The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-19
CHAPTER III.

Three months later the accused woman
was brought up for trial. My father was
Subpenaed as a witness, AkOulina having
been formerly attached to his estate. l was
permitted to accompany him to town, but
he left me at the inn where he had stabbed
his horses, bidding me wait for him pa
tiently. But l was not to be put of this
way. My curiosity was at fever heat, and
following him stealthily L watched my OPP
portunity and slipped into the courtroom,
partially c5nceaiing myself behind the huge
porcelain stove IN the corner
The place struck me as depressingly bare
and gloomy with its plain tables. rude
wooden benches ana whitewaShed walls,
upon one OF which hung a large, round clock
with bullying face, while near it was suS-
pended crucifX. Behind the accused
woman was seated one of her kinswomen,
who held an infant in her arms and at the
same time busted herself amusing little
boy and girl Standing beside her. These
were Akoulina's children.
Try as hard as l might, could not keep
my eyes off this woman. She was still
quite young, neither handsome nor ugiy, a
real pleasant face, round, fiat, Ted-cheeked,
strong in obstinary and lacking in intelli-
gence. Her ears seemed to be closed to the
drOning voice of the clerk of the court as he
read the various documents connected with
the case. In fact she appeared to be en-
tirely obliviUus of the crowds filling the hall
VI JilSliCe. utA SdLG w do Kept IiNtltu uDOu
the face of the great round clock, save
when, Tor an instant. she glanced anxiously
toward the door. Whom was she looking
for? What did she hope for?
The case as set forth in the opening
speech of the prosecutor seemed terribly
only lately lost her husband, worthless
fellow who had drunk himself to death,
but this loss had in no wise served
to soften her temper or to render
her less unruIy. She had upon her dis
misSal, in the presence of the other serv-
ants, made threats of violence only few
hours preceding the outbreak of The fire,
aud had even exclaimed in the lingo of the
peasantry. I'm let loose the red rooster
upon them"
This expression the accused had repeated
to the miller the same evening while she was
buying load of straw from him. After this
all traces of her was lost The day follow
ing she made her appearance i'll our village.
tired out, covered with mud, with her cart
empty. She pretended to be surprised when
told Of the destruction Of the manor house
by fire.
In her defense Akoulina alleged that she
had taken her load Of straw TO an out of the
way barn belonging to her cousin Anton
Petrovitch, and had slept there all night.
Shortly after this Anton had left the cOuu-
try to seek employment at Odessa, where he
had enlisted as u sailor upon foreign mer-
able to find him, but the absence of this
single witness for the prisoner was not
deemed material, inasmuch as it was appar-
ent 10 everybody that the alibi pleaded by
the woman was but weak attempt to e5-
cape well-merted punishment.
There was a large number of witnesses
for the crown. The owner of the estate as
well as other landed proprietors who were
called to the stand, testified to the violent
character of the accused, which they ayerred
had been intensified by poverty and wretch
eduess. There was not shadow of doubt
in their minds that Akoulina was guilty of
the crime. The testimony of the peasants
was Enthusiastically shutting and cvasiVe,
apparently holding back something of great
moment eXaggerating the Importance of
what they did know, only responsive after
repeated warnings, or bent upon putting
forth hearsny in lieu of personal knowledge.
Several of them claimed that they had seen
Akoulina return home in the morning, but
in which direction, or by which route, they
were unable to specify. Old women took
the stand to detail how Akoulina had beaten
them; but one of their number added, as
she ostentatiously crossed herself, that
Akouina worked herself to death; that her
children were Gods own little angels, and
that what was going to happen would be
terrible for ihom.
The young advocate assigned to defend
the wretched woman was manifestly over
awed by tho presence of so many notable
pers0nages Ia the courtroom. He made q
balt-heaTted appeal to the tribunal to show
mercy toward the accused, a poor widow,
upon the labor OF whose hands depended the
lives of her three children, and then con-
sumed the rest of the time assigned him in
theoriZing as to the proper means to har-
monte the relations of the nobility and
peasantTy.
Akoulina had paid no attention to the
testimony of the witnesses nor to the de-
Tense of her attorney. Her eyes continued
to wander from the clock to the door, from
the door to the clock. All this solemn and
eeremOniouS proceeding, these stilted and
mysterious phrases. attacks and defenses,
theories and suggestions made but a