Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-22
Execution of 8 Circassian Patriot.
Painful Scene at the Scaffold.

Eafhhu1 scene AC thC SCafHOIGs
 The Russian newspapers from Tifiis an nounce the execution there, on the 10th inst,
 Of Tato Tsoolookidze, one of the last of the
 Caucasian chiefs who have refused to resign
 shoir independence. Tato Tsoolockidze was of Deghestan origin, and when only few years old was kidnapped by the Russians during one Of their forays into the territory governed by Shamyl, and conveyed to Tifis, where he was placed first in military or phanage, and afterwards in the Tifis Gran1- mar School But Tato was of too strong disposition to be easily Russiied and absorbed into the Russian service, and when 16 years old he fled from Tifis and joined his coun- trymen in Daghestan. Before long he &C., qured great renown through his daring at tacks on the Russians, and it may be said that during the last fifteen years hardly month has passed in the Caucasus without some exploit other on the part of the Caucasian chieftain. In 1877, when the Turks melted the Daghestanis to revolt Tato Tsoo- lookidzs was one of the most prominentlead- CTS of the movement. Repeatedly he defeat ed the Russian detachments sent against him, and it only the overwhelming numbers of the enemy that eventually broke down his resistance. A few months ago he appeared in the neighborhood of Kars and completely terrorized the population. At length, fall ing i'll with fever, he was betrayed by an Armenian into the hands of the Russians, and carried off by them in chains to Tifls. His trial took place a week or two ago, and ended in sentence of death. On account of the notoriety enjoyed by the Cau- casian chief the interest excited at Tif1is by his condemnation was intense, and quite quarter of the population followed the pro- cesson outside the town to the place of exe- cution. Tato Tsoolookidze was conveyed thither strapped to the axle frame of wood cart being escorted by numerous body of military and police. Tato's face was deadly pale probably owing to his recent illness and his loug confinement in unhealthy prison; but his demeanor, nevertheless, was composed and dignifed. After the Procureur had read attentively to the exhortations of the Armeni nn priest till he had finished, and then, turn ing to the soldiers, he exclaimed in loud voice in Russian and Armenian, Mind, you will pay dearly for my death" Afterwards he smoked a cigarette, while the executioner proceeded to bind him with cords. When everything was ready he was hoisted upon the platform, where his youthful appearance and splendid physique provoked general commiseration among the 10000 spec tators gathered around the fatal spot. The executioner having fixed the cord, was about to push away the platform, when Tato called out, ''Fix the rope properly before you do that" The knot was re- adjusted and rectifed, the platform was pushed aside, aud Tato ceased to exist. No covering having been placed over the face of the Daghestan chief, his distended eyes and tongue produced such a feeling of horror on the part of the spectators that several of them tainted. At the end of three hours the corpse was cut down and buried at the foot of the gallows. In this manner closed the career of "Grosni Tato," or 'Tato the Terrible, one of the last-perhaps the last of the Circassian patriots.