Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-09-27
DEATH OF SIEROCINSKI.
The Polish Poet Slain by Seven Thousand Blows
Brutal Murder


A Brutal Murder.
Mchelet g Martyrs de la Siberiaul
AprOpos OF the COMBINATIONS to ST.
IBERIA, so numerous of late years, it will
interest our readers to remember how
Russia punished the authors of one
famous conspiracy in that hideous col
ony. Sierocinski, the illustrious polish
poet, with three comrades, had formed
project to excite vast revolt and es-
cape. The mutineers, many of whom
belonged to the army, were to fight their
way to India, where they would find
liberty and safety. The plot was be.
trayed by some Infamous rascal,
At last, in 1887, the horrible sentence
came from st. Petersburg. Several
Poles and Russians were condemned to
receive 1000 blows, without mercy,
without the omission of one: the rest
were to receive 5000, which. are sufi.
cient to kill. General Gataheiaff had
been sent on expressly to superintend
the execution of the sentence. His fer
ocity made even the Russians Indignant.
At daybreak two full battalions, each
consisting or 1000 men,-so that the
blows could be more easily counted
were drawn up in line outside the city.
Gatafejef took bis place in the center.
Sticks were substituted Tor rods; and the
| soldiers were placed close together, that
the blows might be better laid on.
1t was very cold--March in Siberia!
Sierocinski was stripped. He was tied
to the barrel OF q rife, with the bayonot
pressing against his chest, according to
custom. Then two soldiers led him be-
| be, IL
lar pace, SO that he could advance neither
too quickly nor too slowly. Then the
regimental physician advanced to
strengthen the victim with few drops
of liquor, for his feeble constitution had
been exhausted by three months of
prison, and he seemed rather shadow
than man; but he bad preserved all his
strength of soul and force Of will. He
turned away his head when the doctor
presented the stimulant, and replied,
"Drink our blood and my own; have
no need of your drops" Then when
the signal was given he repeated the
miserere aloud. Gatafejeff shouted
three times with fury, "Strike harder!
strike harder! strike harder!" The
blows were 80 furious that when he had
passed once between the ranks, after
having received thousand blows, upon
arriving at the other end of the battalion
he fell upon the snow, covered with
blood, and tainted. They tried to make
him stand up again, but he could not
keep himself upon his feet. A little
framework was ready, upon a sledge.
Sierocinski was placed upon it on his
knees, with his hands tied behind him.
and his body bent forward. Thus all
movement was impossible, as he was
fastened upon the sledge. Then they
recommended to drag him between the
ranks. Gatafeieff continued to shout:
"Harder! Harder!" At first Sierocins
XII continued to utter groans wrested
from him by agony. These became
weaker and weaker and at last ceased
altogether. After having received
1000 blows he still breathed Then he
died. The remaining 5000 blows were
nevertheless counted upon his dead
body, or rather upon his skeleton. All
the victims, especially he, were so worn
out with blows, that according to the
testimony Of eyewitnesses poles and
Russians) with whom [ have spoken,
shreds of flesh were scattered in the air
at every bIow-nothing but broken bones
could be seen at last.
The Poles were Afterwards allowed to
place a cross upon the tomb of these
martyrs; and that tall cross of black
wood remains, rising above the solitude
OF the steppe, extending its protecting
arms above the grave of the victims as
though imploring the mercy of God.