Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-10-16
NiScenany.
A Polish Lady Knouted.


DRISA Kossowirz.
At gathering of Poles in the little
village of Kerns:, on the Southern Nnie-
men, on the 29th of July last, when all
thought themselves secure from the in
tru.ion of any of the numerous spies
who keep the Russian officials informed
of the malcontents among them, Ale1an
drina Kossowi,z, young lady whose
father, the younger son of formerly
noble Polish family. was killed in the
recent troubles in Warsaw. expressed
her sympathy with the unfortunates
hom Russian severity had murdered or
sent into exile. The meeting was a
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, rs the young girl in her
passionate remembrauces of fathers
love dcplo,ed his death. expressed her
,ympa,hy with the rebellion and her dc
testation cf her oppressors, she was eau
tiuIrri lest her Iouu tone snouId endpie
the people at the window to hear her.
With hssty glance as though to read
in the faces of those about her who
should betray her, the young lady ceased
her executions and relapsed into silence.
When ten o'clock arris ed, the latest hour
of Polish gatherings, the company sepa-
rated, and Alexandrina kossowi.z, ac.
companied by her aiiianced, Julian Te
meneky, went to her home.
# in passing from the house of the
gathering, she had been more observant.
Aiexandrina would have seen the ma
liciously triumphant glances cast after
her by Catherine Merdoff. woman of
about thirty five years, Pole by birth,
and sympathizer with her unhappy
countrywomen whenever her own pas
sion was not concerned, and, from the
subsequent proceedings it seems, that in
this case she had been superseded in the
affections OF the young DR.. Tewensky by
the more beautiful and younger Alexan-
driua Kossowi,z
On the following day. shortly after
rising, Alexandria was seized in her
own home, short distance from Kernst,
by two Cossacks of the guard at the gar
rison. and taken before the petty judge.
The young lady OF nineteen handsome
and trembling, produced no feeling of
pity Having at first denied the accusa-
ton. she was confronted with Catherine
Merdotf and then Acknowledged her Of
fense. In passing sentence the petty
Judge said that her sedit;oas utterances
might have warranted him in sending
her before a higher tribunal. where the
penalty woGld be death but in view If
her youth and constitution, he should
merely order her to receive thirty FIVE
ashes of the knout Almost benumbed
with shame and terror, the girl was led
AWAY to be prepared for punishment. for
II Russia all sentences, save that OF
leaih. are carried out immed ately after
hey have been pronounced.
Word having been sent to the officer
the troops, guard of two
hundred men was ordered into the garr-
son square, and the executioner of the
roops was called upon to be ready to
carry out the duties of his Office In
lalf an hour after the sentence had been
,iven the troops had formed in hollow
uuare, in the centre of which had been
,laced a scaffrld. standing on feur legs,
he top of which was an inclined plane
Beside this stood the executioner, having
II his muscular hand the knout. This
Weapon consists of stick, or handle,
wo feet loug, with lash four feet long
f soft leather, to the end of which is
ttached BY loop a piece of fiat raw
ide two inches wide and two feet long.
n the hands of an experienced man the
iece of raw hide can be made to cut
Ike knife
As the execu,ioner stood facing the {
caffold. Alexandrina Kossowitz was {
rought to him by her guard, and in a {