New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-12
,JCSTICE IN RUSSIA.
THE TRIAL OF VERA sAssULITCH.


YSrsr CHARACTERS IN rnE C0Uer-A srECiMfN
or slAv NC EIoQU rNCg-TRiCnPnANr AC-
oyIrrAL OF THE rWIsoStR
The Nihilist movement winch was iha"sui"'o"
~ 81 kmin during the reign OF TIE C@'I 4"o"o'"''
md has brought Russia TO the verge oil n re'"'"
ton. has received no more powerful an impetus
than from the Vera Sassuitca murder triai ~ inc
commencement o. the year 1878. Owing TO inc
Russo Turkish wal, then in full progIess' 'h'S 'm
rortan. case passed by comparatively urhotecu az
the rest OF Europe But among Nil classes in the
Cars Empire its influence was lminoaSuTaoi'' ny
DISCLOSING the rotteuness AMI corruption ct Russian
enic,als il famed the smonldeIinG emherS CT pop"
Lar discomfort into fame which all Tie o'''' VI
.uto,racy have been unabie 10 eXtingalSb.
Tn the first DAYS OF February, 1879 '"e
Observation-Disclosures or Chief Of Police, OF ~ Ictcrs-
burg Lieutenant General Fcodor feouo'"N'''n
Trench. was shot and severely Wouh"en III ms pr
yato study by a young county sii' """o" VI"
s.suI;tch The would-b, ASSASSIN was lmae-
,,at,ly arrested and confined III the cladei OF Oh.
Petersburg She refused Ia confess the motive oil
her crime to the instrnctinG magistrate ana III was
thcn concluded that she mus, he the instrument o.
a secret Nihilist organization. Thus theory pre-
vailed in official circles until the day % aer trai IN
Oh. f,l1oving month On that day, from the early
morn. black clouds hung heavy on the horizon
threatening the cIty with a more terrific snow
storm than had visited it since the beginning OF Inc
winter But had a tornado swept over the caP'ai
of the Cars Empire, it is safe to say that IL "ou"
NOT have tbiuned by even one man the vast 'ii""ss
of noisy ana excited citizens VINO plooNe" Nv ''i'
the streets and avenues leading 10 the No1r'-ho"se
m the iiteinaya Prospect. Shortly after "oo'o'N
iii, prisoner LEFT the Poter and PaniS lorueSS III
coach escorted by a number OF C0sNacks IN Diue
uniforms and black glazed helmets ha.I an noun
..t-aIfa "A
h,n. 80 were also the corIlOrs and railways oi
the building the guards o. duty having io"ho
impos,iblc 10 resist the advancing tMongs OF eager
men aud women.
PROMINENT PERSONAGEsIN COURT.
Tho clock n the further end of the hall had
hardly >trrck 10 when tall men. wearing the
Senate costume. q scarlet tunic with Goid c"-
broiacry. entered and seated himself at table Oh
n slightly elevated platform. This was senator
Koui. the President OF the Court of Assizos Closely
~ has heels followed the Pubic Prosecutor III Il
black irock coat and trousers and white ciaNa''
Then came tie clerks the stcnogTaphorS ana 0th'I
Cont officials vino al TOOK seats at separate de Ks
directly below the Judges bench. The juIy-boN
,,,sa lew feet 20 tho let AMI ON This memorable
day il contained twelve men. OF whom the num-
b.st H. rank was state Counsellor Nothing
sccu,c1 moro cyldcut than thar these people had
been picked for conviction Ire audience
fclt it, the Judsc realized j.. and they themselves
know IT, Some Of tie highest deuitaurs az the
Eu.pire were present, occupying conspicuous POSI-
tons in the arena. Tn" Imperial ChtnceHor'
Prince Michael Gortschakoh reclining ~ laIgo
or;u-cpair was especially dlstn@ulShahle from l'r
ra>t lie bears a strong laclut reScntl1itc !" me
late st. ThicIs and IL has been -ud oi MN 'iat io
fr, b. initiate the manner and pech!'Illt' Oh lii'
,-ra,t Trrucb statesman. HIS scgHt White haif
covers q high. in:eliectua! torehe2d. Two sih'iI
penetrating gray eyes sparkle th!o!Sn !'aI !! ~
.fe lis t..
formed lips q sarcastic smile Is ctcrn&iIy plaYN9
indicative Of The sccptc. ON this occaslon the
Primo. was dressed in his customary SIT OF black
q large star eitteIing on ms 'it''I I'H "H'i' ~
tcntlon seemed 10 b. given o. The case ana hIdt 10
word should escape INN ne maoe IN c'T 'I.i"iE o.
rs hand during the cntiTe trial. NtNI 10 we Nh'l,
Ccl'or sal the Grand Dukes Constantine ana
A.cv.i the former brother and the 1lt"I ION ~
ihe car. The Grand Duke constantine rs lilsN
admiral of the Imperial Navy. wore the undr'S'
uniform of his ranG. H. Appearance le c"n[cEs
lar more correct idea al AN Ena'l.h gentleman
farmer tEau of 20 Russian lleh Admiral iiis lace
g. rolul and full Il c''f li' eve -'l 80 y g
ink and Dis moJ-tache ann minister's SHY, lis
r,t.r covered with. % shade 1T Neian-!oir-p
ulorl,cI Characteristic of t'' fon1noI ffnl'F'
Prince AleNci. with whom hr renamed I'D cow ''-
ton for long TINE, even "iiti i"r Poo. ''"->
I.rsn was more cngIo~>-t ~ o." cut F"iin OF hlr
I.o.. ,.clo han IN any t1lhg iH't Was >it "i N'h
lie vas the goat centre az attt"S Ton ID m ...'
NORTON. of t.i" audience. icfibl rag Two i'tt .I"
irs.rtr.. sat several Ministers and or' ',r ana
auonc t.em De ErUteTi ~" N,ni-'.t o. lH. ne
.
t.r of War: ana ilcutcHaut-' Dn-It th|.N-
mitch tire Governor of trou-'aut. b'l"hd thc'c
ana 40 YER uncooI'' po,'''1'N, I,,' a.
al the G0toa the NDr0W f'E''"' anu Wy '''.". 80.
llit G.Ie seated. Bat tie second chlei actor IN
IT, drama, Tcpoa was as'nt, ms GGna ',5t M T.
ial GENTLY healed up to ai.oW Oh his eISohaiIy
YtteudiGc the trial rs comrian1ot
Everything D ing NOW IN readiness, INC l1csldcnt
,rn., a SMALL silver bell. moment later Vera
-,ii.rh 9rrornu1nic3 bv her counsel and four
p.Dcarm.s made her appearance ana walked WIN
a hfm seq toward the low wooden Iaiilns litlh'
4.N.t a N
1,u.iv tvrnt y.forr yearu Of age with type OF face
1,.riiar T. Ire Russian middle class. Her black
hair va bTn~ led hacN "g5 cav Gus ~ n yi anG
il the .tudcuts style Her eyes We're DARK aW'
,.eenly st aud her mouth inclined to coarseness.
Young rs she was years OF snhcIlng ana coi4h"-
lrcut hal lett their mark upon her prov. ana YET
c.re these III sad Vanta@cs there was certain dag
uity and eXal.atiOn in her manner whch inNOidI,
tarflv commanded respect. Her costume consisted
of a coarse wOollen pettlcoat DIacK clolh "as''
and a dog skin sbOab1 lsacque.
PROGRESS or TIE TRIAL.
Although more than thousand persons were
watching her intcntly, the prisoner never ialtercd
The few preliminary questions the President asked
her she answered in a clear voice. without aiecta
tion or bravadO. The Public Prosecutor then arcs p
I,c was harsl-looking man of fifty. and seemed to
he in exuberant spirits al the nature OF the task
before him. The prisoner tremblcd slightly when
she met his gaze and turned her eyes slowly 10 th'
iury-box. But she found small comfort in the stern
coprterances Of those twelve officials. The Public
rroecutor BEGAN Ivy calling Witnesses 10 the stand
These were the petitioners ara Officials who had
been prescnt AT the attempted homicide. All tncII
statements tailed. al had seen the accused take
deliberate ann at General Tfopoff, aud all testified
that she had not made any effort TO escape. So
simplc was the case against her that an hour fully
s,li,cq for the examination Of the witnesses. After
tl6s thc Prosecutor began ms speech. Seated on a
low bench with her mournfnl gaze uvc"d upon ms
de Cured His every N)ifl
ID 'f..Ic thc storm had az last broken over the
,;,. "a fglit entering through the ,nted VIII
Covs grow gradually faht"f' ana son n w "l
Sr,,,cse ,-art over The Court room. The stiffness
Of death ri soc1 broken only by the mutt-Tncs 81
tho TEMPS - and tie voice 81 thc speaker. " I'm al
fnr rhetorical eloqucucc AT ms command the fros'-
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