In 1892, the corpse of the beggar Matyunin was discovered in the Votsk region. The body lay on a swamp forest path leading from the village of Old Multan to the neighboring village. According to the investigation, the unfortunate man was “prayed” by the votyaks - sacrificed to the evil spirit Kurban. Suspicion was raised by the fact that the corpse was decapitated and its chest was emptied. They said that cannibalism is a feature inherent in this particular people. What is before us - “scary” old wives’ tales or terrible reality? This question was answered and could not be answered by three court hearings. The famous writer Korolenko and the brilliant lawyer Karabchevsky rushed to the defense of the Votyaks. But only State Councilor Krichevsky, sent to a remote region by the director of the Police Department of the Russian Empire, brought clarity. All events actually took place in 1895 in Mamadyshsky district (now Udmurtia).