The Helena independent., 1890-04-10
A REAL RUSSIAN HORROR.
A Peasant Comes Ia Life IN the Grav
aud L. Then Murdered.


A very lurid light has just been thrown
npon the life and superstitions Of the Rus
sian peasantry by the preparation OF
gruesome crime in the name Of what they
take 10 be Christianity, says the London
Daily Telegraph. A rich. popular farmer
died rather suddenly in the village Of
ScorofTsky. lie had been seen in the en-
and was found dead in his bed on Fri
day morning. lie was prayed for and
duly "waked," after which he was carried
~ the grave. almost NIL the inhabitants Of
the village inclusive of the priest, follow
ing him 10 the ohurchyaTd. Just as the
body WAS being lowered, the lid, which hRd
been fastened rather loosely with wooden
nails, began Ia rise up slowly md
detach itself from the coffin, 10 the
indescribable horror OF the friends and
M urners of the deceased. Then the dead
man was seen in his shroud, stretching
his arms upward and sitting up.
At this sight the gravediggors let 60 the
cords, and along with the hystandcrs fled in
terror from the spot. The supposed corpse
then arose. scrambled out OF the grave and.
shivering from the cold the mercury was
degrees below zero Fahr.l. made for
tho village as fast ms his feebleness allowed
him. But the villagers had barred and
boltod themselves in against the wizard.
and no one made answer 10 the appeals he
made, with chattering teeth 90 be admitted;
and ~, blue. breathless, trembling. he ran
from hut 20 hut like n rat in burning
room, seeking some escape from denlh.
Al last fortune seemed 20 favor him, and
he chanced on n hut the inmate of which
was an old woman who had not been to the
funeral, and, knowing nothing of his resur-
rection, had left her door unbarrcd. He
opened II and entered, aud going up 10 the
stove seemed Rs if he would get inside Of IT.
If he could. Meanwhile the peasants gath
cred together, armed themselves with poles
aud stakes Of aspenwood the only ehectual
weapons IN n bght with wizard, and
surrounded the cabin. A few Of those whose
superstition WIS modified by faith in the
merits of modern improvements also took
guns and pistols with them and the door
being opened the attack Of these Christians
against this devils ally began. The mis-
erable man. dalod 10y all that had happened
that morning, and suffering from cold and
hunger, was soon uyerpOwered, and hls
neiphhors, with mRny pious elacuations,
trsnshxed him, though alive and unhurt,
with holy aspen stakes 10 the ground IN the
court before the hut. When things had
reached this point he priest who had recoy-
ercd somewhat from his terror, came upon
the scene, with half developed idea that
perhaps after all the alleged corpse had been
plunged IN o lcthArgic sleep and might re-
cover and hive AS before. But be found the
unfortunate mun pinned down 10 the earth
with the aspen palcs with nn manner Of
doubt about his dcgih. The police superin-
tuudcnt lStnnoyuN ]. who lived close hy,
then arrived. and also saw the murdered
man, and made inquiry INTO the manner Of
his death. The peasants had gone 10 their
daily work, leaving the body. according 10
the requirements of the superst titiOn pre-
yniling in Russia, until sundown. whom
they intended 10 draw out the stakes aud
throw the corpse into bog Cases Of thi-
Kind are Of not iufreQuvnt occurrence IN
Russia. The press il taking the matter up
but isnot sanguino OF attaining permanently
satisfactory results. which cannot possibly
be achieyed until tair and impartial trial
snail be given TO education.