The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-07-10
RUSSIAN JUSTICE.
HOW Young Woman yyas whipped TO
DEATH s85AB@ @4{&

Some years ago business Of Importance
called me to ST. Petersburg. Being un-
willing to 90 alone, succeeded in in.
aueing my friend Saville to accompany
nae. I mention him poor fellow, as he
formed very prominent feature in the
little adventure am about to relate. @ i
will pass over the incidents Of our journey
until we arrived at st. Petersburg, when,
having transacted my business, |, to favor
saville's wish determined TO proceed to
Jarosley, where he had relations. Instead,
however, of going the direct route, we
visited Keriloy, small town on the
sheksna, q branch Of the Volga, for the
purpose of seeing a renowned hermit,
who, we were told, was an Englishman.
This was inducement enough for us, cir
cuitous as was the route we went.
Arriving late at night, VIC, with consid-
cradle difficulty, succeeded III getting
lodgings, which, though very mean and
wretehed, we at last entered.
The landlord talkaiive man, told us
all the news and the scandal which in a
small town generally abounds. Among
other things he told us that the next
morning the punishment OF the knout
was to take place: for there this horrid
barbarity is considered quite spectacle,
to see which people flock in from all
parts. TIE .culprlt was q young Jewess,
remarkable for her beauty, and her crime
was the murder of her father. 1t the
punishment of the knout did not end her
existence the wheel was in readiness to
complete the scene of blood. B
From his account it's oesred that the
whole circumstance was vailed in no
Sill, hit obscurity, inasmuch as the only
evidence against this poor gill wss that,
when questioned as to where her missing
father was, she shed floods of tears and
WAS silent This in Russia was enough
to seal her. tate. She was accordingly
condemned and was in prison when we
arrived. i'S r@ #&5 81
Being much interested for the poor
girl, we determined to see her We went
and succeeded in bribing the jailor to
admit u.s. The prison was exceedingly
gloomy, and never did I see so lovely a
creature as met our eyes. She seemed
scarcely above twenty, if 80 much. Like
most of her race, she was dark with most
Intensely bright eyes, which even her
misery could not dim. She spoke to us
IN French, and in piteous accents protest
ed her innocence. Her story was soon
sid. Beloved by Russian and a Pro-
testant, her heart, would not obey the
stern commands OF that father with whose
murder she was charged. Her father re-
viled her; and here she stopped and
burst into tears. More We could not
elicit. Even the jailer, stern as he was,
seemed touched by something like pity.
Saville, hasty in everything, determin-
ed to save her. Hurrying off, he went to
the IL cad sbirri Of police, and in vain at
tempted to purchase her release. He
was referred to higher authority at st.
Petersburg. Thither then, regardless of
the utter impossibility of being in time,
he hurried that very evening. I remain
ed to try and console the victim. Never
shall forget the splendor OF those dark
expressive eyes, vixen cast upward in
fervent prayer tor the success Of her an
ticipated delivery. The night passeu
heavily enough. She could not be
brought to comprehend the awfulness of
her no, eless situation. Yet she shudder-
ed as she drew her light shawl over her
exquisitely nodded shoulders, 50 soon to
be lacerated by the IMPLYING strokes of
the lash. The gray morn, chill and
comfortless, came at last, and with it the
fatal hour of the victims punishment.
Though almost senseless when led out
b faint blush and one wild expression of
terror fitted over her featurs as the rude
hand of the executioner tore the upper.
covering frem her neck and, shoulders
She was tied to the scalfold; and though
no sound Of agony escaped her as the
white and quivering flesh was torn from
her beautiful back, yet when, after nearly
fifty stroks Of the lashe, human nature
gave way, she sighed forth, "My father,
my father, you are to latep ana expired.
My poor friend Sayille, worn out by
his truitless exertions, fell victim to q
fever then prvailent, but not before he
had brought to justice her inhuman
father, who was alive, and had thus sac
riticed his daughter, because she had re-
fused to marry merconary villain of her
fathers choice. He had first bound her
by solemn oath not to reveal his pace
OF concealmeLt, and then left her having
taken care to fix suspicion on her, his
only and beautiful child.