The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-01-15
How Russian Nihilists Die.

The latest Russian papers bring par
ticulars of the execution at Odessa on
December 19, of three Nihilists, recently
sentenced to death by the Odessa court
martial. The execution took place under
orders from Gen. Todleben, the Governor
General and Commander-in- Chief of the
troops. Early in the morning the House
of Detention, In which the condemned
men were confined, was surrounded by
four regiments of infantry and one regi
ment of Cossacks. At IL O'Clock the
gates leading into the courtyard of this
House of Detention opened and gave
passage to black wagon drawn by two
horses, in which the three condemned
men were seated, with their hands firmly
tied behind them, and again bound to a
bar affixed to each side of the vehicle.
The victims were Victor Alexejef Ma
linka, a young nobleman, 26 years of age,
and a volunteer in the 132d Battalion of
the Infantry Reserves; Josefoff Mardan-
ski, Military Surgeon of the Seventh
Regiment of Hussars, 25 years of age,
aud Ivan Wassilwitsch Drobiaskin, 2S
years of age, the son of priest. They
were all enyeloped in the customary long
white garment. From around the neck
of each of the prisoners was suspended
large black placard, bearing the in
scription, "Traitor to the State"
During the whole ride from the prison
to the place of execution the three pris-
oners tried their utmost to make their
voices heard by the dense crowds which
lined the way. The wagon was escorted
by the Thirteenth Battalion of Chasseurs
and 100 Cossacks. In addition to this
escort the wagon was guarded by five
gendarmes, who rode by its side with
drawn swords. AS Drobiaskin would not
heed the reiterated command to cease
addressing the people, but, on the con.
trary, shouted at the top Of his voice, one
Of the -gendarmes struck him so severe
blow on the head with the fat of his sword
that it stunned him. Upon this one of
his fellow-prisoners cried out: "Do not
hew US down, unfortunate minion of the
Czar," but the gendarme, threatening
him also with the sword, only answered
by the injunction, Silence, houndr
When the place of execution was
reached the three condemned men were
unbound from their seats in the wagon
and led to the gallows. Their sentence
being read, Malinka was deprived of his
rank as nobleman. He was then deliv-
cred over to the hangman. He deman-
ded permission to address the people,
which was refused him by the command
er of the town, who inquired if he would
not like to confer with the priest. Ma
linka, after scornfully glancing at him,
turned to the hangman and said, "Now,
servile wretch, do your work"
Drobiaskin was the pext to be placed
under the rope. When in this position
priest approached him with a crucifix,
but was repulsed with the words, "Let
me alone, brother; do not want any of
that humbug." When the last prisoner,
Mardanski, was placed in the execution
er's hands, he shouted out to the Rabbi,
sect out of my sight; let me not set eyes
upon you"
At 1880 o'clock all three were hanged,
and at IL o'clock the bodies were cut
down aud cast into the graves which had
been dug on the spot. The earth was
thrown upon them and stamped down.
Ma. Gen. Krok then gave the word of
command, and the troops, marching of
the ground with their band playing,
passed over the graves and trod down
the earth yet tighter.