The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-20
A Bloody GnsnrrctttOn.


preconcefted attempts IN several OF the
large cities Of tile empire, to unfurl the
standard Of revolt among such regi-
ments OF the army as were known to be
disafected toward the new car.
AT ST. Pstersburgh, two regiments Of
the imperial footguards, under the COM
mand OF Colonels Braganof and jesse
huriez, left their barracks, and marched
upon the principal government build.
ings. The State Ohancellerie fell an
easy prey TO them, but at the building
Of the War Department, which resem.
bles n small fortress, they met with
determined resistance.
Nicholas, the new car, who was be-
lieved by the conspirators to be at
Tsarskoe Zelo, had returned during the
night, and, upon hearing OF the revolt,
collected FIVE squadrons OF the dragons
and Cossacks OF the: guard, and two
sections Of the light artillery, with
which he made sudden and furious
onslaught upon the insurgents. The
latter offered heroic resistance but,
being moved down with grapeshot, as
they were, they finally had to surren-
der. Many Of the soldiers and officers
were slain by tho Dragons after they
had thrown down their arms. Several
conspirators had hurried through the
streets, and in q loud voice called upon
the people to rise in arms against the
new czar. But the people paid no at
tention to them, and the oossacks, who
secured the city after the suppression
Of the instruction, had no difficulty in
resisting them.
OF the military prisoners, all the
commissioned officers were sent to the
fortress Of Schlusselburg, where they
were thrust into the subterranean dun
geons. The civilians were confined in
irons in cells at the Krasnikoy jail.
An investigation WIS at once set, and,
through torture, the names OF the ring.
leaders among the two regiments Of the
guard were easily ascertained. They
gave as the most active among them,
the two colonels, and beside, Majors
sikoff, Toalirog, Pokiss, Captains Ia
gar, Brohany, Cozoairof, and Licuten.
ants Tengen, Schenck, Virgizy, and
Buclot. Tho officers themselves reso.
lutely refused TO give any information.
On the 26th Of December the High
Commission, composed Of sixty high
civil and military dignitaries, assem-.
bled at the large hall Of the ministry OF
Justice in order to try the conspirators.
The car and most Of his male relations
were present at the opening Of tho court.
The venerable General Gortschakoff
presided. The prisoners were led in,
all OF them heavily ironed. Colonel
Braganeif, upon seeing the czar, shout
cd to him in q sneering tone, "German
dog German dog " But no notice
was taken OF this insult, and the trial
commenced. The proceedings were so
summary that the whole trial did not
last more than five days. Late in the
evening Of the 81st OF December the
court pronounced the following terrible
sentences:
"All the commissioned officers caught
with arms in theh hands shall suffer
death by shooting, except Colonels
Braganoif and Jesehuriez, whose
tongues shall be torn out Of their
mouths by tho public executioner,
whereupoR they shall be hanged until
they are dead /; tho Second and Fourth
regiments Of the Foot Guards shall be
decimated the civilians shall receive
ono hundred strokes Of tho knout." The
next day was New Years, in the new
calendar, and so the sentence was not
executed until tho I'd of January, 1926.
ST. Petersburgh, rs may be imagined,
was in n state OF intense agitation from
early dawn on TINT eventful and mo-
mentous day.
Immense crowds thronged thestreets,
and frequently were dispersed by the
mounted police. At ten o'clock the
sixty-four doomed officers and nineteen
civilians were led out upon the Newski
Prospect, where the execution was TO
take place. Colonels Braganoff and
Jesehuriez were dressed in suits Of
coarse brown linen, and the executioner
placed them under the huge gallows
which had been erected for them. Both
OF thom manifested remarkable forh-
tude, which did not disconcert the exc.
cutioner little. With visible embar.
rassment he told tho two brave conspir.
ators: ~ must now tear out your
tonguesp Colonel Jesehuriez allowed
him to open his mouth and TO seize his
tongue with q large steel forceps. The
vast concourse OF spectators uttered
cries OF horror rs the exeoutioner vio.
lently pulled IL out. The tongue, bleed
ing and horrible to look upon, came
out. JesehurieE, uttering q heavy
groan, sank to the ground, while q
steam OF blood poured from his mouth.
Hewas Immediately picked up by the as:
sistantof the exeoutioner, who Btrangled
him on tho gallows. Braganotf proved
less tractable. The executioner had to
force open his mouth, in doing which,
he broke the front teeth Of the unfortu-
nate man. Five minutes afterward,
Braganoif, too, had breathed his last.
Next the officers. who were TO be shot,
were led forward, with their backs
turned toward the Neva river. Twelve
of them were selected TO die first. They
mettheirfate brayely. Shouting, Long
live Russiai" they received the volley
OF bullets which twenty.iour picked
rihemen fired at them. Five Iell dead.
The other seven had been but slightly
wounded. Three more yolleys were re.
quired before all Of them had been put
out OF their misery. -Four times more
this terrible scene was re.enaeted. At
last all Of the victims were dead. They
lay in large heap. The immense
crowd Of spectators was shuddering.
But now followed still more thrill
ling scene, but fortunately 1t was not 10
end in bntchery like the one we have
Just described.