Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-30
THE RUSSIAN KNOUT.
TllR Barbarism of FlOgging Carried
to the Perfection of Cruelty.
A MalefactOr Under the Torment of
the KnOut Thongs.

From Appleton,s journal.

From Appleton's Journal
Late one evening, while in st. Peters
burg, received a note from an acq1ain-
lance, informing me that criminal was to
be knouted on the following morning at
o'clock. He mentioned his name, which
at present forget; but it then recalled to
mind the circumstances of the case, which
had heard related few days before, and
they were of so atFoeious a nature as to
render it impossible for even the most sym
pathizing heart to have the slightest pity
for the parricide, for such he really was.
His father was a respectable tradesman,
occupying shop in the GOstinoi Door, a
man, from all l could learn, remarkable fol
sobriety and industry. His son was entire
ly the reverse, being idle, dissipated and
worthless. One day, having received some
Well-merited rebuke from bis father, be
| seized knife, and in the presence of the
wholelfamily, plunged it into the body of the
old man, who expired upon the spot. He
was Immediately seized and disarmed, and,
after wonderfully expeditions trial Cfor
Russia) was sentenced to the knout. The
blows adjudged for infiction amounted to
ONE HUNDRED AND ONE
| this number being considered equivalent to
a sentence of death. A direct sentence of
death is, by the laws of Russia, abolished,
| except for military and State crimes. The
| following morning, accompanied by the
friend from whom Ireceived the intimation,
| REPAIRED, between six, and seven O'Clock, |
to the place of punishment, which is a field
where hOrse-naTket is held, on the banks
Ofthe Ligaza canal, rather more than a mile |
from the Admiralty. The neIghborhood of |
the place exhibited so few of the appearances /
OF an approaching execution that at first we
thought we had been misinfOrmed; but, on
entering the field, the stake plan'el in its
centre, garrison battalion drawn up on one |
side, and some scores Of people lOunging |
about, showed that oar information |
had been correct. From being so |
early on tie ground, we had a !
good opportunity of examining |
THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXECUTION. |
They were simple enough. A strong, flat |
stake, and few mats laid on the ground, /
formed the whole that were visible. The
stake was nearly five feet high, planted very
firmly in the ground, and sloping about
eight or ten inches off the perpendicular.
In thickness it was about four inches, but
its breadth was very unequal, being fully two
feet at the top, and tapering gradually |
groundgard to the earth, where it was not
above eight inches. On the top it was hOl-
lowed out into threa semicircles; the central
one being appropriated for the neck, and the
two others for the arms of the criminal.
Near to the ground the stake was penetra-
ted by hole Of some two or three inches
in diameter, for the reception of a cord
whereWith to bind the malefactor's an
kles. The mats were spread out on
eli 10 ,Ft to fol- h I |
imagined, of making the foot of the execu-
toner as firm as possible. Exactly at seven
O'Clock hustle among the military attract
ed our attention, and, on looking around,
we saw the criminal approaching on foot,
guarded by four dismounted gendarmes
with naked sabres, accompanied by several
officers of police, and followed by two exc
cutioners, each bearing under his arm
bundle, which We afterWard found contain
ed knout-thongs. The battalion now FORM
ed hollow square, three deep, the police,
executioner, and criminal being in the cen
tire. Immediately upon the square being
formed, the military presented arms, and
the crowd uncovered their heads while the
principal officer Of police in attendance read
the EmperOr'S warrant for the execution.
This being done, the criminal was delivered
over to
THE EXECUTToNERs.
Even at this moment, when the prisoner
was naturally the chief object of interest,
my attention was strongly arrested by the
appearance of the principal executiOner-
so much so, indeed, that had the curiosity
to inquire aGerWsrd into his history. His
name, if 1 remember rightly, was Kozlof.
He originally belonged to the higher class,
but for cruelties committed upon his peas
ants, which believe in some cases extend
ed to the commission of murder, he was de- |
graded and sentenced to the knout. From |
this he saved himself by volunteering to
his present situation.
BE was, think, without exception, the
coarsest specimen of humanity that l ever
beheId. His age seemed to be about fifty.
His stature was greatly beyond the average,
and, in spite Of a stOop, must by some
inches have exceeded six feet, while his
shoulders were immoderately broad, his
body large without cOrpulenCy, and his
limbs bulky and athletic. A profusion of
dark-colOred hair, or rather bristles, en-
veloped his head; his complexion was of a
fierce mahogany tinge, while his huge, IN
Couth shapeIess features wore an express
sion in which it was impossible to say
whether ferOcity or stupidity most predom-
mated.
The assistant of this male Gorgon, this
ogre in human form, was apparently about
twenty-five years Of age, and the reverse in
every respect Of his principal. l cannot dc
scribe him better than by saying that he
formed one of the most favorable specimens
of young Russian peasant ever met with.
He had been originally p0stilliOn in the 1
service of the Grand Duke Michael, but,
being implicated in a robbery Of his imper
ial highness' baggage, he, like his chief, to
save himself from the knOut, volunteered
to do the same eXecrable service. Both
these men are kept constantly in prison,
and are only brought out when their revolt
ing task is to be performed. My informant
mentioned, at the same time, that KOlOZOff
seemed sunk in misery and dependency,
except when he managed to procure the
means of intOXication, and then he becomes
absolutely furious. must now describe
THE CRIMINAL.
lie was apparently about twenty Eight or
perhaps thirty years of age, very full built
but of low stature, with a rOuntenance Of
that stolid description which deties all the
science Of the phYsiognomist. Although |
near him, and anxious to read in his features
the working Of the mind within, l could
I
He seemed perfectly CallOus to his situation,
and, while the sentence was being read, he
deliberately took Off his cap, and prepared
himself with perfect GOODNESS for his
punishment. Having thrown aside his
caftan and shirt, and, having nothing on
but his trousers and boots, he approached ,,
the stake with firm step, and was duly
fastened to it by the eXecutiOners. This
done those fuuctOnaTies threw off their :
coats, and got ready the instrument of tor
tuTe.
THE KNOUT.
consists of a handle about a foot and half
long, with piece of twisted hide Oh about [.
the same length. TIC. tbs hide is attached,
by a loop, pieos Of thong, prepared 70 al.
most metallic hardness, in length about four J
or FIVE feet, perfecly fat, and little more
thl.a.n an inch broad. 1t is changed aftoH every
six or eight blows, as it is considered unfit