National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-06-14
A NNngninnry History.

The Ahbc Sierocinski was, before the
Polish Revolution Of 1881, superior o
the Convent Of Basilians Mt OWENS. IL
Volhynia. Having taken an active par,
in those insurrcciionary movements, h,
was Incorporated in a cossack regiment
and despatched to serve IN Siberia, where
the ex.able might often be seen gullop
ing on small wild pony, spear in hal d,
A professor being required for the mill
tary school in Afmsk, Sierocinski, who
wrote Latin and Greek verses, who could
deliver lectures in French and German
and who would readily solve the most ab
strnse problems in algebra aud Euclid,
was nominated to the vacant post, whilst
| he was retained in the repimeptil roll
call. The able, though physically deli
cate nd sensitive like n woman. was men
tally Napoleon in enterprise. lie or
pauized vast conspiracy, in which con
vcts, soldiers and officers participated.
Prussans Tartars, Slberans and Kirghiz
entered into his plans. A general revolt
was to take place. The conspiralors were
to have seized the fortress commencing
by possessing themselves of the whole
park of artillery, and then to wait for
events. In case of rcverses, they we're to
march on Bokhara on their way to British
East India.
On the eve Of the rising, two of the
conspirato,s revealed all to the Governor,
whether through hopes of reward, or be-
cause their hearts failed them, we cannst
saw Iunumerable arrests were made.
Three consecutive commissioners in vain
4 - ,,,,,,.l ,,t, 10.
threads Of the combination. Eventually,
Sierocinsli aud five of the leaders were
condemned to seven thousands blows
each of the rod A thousand other men
were sentenced to minor punishments,
beginning from two thousand blows to
transportation with hard labor.
In March, 1887, two battalions were
drawn up in the great square of Armsk,
under the orders of General Galafejew,
the cruel servant OF cruel master.
Sierocinski and his companions were
brought ont, anf the Judgment was read
aloud, the words without mercy" which
it contained, being especially EN- phasized
The culprts were stripped to the waist,
aud their hands were tied behind to
bayonet Each one by turns walked
along the whole of one battalion, every
sol ler administering to him blow with
a rod with full strength. A Thousand
blows fell, and then each miserable, torn,
bleeding victim VIZ: sent back to receive
another thonsanG. On the third journey
they I'LL fell dead. Slerocinski had been
kept until the last, that he might behold
the tortures suffered 10y his friends.
military surgeon rendered him small
vial, containing some drop of cordial,
which he refused, crving-"I want not
Your drops. lake my blood and drink it,
'!e started on his fearful journey, sing
ing, Mser re mel, Daus, secmndum magnam
mjseyecordicm tuam, and his wild accents
were gradually lost in the loud thud of
the sticks striking his bare flesh, and in
the loud words of command of the general
shouting, "Strke harder strike harder!"
When SierocinSki received the FL st thou
sand blows he fell fain'ing, his blood
dripping on the snow. He was placed
upright on sledGe, AID tied so as to ex-
pose his back to the full weight of the
descending rods. The unhappy man con
tinued to groau until he was dragged four
times before the battalion. He then be-
came silent. The last three thousand
blows fell on a Dublin UnirerSi
ty Magazine