New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-02

RUSSIAN INSTRUMENTS OF PUNISHMENT
no hal hoo, given 10 believe that the knout was
abolished for all but the gravcst offences "a long
ago rs lSs Hut Russia has never been governed
wholly hy i,s written laws. AMI there are regions
Of that empire where ukase may BE- slow to reach
the local Judges.
The mercfu cdic, OF 1896 however. stopped short
M the confines ~ siberia and II was with the object
~ l.,rriue 10 what extent the knout IL used I'm the
Siberia Of to-day that sought an interview win
n distinguished and very Interesting exile. NJ Alex
andcr sochaczewsk. who Is on "A short visit 10
England VI. Sochaczcwski. n Pole by brth, an
artist by profession (and In England just now 10 ar
range for the exhibition OF picture which VIII
move the sympathes 81 every friend Of the victims
OF the Czar) was a political exile in siberia at the
age OF twenty one. and suffered four years and a
half In the mines during two and a half Of which
he carried. night and day chains OF when MARKS
are permanently craven on MS ankles wrmy
years In all the days OF his exile ana ne couis
comrades in oppression perish under that cruel
yoke. Indeed. he speaks without bitterness and
oneself
ST sochaczewskl could say much about the knout
The knout IN fact. was In use in the mines during
the whole OF NJ Sochaczewskis exile. and those
At the present day? NJ sochaczewski believed
that 1t practically abolished in lss3-less than
two years ago-but the Governor retains GER
tain discretionary power. which may mean much IN
wGud o SqShacz@s Of snG ah pdn
pen made rapid sketch which IS here repro
leather IL viii be perceived the executloner
Tor handle and the knout Itself Is a single thong
Extremity whete it is weighted with ball OF lead
NTH this tie oxecutoner- who Is generally "A re-
prcved murierer-can irnct aa great or as little SUI
ski. the prisoners would sometimes give him ru-
be 10 prove his Skill when he would strike one OF
them. apparently with full force across the palm OF
the hand but the blow would scarcely be felt and
menf h" could xii at a single stroke (and
casionaly bribed by condemned prisoner 70 do SOD
breaking the ribs and almost tearing out the heart
What number o. strokes strokes, asked NJ Sochaczew-
inasmuch as punishment with the knout was gener-
aily regarded as a sentence Of death. man under
sentence OF 100 ashes might die at the third lash In
which case the remaining nicty-seven would be
given to the corpse. It was possible. If the execu-
The victim 10 escape death. but he would then lnev-
itably be a cripple for the rest OF his life There
N Nepu had had manned forever
askrJ whether the knout exhausted the resources
Of penal discipline in Siberia by no means" said
NJ Sochaczewsk.
lie took up his pen again. ana sfTa,ch led me
tails OF twisted leather. with bits OF metal at the
tips Is e sss fnld bs 'H Hm ne at kn ,hr h
stroke There is difference In hogging with the
and wh the p psk Te three Es h as E n
pet score the back downward. from the nape OF
the neck to the ons ana s, Emery H pdoPeT e
well into the flesh. Yes: NJ Sochaczewski had seen
what end To protest was to be tied up oneself
The very logger ran the risk OF being cut 10 pieces
win knoui or plet If he failed to Kill or MAIN his
victim. , =, c.s..xa,,.,., . ,
Two other rough sketches NJ Sochaczewski made
FOR me The rod pictured here IL the instru-
ment which was used IN his day for offences In the
army The convict soldier was made TO run the
gantet ipa sser par les baguettes) between double
file OF his comrades each Of whom was armed
seen as many as nifty soldiers drawn up In double
file to fog defaulter who had to pass .slowy
his chest as he advanced TO prevent MIN from
walking too quickly Passing hfty sodisfs ne wouih
receive fifty strokes and every soldier had TO break
his cane with the stroke that he delivered upon the
prisoners back NJ Sochaczewski had seen me oood
line. A similar punishment. believe. was inncted
In the German army at the end OF the ias. century
and Cooper has described II In his History OF tne
Rod but It is rare to get the facts from an
eyewitness ,,h u,,,..
Nine Sihida was Hogged to death a few years ago