Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-18

spectator of the execution of Solovief,
the young Russian who attempted to assassi.
nate the Gar, sends to the London News the
following description
"A PLATFORM something less than three
feet in height, had been erected in the field
about on" hnndred yards from the Great Pros
pcct. On this were placed two upright posts
and II cro,s-bar was affixed to these, with du-
plicate arrangement of ropes, which certain
ly seemed very slight. The second was evi-
IDENTIFY provided i'll case of any accident with
the other. Toward the back part of the plat
form, and in the middle, was third upright
post, against which subsequently the prisoner
stood, 1t is called by the Russians the post
of shame There was also block of wood
two to three feet in height on which it was
evidently intended the prisoner would be
placed. At A. NJ, probably some fifteen
hundred people had assembled, mostly from
the immediate neighborhood, attracted by the
preparations that had been in course of COM
pletion through the light summer night. No
soldiers had arrived up to this time, nor any
large number of police. These gradually in
creased, and about o'clock two prison vans
arrived, containing two convicts in prison
dress brought from the fortress, whose func-
tions were to assist the executioner as he might
require assistance. BY o'clock a consider
able body of troops had arrived. Altogether
three battalions of infantry, two sotnias of
Cussacks and IA large body of mounted gen
dnrncs were on the ground. These and the
police kept the Great Prospect clear imme-
diately and for some little distance in front of
the field where the scatfold was erected, and
also guarded the lines at right angles as well
as the ground behind. At . o'clock the gen
eral in command arrived, and at half 8
the Minister of Justice, the Governor General
of st. Petersburg, and the Police Prefect.
AT ten minutes to 10 the condemned man
and his escort appeared, the Cossacks leading,
then n company of grenadiers, and then a cart
(telega, asst is called, surrounded by mount
ed gendarmes The prisoner was seated on
an elevated bench, with his back to the horse,
and his hands tied to rods fixed in the cart
He was in the ordinary dress of criminal of
the privileged class-black coarse cloak, black
cap without peak and white trousers. On his
breast was a large black board with the words,
State Criminal, written in white letters. The
executioner at once approached and assisted
him to alight. The prisoner then with firm
step ascended the platform, standing at the
post of shame with his hands tied. The or
der was given to present arms, the execu-
toner took of Solovietfs cap, and the SEN
tence was read. During reading the prisoner
the crowd from side to side. Immediately
the reading of the sentence was finished a
priest ascended the steps of the platform with
a cross in his hand and advanced toward the
prisoner, who moved his head and said 4
do not wish it 4; do not wish it, The priest
bowed as he retired, and the prisoner ae-
knowledged his farewell greeting in the same
way. The placard was then taken OFF, the
drums rolled, the hands of the prisoner were
united, the executioner put on q long white
dress which covered his head and reached to
his feet, the hands being wrapped in under
meath. He then conducted the condemned
man to the block, where he stood after the
cord was adjusted, and in few seconds all
WAS over About half an hour afterward a
black coffin was brought to the platform.
The assistants helped the exeeutioner TO place
the corpse in it, the medical officer of the po-
lice certified as to the death, and under an es-
cort of COssacks and mounted gendarmes the
coffin was carted away TO be inferred, as l am
informed, in the battle-ground for suicides I"