The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-11-22
POLISH LADY KNoUTED.
Tho Official whipping OF AIexnndrina
kOssosystz,


At the gathering OF Poles in the
little village OF Kernst, OH the South
ern Nneiman, on the 2Sth of July
last, when all thought themselves Sc
cure from the intrusion Of any of the
numerous spies who keep tho Russian
officials informed OF the inalcontents
among them, Alcxandrina Kossowitz,
u young lady whose father, the young
or son of former noble Polish faini-
ly, was killed in the recent troubles
at Warsaw, expressed her sympathy
with the uDiortunatcs whom Russian
severity had murdered or sent into
exile. The meeting was n purely So
| cal one, and none dreamed that any
thing said there would reach the ear
Of spies, for all present were known
TO be Poles, and firm haters of the
harsh rule under which they then lived.
Still, as the young girl in her
passionate remcmbranccs Of a fathers
love, dcpiored his death, expressed
her sympathy with rebellion aud her
dctestation Of her oppressors, she was
cautioned lest her loud tone would
enable people at the window to hear
her. With a hasty glance, as though
To read in the faces Of those about
her who should betray her, the young
| lady ceased her cxccratious aud re-
lapsed into silence. When 10 o'clock
arrived, the latest hour of Polish
gatherings, the company separated,
aud Alcxandrina kcssowitz, accom-
panied by her atiianced, Julian Tenn
cnsky, went 10 her home.
II, in passing from the house Of the
! gathering, she had been more obscr-
want. .Alcxandrina would have seen
/ the maliciously triumphant glances
east alter her by Catherine Mcrdoif,
Il woman Of about thirty five years, n
Pole by birth and sympathizer with
her unhappy countrywomen whenever
| her own passion was not concerned
| From subsequent proceedings, it
seems she had been superseded in the
affections of the young DIR. Temensky
by the more beautiful and younger
Alcxandrina kossowitz.
On the following day, shortly after
| rising, Alexandrina was seized in her
own home, short distance from
kernst, by TWO Cossacks of the guard
nj the garrison, and taken before the
| petty judge.
The young lady of nineteen, hand.
some and trembling, produced no
feeling of pity. Having at first de-
MED the accusation, she was confront
cd with Caihariue Merdofi, and then
| acknowledged the offence. In pass
ing sentence, the petty judge said
| that her seditious ntteranccs might
have warranted him in sending her TO
a higher tribunal, where the penalty
would be death; but i'll view of her
| youth aud contrition, he should mere
/ ly order her To receive thirty. five
lasbcs of the knota. Almost he
numbed with shame and terror, the
girl VAS led away to be prepared for
punishment, Tor IN Russia all senten.
ccs, sa.e that of death, are carried out
Immediately after they have been
| pronounced.
Word having been sent TO the off.
Ger commanding the troops, guard
of two hundred men was ordered in.
TO the garrison square, and the execu-
toner of the troop was called upon TO
ne ready TO carry out the duties of
his office In half an hour after the
sentence had been given, the troops
had been formed into hollow square,
i'll the center of which had been placed
a scailold, standing on four legs, the
top of which was an inclined plane
Beside this stood the executioner,
having in his hand the muscular
kuout.
The knout consists of a stick, or
handle, about two feet long, with a
lash four feet long of soft leather, to
the end of which is fastened by loop
n piece OF fiat raw-hide two inches
wide aud two feet long. In the hands
of an experienced man the piece oi
raw-hide can be made to cut like q
knife.
AS the cxecutioner stood facing the
scaffold, Alexandria Kossowitz was
| brought to him by her guard, and in
few moments her clothing was re-
moved to her waist, despite her al.
most mute appeals 10 be spared the
shame. As she pleaded, she was
bent on the plane, her hands strapped
to the two upper corners, and her an
kles secured at the foot of the struc.
ture. One of the executioncr's as
sistants held her head, and the petty
Judge gave the order for the whip.
ping to commence. Twirling the lash
in the air, the executioner stepped
suddenly backward and with sharp
crack the thong fell on the back oi
the sobbing girl, cutting livid streak
from her right shoulder TO her waist
A terrible tremor passed over her and
a low cry passed her lips, but it was
the only sound she uttered, and were
it not for the blood which soon com
meneed to flow, it might have seemed
that the whipping was being done on
the naked back of corpse. When
the last lash had been given, the
young lady was unfastened, and with
her clothing rudely thrown over her
she was taken to prison, and there, af
ter thanking the judge for his mercy
according 10 the necessary formula
she was delivered over to her kins
folk.
Five days afterwards the paper o.
wilma contained the following an
nouncement:
dThe Polish criminal, Alexandrins
Kossowitz, daughter Of the rebel, Pc
ter Kossowitz, who was knouted fol
seditious utterances on'the 9th Of In