his gang had disappeared. But the robbers traveled in groups of twelve.
We decided to keep the advice. And then our old policeman Lebedev stood up and said to the police officer:
“Even if we search for a whole year, we won’t do anything.” I have a man, he is the only one who can help us.
-Who is this man? - they ask.
- Yes, gypsy Ivka.
The police officer came to me on the advice of the police officer and prayed:
– Do whatever you want, just help. There is no life. Since when have you not been home? Take what you want, just do a favor.
“Well, I’ll help if the landowner allows it.” And here's the thing. Once Belyatsky came to see our landowner. The robber disguised himself as a merchant. He brought him two fur coats to sell: one from American bears, and the other from lamb. Not immediately, but the landowner guessed that this was Belyatsky in front of him, and the fur coats were stolen, and therefore he did not buy - he was afraid. As he left, the robber said:
“Everything on your estate will be safe, and I won’t touch your neighbors if your gypsies leave me alone.”
And then the landowner ordered us not to touch Byalyatsky.
The police officer went to the landowner and told him what the robber was doing in the province. The landowner got angry:
“If he’s being so disgraceful, then let Ivka catch him.” Just you, Mr. Police Officer, don’t offend the gypsy, but pay him well for his efforts. Keep in mind that in this case you can even lose your head. I saw this robber - an excellent scoundrel: eyes like a wolf.
“I,” the police officer promised, “will give Ivka a hundred rubles.”
- And I am a witness to that. Just watch, maybe you won’t catch him, but just tease him. After this he will not let me live.
The police officer and I went to Smolensk, and from Smolensk I walked on foot, like a tramp who doesn’t remember, along the road to Krasnensky district. I knew in advance that Belyatsky and his gang were hiding three miles from the village of Uvarove, where he kept the Pyareksta inn. Belyatsky has taken up with his daughter, and whatever he steals, whatever he loots, he brings it all to him, Pärekste.
I came to the inn.
- Hello!
- Hello!
- Would you like to put in a samovar, master?
- Can. Where did you come from?
- Yes, consider that I’ve walked around the whole world, I’m a tramp who doesn’t remember. What are you asking me, a poor wandering man?
- Well, let's have some tea and get to know each other.
They put on the samovar, started drinking tea, and I kept looking out the window, pretending that I was afraid that they would grab me.
“So I’ll tell you what,” I say to the owner of the inn, “I’ve been wandering for three years now, going all the way from Siberia.” I have some things. Would you buy them?
-What kind of things do you have?
“I have silver dishes, canvas, master’s fur coats, and expensive master’s clothing...
- And where are they, these clothes?
- Hidden.
- When will you bring it to me?
- Soon.
- How will we do all this?
“We need to do it so that no one knows about it.” Give me the time and I’ll bring the clothes.
- Well, this matter needs to be washed with vodka.
The owner served vodka, poured himself a glass, and me too.
- Well, let's drink to get acquainted.
We drank. And then Päreksta’s daughter came up, the same one who was confused with Belyatsky. Gorgeous. She sat down at the table and began:
- What a nice guy. What if he meets Byalyatsky?
- I'm a good guy! If only I could find something to do, otherwise I’m tired of wandering around.
– If you will be useful to me, I’ll attach you... Do you want to pester Mr. Belyatsky? Have you heard about him?
“I heard it, but I just didn’t see it.” I know that his skill is brilliant. Attach me to him. And for this you will receive a gift.
- I’ll fix it, I’ll fix it, you’ll be grateful.
- How can I meet him?
- Come then and then and bring things.
- Okay, I’ll come, let Belyatsky make sure for himself that I’m smart in this matter, and you connect us with your recommendation... What time should I arrive?
Päreksta thought and thought and said:
- Come by midnight. Belyatsky will be yours. I thanked the owner, paid for the grub and the drink, and he told me again:
- Come on such and such a date. You will see Byalyatsky. When the police officer found out about my adventures, he was so happy – he even kissed me. We held a council to decide how to take the robber. They reported everything to the governor. He ordered soldiers to help us. We boarded the post office and went to pick up the soldiers. The investigator contacted us. We took about fifty armed soldiers and the day before the meeting we arrived in Uvarovo, to Päreksta’s house. The soldiers were stationed: near the stable, near the house. Yes, they arranged it so that no one would notice. They ordered the soldiers: as soon as they hear Hurray, let them form a chain around the house. Päreksta, his wife and daughter were tied up so that they would not leave the house, and guards were assigned to them. One soldier was placed in the entryway, in a hidden place: as soon as someone entered the room, he had to lock the door. And another soldier was told that if the robbers arrived on horseback, then as soon as they entered the hut, take the horses and drive them away from the house. This is to leave the robbers on foot if, by misfortune, one of them escapes.
Here we sit. It’s already twelve o’clock and there’s no one there. Suddenly, at one o'clock in the morning, twelve people appear on six horses - each horse has two riders. Belyatsky rode ahead with his coachman Yegor Mikhailov. As soon as the robbers arrived at the inn, Belyatsky (he was cunning, however) ordered:
“Everyone drive past, just the two of us with the coachman will stop by, and you stop nearby: who knows?” What if someone comes and finds out that our gang is here.
The robbers rode off and stopped a mile from the inn. And Belyatsky and the coachman jumped off their horse and went to the house. As soon as the door of the room closed, a soldier came out of a secret place in the hallway and grabbed the door with a pin, and the second soldier mounted his horse and rushed off to the village. Suddenly a cry of hurray was heard. Immediately the soldiers surrounded the house with a chain.
- Fire! - Belyatsky shouted. Who should give the fire to? Everyone is connected. The robber saw that people were scurrying around outside the window, he went to the door - they wouldn’t let him in, he rushed to the windows, and there were soldiers standing there. He grabbed a chair and hit the window, and the soldiers started firing their guns. The robbers began to shoot back with revolvers. The shooting went all over the area. The robbers from the gang heard that Byalyatsky had been ambushed, they turned their horses and began to fight him off. Almost repulsed. There was a real fight. The investigator who came with us got down on his knees in fright and begged:
- And what the hell brought me here?! After all, it’s none of my business! And now my children will remain orphans.
At first the police officer was also timid, but his position was such that he did not have to blame himself. The police chief turned the soldier and ordered:
- Look, the robbers are coming in a bunch. Shoot at this pile and you'll hit someone.
Indeed, fortunately, the soldiers immediately killed several people, and the robbers returned home.
- Thank God, we defended ourselves! – the police officer sighed with relief. And then Belyatsky ran out of gunpowder and charges, and he shouted through the door:
- Now take me! But no one dared to go to him. Two soldiers were appointed. They went with guns at the ready, and the third with a candle behind. So they entered the room. They see Belyatsky sitting on a chair with his arms crossed over his chest:
- Take me!
-Where is your gun?
-What pistol? I didn't shoot. It was you who shot. Maybe you thought out of fear that I was shooting?
Yegor Mikhailov was found on the stove behind the chimney. They tied them both up and began to search the hut. They found weapons - they were hidden under the stove, they also found money and jewelry: spoons, expensive glasses...
The robber was put in prison. He demanded a prosecutor.
“I want to take off the shackles,” said Belyatsky, “because they are of no use to you.”
- How come there is no benefit? – the prosecutor grinned. - And if you want, take it off yourself and try it!
The robber kicked his leg and the shackles fell off. The prosecutor shouted:
- Shackle Byalyatsky again, hang double shackles.
They shackled him, and when he hits his foot again, the shackles are apart.
“Only my conscience is holding me back, otherwise I would have escaped from prison long ago.”
One way or another, Belyatsky escaped from prison, made a tunnel and left, taking four Siberians with him. And then he gave a telegram: I will kill the police officer with a revolver, and I will cut off Ivka’s tongue.
A robber came to me at night and tortured my wife:
-Where is your master?
- There is no owner. He left for Smolensk. Again he dreamed about me and the police officer:
– I’ll get to them. If I can’t find it at home, I’ll get it in Smolensk.
For a long time the police officer and I were wary of the robber. He wore civilian clothes all summer. Once he hears a call: some guest with a coachman has arrived. The yard girl looked at the guest and immediately squealed:
- You are Mr. Belyatsky!
He saw that he was recognized, and was like that.
Finally they caught the robber, somewhere near Poltava, and put him in an earthen prison, where he ended his life.
In appearance, Belyatsky was fair-haired, or rather even red-haired, with wolf-like eyes, like his fist. He had a blond nose, he had an important gait, apparently he was a man of noble blood, with an education. The robber spoke intelligently and eloquently, no one could contradict him. And he knew the laws better than any prosecutor. He was hot; When he hits the table with his fist, his blood runs cold. And he was a great master of robbery: he would put a rag on the window and take it out without any noise. It’s useless to shoot at him - you won’t hit him: he knew the conspiracy from the bullet, the lead didn’t take him. There was only one way to kill him - a copper button, because there is no conspiracy against copper. Who could have guessed this?!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru