Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-30
DESBRET EVENING NEWS.
A REAL RussIay HORROR.
A PATIENT CONES 10 LIFE IL THE
GRAVE AND is THEN MUIR
DERED.

A very lurid light, says the ST
Petersburg correspondent OF tie
London Telegraph, has just lea
thrown upon the life and upefsti
tons OF the Russian peasantry by
the preparation of grewsome
crime ia the name Of what they
take 10 lie Christianity. 4 rich,
popular farmer died rather suddenly
In the village Of SoorOhsky. He
had been seen in the enjoyment OF
excellent health on Thursday, and
was found dead in his bed on Fri
day morning. He was prayed for
and duly "WaXed," after which he
was carried TO the grave, almost all
the Inhabitants Of the village,
inclusive of ths priest, following
him 10 the churchyanl just As
the bOdy was being lowered, the lid,
which had been fastened rather
loosely with wooden nails, began
TO rise up slowly and detaeh itself
from the coffin, 20 the Undesirable
horror of the friends and mOurnen
Of the deceased. Then the dead man
was seen in his white stroud stretch
ing his arms upward and sitting up.
At this sight the grave diggers let
20 the cords and along with the by
ISLANDERS Hed in terror from the spot.
The supposed eorpSe then arose.
scrambled cut Of the grave aud,
shivering from the cold the mercury
was . degrees below zero, Fahren-
heii), maze for the village rs fast a.
his feebleness allowed him. But the
villagers had barred and bOlted
themselves ia against the wizard,
and no one made answer 10 the ap-
peal he made, with chRttering teeth,
10 be admitted, and 80, blue, breath
less, trembling, he Tan from hut TO
hut, like rat in a burning room,
seeking ssme escape from death.
AT Last fortune seemed TO favor
him, and he CHANGED on hut, the
inmate Of which was an old woman
who had not been to the funeral,
ami knowing nothing Of his resur-
rectiOn had left her door unbarTed.
He opened il and entered, and go
ing up to the stove seemed as If 1t
would get inside IL II he could.
Meanwhile ihe iEesssants gathered
together, armed themselves with
| POLES ami stakes Of a-PenwOOd, the
only etfectual weapons in a light
with "a "wizard,r and surrounded
the cabin. A few of those whose
puserstitiOn was modified by faith
in the merits % modern improve
mems also took guns and pistols
SIlh them, and the door being
,pened the attack CT these Christ
ans against the devils ally"began.
The miserable man, daZed by ali
that had happened that morning,
and suffering from cold and hunger,
was soon overpOgeret, and his
neishbors. with many piOus ejacu-
latiOns, traRsfxed him, though alive
aud unhurt, with holy aspen stakes
TO the ground in the court before the
hut. When things had reached thIs
noint the priest. who had recovered
somewhat from his terror, csme upon
the scene, with a half-deyelOped
idea that perhaps after all the
alleged corpse had beeE plunged into
letliargic sleep AMI might recover
and live as before. But he found
the unfortunate man pinned down
to the earth with the aspen pales,
with no manner OF doubt about
his death. The police SUI
perintendent SianOvoy(. who lived
close by, then arrived, and also saw
the murdered man, and made in
quiry into the manner Of his death.
The peasants had gene To their daily
work. leaving the body, according
10 the requirements OF the supersti
ton prevailing in Russia, until SUN
down, when they intended TO draw
out the stalks and throw the c0.Ise
into log. Cases ofthis kind are Of
not unfrequent occurrence III Iius-
sis. The press is taking the mattel
up, but is not sanguine of attaining
permanently satisfactory results
which cannot possibly lie achieved
until n fair and impartial trial shall
De given to education.