The sun., 1885-02-22
JUSTICE IN RUSSIA.
Collisions Between Juri-s md the Imper rinl
Authoriti-s-PensantC Courts.


ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. G-Twenty years
| ago the Gear Reiormer substituted ,rlnl by jury
for the system OF Grown judges. 1t is the gem
eral opinion here that next to the abolition Of
serfdon. the introduction OF trial by jury has
served for the moral elevation Of the people far
more than any otncr reform. The jury system.
however. has not been introduced In all the
provinces OF European Rlisia. A part OF the
Caucasus and all OF Siberia and Central Asia
are still under the jurisdiction OF the Crown
judges. Trial by tho Grown Jud .es Is usually
called trial by Judge Shemiaka. Instead Of
listening to tho testimony. that worthy Judge
used TO keep his eye on the capi OF the plaintiff
and defendant in which was Kept tang bic and
uniisputed evidence IN the shnps Of copper
ind silver CONS. The balance OF justice turned
IN inyor OF him whose cap contained the larger
niently presented before the public. the Crown
Judges TO this day hold court behind closed
KsKo a MSscow shsF" re MI
who sive prelerancc to the Crown Judges. In
justice to the Russians. it must be said that the
autocratic regime. The Gar. Being the sole ole
legislator issues his laws regardless OF the
pies Representatives. are called upon to pass a
verdict according TO their own convictions.
which. though forbidden BY the imperial law.
are justified by popular ornion. Hence come
e,iiislons between the Russian jury and the
IN village, stricken With famine the i'm
Village sraSary anI drive away tie IL ed"ny domssis sns
animals Starvation stared the vilagers in the
face. and peasant shouted to them:
Brothers! Let US take sticks and drive
Us Of our last crust Of broad. Tie treasury
the Gar would not starve Va. TO the -,icss"
And 70 the sticks they betook themselves and
Q regiment OF soldiers cnme 10 the village. and
the leader OF the riot was put in chains and
d'manded that, according 10 the law. tho de-
iendant should DO sent to the Siberian mines
Verde. OF no, sa sa rhs Sr9usas paasnn al
however: was klnapped by gendarmes and
This is one OF a thousand cnses OF collision
between inries and the imperiai authorities 1t
seems to me that the Jury system. though far
OF justice. Is one of the mos. powerful factors
which are undermining the antocracy.
Ghsrcn % coars the oIand Isnd
snmrvsying Courts. and others. in which specific
But there are many subjects Of the Car who
psasants dispose o, a their civil suits in their
Tay ssnns oy theT r NV rGn Is
while while taxes W are unpaid. II he does not nay his
IN sna sh or fha
as q court OF Justice. Their verdic,s are cx-
where damage or lose OF property is involved,
the guilty party is bound TO make good the
damage or loss. In the cases OF some personal
ridge" as they call the whipping with rods.
The verdcts OF the village courts are explicitly
oheyed. for the viaGers have the power not
only to exclude obnoxious members from the
village but even to send them to Siberia for life.
Among the mountain tribes Of Caucasus. If a
murderer does not pay the blood II no he is sure
to pay with his life. for the relatives OF the VIC
revenge. II he undertakes to pay the fine the
murdrrer , takes the best horse he can purchase
clothes, and money; Then placing n rope on
OF his victim. II the mother or wife OF the dead
man taxes off the rope from the neck OF the
murderer. he is safe. Having surrendered the
horse. money and 9th presents Ii. returns
his neck. that means that he is under the pen
atty OF death unless he can appease the wrath
OF the family by co-'ler presents.
:, In Turkes'an. RccordinI TO the Kirghtze no.
crime by paying blood fine. which consists Of
number OF canels. horses. sheep, and goats.
In soma cases. however the family OF IN. vic
tiin refuse to accept any presents and then u
judicial dne is arranged. The murderer
armed 20 the te"th. app"nrs on his best horse
Two or three ma e relatives Of the victim.
Then begins a wild and awful scene. The
mnrlerer tries to escape. or ut least to meet
his foes separately in combat II the m murderer
remains alive until sunset he is safe. but that
rarely happens. and sometimes one OF the
avengers loses his life too.
Some Of the Mohamrnedans living IN Russia
N case 0t murder, resort to what they CAL
Gods Judgment, The nearest and strongest OF
avenger excams. Now my so soul IL shall i"i have ave-
peace. and there the matter enis. IT, how.
ever. the murderer proves the best man. he is
to meet still another av"nger.
The Car reigns. but docs not rule all OF his
subjects.