The Lincoln County herald., 1872-10-09
A Polish Lady Knouted.
The Official whipping In Pub ic OF Alex.
andrina kOss0wi,z.

Alta gathering of Poles in the little
village Of Kernst, on the Southern Nnie
man, on the 29,h Of July last, when all
thought themselves secure from the in
trusien of any Of the numerous spies who
keep the Russian officials informed of the
malcouteuts among them, Alexandrina
Kossewi,z, a young lady whose father,
the younger son Of former noble Polish
family, was killed in the recent troubles
IN Warsaw, expressed her sympathy with
the uniortuuates whom Russian severity
had murdered or ssnt into exile. The
meeting was u purely social one. and
none dreamed that anything said there
would reach tho ears Of spies, for al
present were known to be Poles, and
firm hatsrs of the harsh rule under which
they then lived Still, US the young girl
in her passionate rememhrances of
fathers love deplored his death, ox
pressed her sympathy with rebellion and
her dctsstatiou of her oppressors, she was
cautioned lest her loud tone should ena.
be people at tho window to hear her
With hasty gllncc, as though to read
in tho faces Of those about her who
should betray her, the young lady cea' ed
her cxccrations and relapscd into silence
When ten o'clock arrived the latest hour
Of Polish gathering, the company sepa
rated, and Alexandrina Kossowi,z, nc
compauied by her uilianccd, Julian Te
tntnsky, went to her home.
If, in passing from tue house Of the
gathering, she had been more observant,
Alexandria would have seen the mali
ciously triumphant glances cast utter her
by Catherine MerdoF woman of about
thirty FIVE years, u Pole by birth, and a
symrathizer with her unhappy country
women whenever her own passion was
not concerned, and, from the subsequent
, proceedings, it seems that IN this Gaze she
had been superseded in tho affections Of
the young DR.. Temsnsky by the more
beautiful aud younger Alexandrina Kos
soai'z.
Ga the following day, shortly after
rising, Alexandrina was seized in her
own home, IL short distance from kernst,
by two Cossacks of the guard at the
garrison, and taken before the petty
judge.
The young lady of nineteen, handsome
and trembling, produced no feeling OF
pity. Having at Grst denied the accusa.
tion, she was confronted with Catherine
MsrdofF, aud then acknowledged her
offcn.e. In passing sentence, the petty
Judge said that her seditious utterances
might have warranted him in sending her
q before higher tribunal, where the pen
| atty would be death !; but in view OF her
' youth aud csntrition, he should merely
orde: her to receive thirty five lashes OF
the kuout. Almost benumbed with
shame aud terror, tho girl wa. led away
y to be prepared for punishment, for in
Russia all sentences, save that of death
are carried out Immediately after they
: are pronounced.
q Word having been sent to the Office
2 commanding the troops, guard Of two
hundred men was ordered into the gar
q rison square, aud the executioner Of the
4 troop was called upon to be ready to carry
out the duties of bis Office. In half al
4 hour after the sentence had been givsI
the troops had been formed in u hollow
square, in the center Of which had bee.
q placed scatfold, standing Oh four legs
g the top of which was an inclined plane
4 Beside this stood the executioner, having
q in his muscular hand the knout. Thi
weapon consists Of stick, or handle, two
| feet long, with lash four feet long O
!, soft leather, to the end Of which il
q attached by a loop piece Of fat raV
y hide two inches wide and two feet long
!, In the hands Of au experienced man th'
piece Of raS hide eau he made 10 cut lik
knife.
A tho executioner stood faclng tn
Il scaffold, young Alexandrina Kossowi,
t was brought to him by her guard, and il
g few moments her clothing was removed
o to her waist, despite her a!mos, nut
appeals to 10 spared the shame. AS sh
a pleaded she was bent on the plane, he
h hands strapped to the two upper corner
O and her ankles secured at the feet OF tn
70 structure. One Of the sxecutiousr
assistants Eeld her bsud, and the Tett.
H Judge gave tho order for whipping +
10 commence. Twirling the long lash i
,e the air, the execu,iorer stepped sud ienl
,e back ward, aud with u sharp crack tn
o thong fell on the back of tho sobbin
l. girl, cutting q livid streak from her righ
N shoulder to her waist. A terrible trsmo
,e passed over her. and o quick low or
. escaped her lips, but it was the onl
IS sound she uttered, and were it not for III
K blood which soon commenced to flow,
10 mich. have seemed that the whippin
II was being done on the naked back of
il corpse When the last lash had bee
as given, the young lady was unfsstenet
ST and with her clothes rudely thrown owe
q her. she was taken to prison, aud Their
D. after thanking tho judge for his mere.
10 according to the necessary formula, st
~ was delivered over to her friends.
d. Five days sferward the Gazette {
Wilma contained this announcement: =
"The Polish criminal, Alexandrina Ko'
a sowitz, who was knouted for seditio'
~ nn.h 80 T,l,,