The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-24

Her Plot TO Make Her Lovers Kill the Gar
Her Trial.

London IclegraphI
Sr. PETERSBURG. Feb. 23.-No authentic ac-
count has yet been given Of the late political
trial-or rather condemnation-of Russian
Nihilists for high treason: for trial in the Eng
glish sense OF the word. there was none. |
have Just had a long conversation With one OF
the dIgnitarles who played the part OF Judge,
jury. and counsel for the Crown during tho
brief ceremony which. begun by accusation.
was continued by voluntary confession, and
ended IN condemnation b death.
Thb rngleader OF the cOnsprators and now
the chief of the prisoners, is-as Is frequently
the case IN Russian politics "a woman; IL TINS
instance "a woman Of excellent education, or
iron Will, Of Taylshing beauty, ana OF un-
daunted courage; woman lu many respects
superior To the celebrated. Sophia .PerOvsky.
This person, Sophia Gunsburg by name; mar
rated the eyentful story ot her checkercd NE
10 her unsynpathetlc Judges. and narrated IL
In most calm. UnlmpnsslOned. objective way,
which the most impartial Of historians might
well envy. She was q Jewess by blTth; she
said and had been brought up IN the Pale OF
Settlement, outside of which Jews are not al,
lowed to wander at large Her parents bad
given her the best education that was 10 oe had
under the unfayOrable public and private con-
ditiOns in which their lot was cast Natural ap
titude. and the oppression that stimulates when
il does not crush, effected the rest, anu IN Tune
Sophia Gunsburg became sort OF jewish
Hypatia of the Pale. Alter having graduated
i'm the ordinary establishments Of lnterme-
dlate education. Sophia left her birthplace,
10 which she refuses the name OF Fatherland,
and went abroad to breathe the Oraclng air OF
freedom. In Geneva her vague DcliuatiOns
and tendencies were gradually moulded into
a perfect system of cruel. cold-bloOded re-
Venge, which has scarcely lts parallel IN his
tOrv II was in that historic town that she
meditated and .broOded over the wrongs IN
hictcd 10y Russia, until at last she hatched "a
plot.
The means she intended 10 employ in order
10 attain IL were 10 the full rs abominable as
the end IN view. She resolved 20 gather to-
gether "A select Dand.of young men. and daz-
zliug them by the almost irresistible charms
of her beauty, 10 administer TO each unknown
10 the other. "A solemn oath binding him 10 do
her behests and 10 assasslnate the emperor
ON a dav and in the manner iNed by her. She
was determined that. if one failed.
another should take his place, and
still another after him. until at
Iast the foul deed should be done Tho
Fmperor's successor too. unless he struck out
a new line of policy. was 10 be stamped out Of
existence ia the same ruthless way. Sophia
Guusberg had no difficulty IN attracting sur
feient number OF loye-sick young Russians
who were smitten by her beauty and grace or
made enthusiastic by her eloquence. She sac
rifced without hesitation or regret all that a
pure woman holds dearest IN life in order 10
maintain her hold over these young Cat
lines. She WAS not, however. wholly
a monster. nor was she exempt from
all human weaknesses. She herself fel
in love. eperdument III love, with an educated
young Russian, whose paramour she oeeaine'