The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-02

n C.uspncstea Commercial rrsus Tried ~
q Jury Of Isnorens Peasants.
Uevvssponderoe az ne Londor n,nss.

oorvsspondercs or 0e Lordor Tmss.
BERLIN, June IA few DAYS ago at
Moscow the lone-deferrcd trial Of DIR: Struus-
withdrawing It's speedy sdjoSrumcnt, what
transpired is full 81 interest. The sitting was
Forming form che centre Of one OF Those gigantic
ediices erected In the time OF Catharine III. The
hall is described as imposing. Capacious enough
20 hold 20oO people, II has twenty majestic col
umns supporting lofty gallery reaching to the
roof. The space between the columns Is dec
GRATED with NEUROLOGICAL alto relieves and In
scriptions, IN which shine the crude culture and
pomposity OF the Kococo age Though the hall
was not ORIGINALLY intended Tor luuiclal proceed
toons are vague enough to suit the purpose to
which the building is now appropriated. Right
some fabulous hero Is notified by the words.
Dignity TO the dignined." The prisoners dock
Is BY he %be a..
compllmented "a Russia's Hope" The Public
Prosecutor treated with due respect, has, over
whom It IA asserted In dingy characters that
"He sees and adorns. everything, Counsel rev.
els In " Alleviation OF the BURDEN" while to the
stenographers is allotted compartment dis
playing the prophetic dictum that they explain
and illuminate everything"
between II and o'clock the spacious room
began to fll. A promiscuous assembly COM
prising specimens OF all classes OF Moscow so
ciety, were the first to take their seats. Poor
people in national costume pushed their way to
the gallery. while their betters In elegant attire
took the reserved seats. The jury entered a
proceedings. The men selected by the wisdom
OF the Russian law TO adjudcate upon com
plicated commercial transaction were nearly to
man peasants who can neither read nor write,
have never heard the term bill of exchange, and
probably take bank and discount for Arabic. IL
II strange that the institution OF such n panel
should have been considered the only means Of
improving upon the former arrangement Of pro-
feasional Judges and aristOcratic magistrates,
removed for being utterly corrupt on the acces-
sion OF Alexander III. Yet so II Is, and the ac-
cused, who formerly In but too many cases had
acquitted, now has often to depend upon a
lucky accident as his best chance OF escape. II
not till o'clock that the Court made Its APP
pearance There were several judges, headed
by Priyy Councillor Deyer, a gentleman noted
for legal acumen' and repeatedly rewarded with
dered ON the bench. When the judges had taken
their seats, the prisoners were led In. There are
many OF them, all more or less implicated In the
failure of the Moscow Bank. DIR. Strousberg,
the principal prisoner, who had TO employ an
Interpreter, In reply TO questions put by NJ.
Protestant. merchant aud manufacturer, and
the father of six children; Herr Landau, the
next questioned, who acted as managing direct.
or of the bankrupt concern. Is likewise a Prus-
sian by birth, hut naturallzed Russian, who
has resided at WarSaw and Moscow for many
years NJ. Polyanski. the second managing d.
rector, Is native Russian, a town councillor
and magistrate, and has always lived In Moscow.
NJ. Loschetschnkon, the chief bookkeeper and
accountant OF the bank, Is Russian. who has
long been employed in a similar capacity else
where. In addition to these, the real drdmdtts
persona, there were fifteen directors seated In
the dock, among them Herr Schuhmasher. the
first Burgomaster of Moscow, and other persons
Of note and eminence mixed up with the affair.
After the Introductory formalities were over
the public prosecutor stated his charge He ac-
cused Dr. strousberg Of borrowing seven million
roubles from the Moscow Bank of Commerce.
giving insufficient security in return, and paying
the managing directors. Landau and PolyanskI
for their services. Messrs. Landau and Polyanskl
charged with accepting considerable sums
from Dr. Strousberg In the course OF the trans
actions, and also with publishing "A false balance
sheet to conceal tile real state Of the concern
drew up the false accounts The other directors
are held responsible. partly for neglecting their
duty OF superintending the accounts, and part ~
for conniying at the publication Of the false
balance sheet from Interested motives This
incorrect balance sheet In connection with the
Strous6erg case appeared In the Moscow Gdxstt,
Of october ID, $50, but T. not the INST of the kind
Issuing from tee same quarter. The last accused
the Id on the list, Is NJ. Prihn, another book
keeper, charged with fabricating another balance
sheet IN ls,a. when the Affairs of the bank FIRST
became involved.
when the Public Prosecutor had finished his
statement counsel moved for the proceeding
to be adjourned To give time for a number Of
Berlin witnesses To be heard at Berlin or sum
moned to Moscow. After a prolonged discus
adjourned zinc die.
70 give al idea Of the magnitude OF the trial
the evidence taken at the preliminary stages
already nils Al printed volumes There are many
hundred witnesses. the greater part creditors OF
the bank. No less than ~ journals were repre-
sented AT the proceedings, some German and
Austrian papers among the number.