, 1876-11-12
RUSSIAN CRUELTIES.


Wrapping roles To Ueaths
! The following is a quotation from Rufia Plo-
trowski's work on Siberia, which WAS published
in 1863 by an English firm: II now approach a
dark episode iu Polish suffering. The civilized
world will doubt its truth, and declare it cx-
aggeratcd, as it once doubted the horrors CON-
OF the bar confederation; as 1t doubted the bar
barlties OF Chcrchyn; and listened with in
tTetu'ity when the story was first told how
Gathering II. melted the peasants Of Potlo1ia
and the Ukraine to massacre and dcspoil their
lords; aud how Suwarrow, after the storming
Of Prague, left no living creature within
Its walls. The world did not, and stilI
does not believe that this system was then
commenced which drives us away in thousands
into the heart Of Russian Siberia to Gil prisons
Constantine, brother of Nicholas, no Polish
family could lie down at night without the fear
that perhaps ere morning one OF its members
might pc torn away, consigned to dungeon,
sconrgeu, and tortured with hunger and thirst,
from his agony: Sircinski and four others whu
had been drafted in the ranks of the Siberian
army we're condemned each to 1000 blows with
a stick, without Mercy II any one Of the
sent to the. Ncrchinsk mines for the
Of persons implicated were ,s yariously a1S
condemned to 1000, 1000, or 500 blows
with the stick: and those who survived in some
w ANA" tNcoA AoA A44Gs 1UT uuulUGE
OF years to penal colonization, and others again
Tor military service. At daybreak two
battalions OF 1000 men marched out Of Omsk,
one charged with the e1tcnution Of those con-
dcmncd to 1000 blows, the other with
the execution Of the lesser sentences. The
battalions halted, each formed in double line,
lace to face, leaving passage through the long
drawn ranks The executioncr, Galahcyef, SUI
pcrlntended the arrangements, and remained
with the men who had to give the 1000 strokes.
r. 41,n-
with such duties are placed closely shoulder to
shoulder in dealing the blows, but slightly
raise the arm from the elbow and keep the
feet together rs when on parade. The sticks
should only be, SO thick that three can be
dropped in carbine-ba1rel. On this occasion
all t!Iis was reversed; Gaaaeycf placed the SOL
dicrs at arms length from each other, made
them raise their arms high in carrying out the
sentence, and the sticks were twice the usual
weight and size. The victims we're brought
from their prisons to the place OF execution
The bloody work was begun simultaneously by
both the battaions. From both came the same
shrieks OF agony. sierorinski is left to the last
and compelled to witness the fate Of his friends
wait for that deadly walk. Then his shirt
was stripped from his shoulders and his
hands, according to the regulations in such
cases, fastened to 4 carbine held by two
soldiers, who thus compelled him to Keep reg
ular step. The order Of march was given.
The priest entered the street Of death, rcciting,
in low voice, '-Iiscrcre mel Deus secundum
r,agnans in1ise'icordiam tuam.' Gelateyef
shouting frantically, Harder, harder, strike
hnrdcr' and the submissive tools Of despotism
obeyed SO well that S;erocinski, after walking
once down the line and receiving 1000 blows
fell insensible, weltcring i'll his blood. He was
lifted to his feet to fail again Immediately, aud
then n hurdle, prepared for this occasion, was
brought. He was bound on it kDecling, and SO
dragged up and down until his sentence was
fulfilled. Hc had given at first q few shrieEs Of
agony, and still was breathing until the 1000
blows, the remaining 5000 were struck on his
corpse. or rather bis now 1eshlcss bone. Eye
witnesses assure me that the flesh was cut in
strips by the rods, the very bones were crushed
and splintered, and the entrails exposed"