Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-10-10
A Horrible Scene.

from the intrusion OF any OF the nu-
merous spies who keep the Russian
officials informed Of the malcontents
among them, Alexandria Kossowitz,
young lady whose father, the young
er son of formerly noble Polish
family, was killedin the recent troub-
les at Warsaw, expressed her sym
pathy with the unfortunates whom
Russian severity had murdered or
sent into exile. The meeting was O.
purely social one, and none dreamed
that anything said there would reach
the ears 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 remembrances of a fathers
love deplored his death, expressed
her sympathy with rebellion and her
detestation 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 relapsed into silence. When
ten o'clock arrived, 1.-The. latest hour OF
Polish gatherings, the company sep
arated, and the young lady, accom-
panied by her afianced, Julian Ire
mensky, went to her home. :
II, in passing from the house Of the
gathering she had been more obser.
want, Alexandrina would have seen
the maliciously triumphant glances
cast after her by Catherine Merdof,
a woman of about thirty-fve, a Pole
by birth, and sympathizer with her
unhappy countrywomen whenever
her own passion was not concerned,
and. from the subsequentproceedings,
it seems that in this case she had
been superseded iu the affections Of
the young DR.. Tremensky by the
more beautiful and younger Alexan-
.drina Kossowitz. g
On the following day, shortly, after
rising, Alexandria was seized in her
own home, a short distance from
Kernst, by two Cossacks Of the guard
at the garrison, AID taken before the
petty judge.
The younglady Of nineteen, hand
some and trembling, produced no
feeling of pity. Having at first de-
MED the accusation, she was confront
ed with Catherine Merdof, and then
acknowledged her offence. In pass
ing sentence, the petty Judge said
that her seditious utterances might
have warranted him in sending her
before a higher tribunal, where the
penalty would. be.death +; but in view
of her youth and contrition, he should
merely order. her to receive thirty
FIVE lashes of the knout. Almost
benumbed with shame and terror,
the girl was led away to be prepared
for punishment, for in Russia all sem
tences save 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 were. ordered
into the garrison square, and the *
ecutioner Of the troop was called
upon to be ready to Garry out the
duties Of his Office. In halt an hour
after the sentence had been given,
the troops had been formed in hcl
low square, in the centre Of which
had been placed a scaffold. standing
on four legs, the top of which was
an inclined plane. Beside this stood
the executioner, having in his mus
cular hand the knout. This weapon
consists Of stick, OF handle, TWO
feet long, with a lash four feet long
Of soft leather, to the end of which
is attached by a loop piece of fat
raw hide two inches wide and two
feet long. In the hands Of an ex-
pcrienced man the piece Of raw hide
can be made to cut like knife !
As the executioner stood facing the
scafold, Alexandrina Kossowitz was
brought to him by her guard, and in
few moments her clothing was re-
moved to the waist, despite her al
most mute appeals to be spared. the
shame. As she pleaded she Was bent
onthe plane, her hands strapped to
the two upper corners, and her ankles
secured at the feet of the structure.
One of the executioners assistants
held her head, and the petty Judge
gave the order for whipping to com
m1nce. Twir.ing the long lash in
the air the executioner stepped sud-
denly backwards. and with sharp
crack the thong fell on the back Of,
the sobbing girl, cutting a'vld streak.
from right shoulder TO her waist. A
terrible tremor passed ever her, and
low cry escaped her lips, but ir was
the only sound she uttered, and
were it not for the blood which soon
commenced to flow, it might have
seemed that the whipping was being
done on the naked back OF a 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, after thanking the judge
for his mercy, according to the nee,
essary formula, she was delivered
over to her friends.
Five days afterward, the Gazette
of Wilma contained this announce
ment: The Polish criminal, Alex
andrina Kosscwitz, Daughter Of the
rebel Peter Kossowitz,) who was
lnouted for seditious utterance on
the 29th of July at Kernst, while,
submitting her laceratioas to medical
treatment, in the house of the ply
siician Tremensky, stole a vial Of
prussic acid, with which she ended
her days. "
HAD TO 20 soMErH1NG.--:By a
.squan in the Delaware Bay the other
day, while sailing in yatch, two
young men were overtaken. At Naz-
areth Motbod;,t Hbrrob on Tme1fth