Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-15
IEX|LED FOR LIFE
To BLEAK SIBERIA
Dreadful Penalty for the Late
Duma Leaders.
SENTENCE IS ANNOUNCED
Were Radicals Who Caused Close Of
the Second Parliament.
ALL WERE TRIED IN SECRET
Many Are Sent to the Mines for
Years In Addition to Being De-
ported-Some May Escape.

ported-Some May Escape.
Sentences have just been passed
On the radical members of the
second duma who brought about
the dissolution of that body. They
are dreadful in their severity.
Many of the members are sent to
the mines for terms of four and
FIVE years and then deported to
Siberia for life. Others are SIM
ply exiled to Siberia. The con-
victed deputies were charged with
high treason. Their trial was
conducted behind closed doors
and with the merest attempt at
conforming to the letter of the
law. A protest has been regis
tered against the sentences by
many of the other deputies, but
the court refused to even receive
the protest.
ST. PETERSBURG. December 14Asen-
tence was pronounced today upon the So
cial democratic members of the lower
alouse. whose arrest was the indirect cause
punishments inflicted are Unexpectedly
heavy. Eight deputies, including Annikin,
Annismoff- Dzhaparide and Prince TIER
eteli. are condemned to five years in the
mines and suhSecuont donorto f;op to CT
IBERIA; nine others. including Patasheff,
Bieiousoff and Kiraenko. are sent to the
mines for four years and then will be de-
ported
Ten deputies are sent into perpetual
exile III Siberia.
The leaders of the military organiza-
ton. Zapadnidl1e and two women, Nine
Morozva and Nine. Subbotina, shared ii
the heaviest sentence. five years In the
mines and deportation. while six soldiers.
who were accused Of agitating among
their comrades. were given four years in
the mines and deportation. Ten deputies
who suceeeded in proving that they were
NOT connected with the socialist crganixa-
tion. were acquitted. Among the men
condemned are three noblemen and the
Sentences of these must be approved by
zShe emperor.
N Charge High Treason.
W. deputies were accused Of forming an
crSSnizatiop 1.-THE aims Of which were the
pveuhrow Of the existing government and
(tbsf institution of a republic. The specifi-
cations declared that they had melted the
soldiers to /mutiny and the populace to In
surrectiop.
L 4
otSAe senate. the highest supreme tri-
ounal in Russia, the gist of the formal
trial charge being high treason. The
a Acounsel for the defense concentrated his
krgument t0zprove that the social democ-
facy is legitimate political party, OPEN
iy protesting its tenets throughout the
civilized world and expecting to see them
realized through the ballot and not by
means OF conspiracg. The procurator,
3however. successfully maintained the
Drigina1 accusation.
Gommittee of the second duma. COM
POI OF leading lawyers. which investi-
gated the charges was given no opportu-
nifty to submit its report. as the duma
abruptly dispersed its members. This
committee vouched. however. that the
charges were unsubstantial in character.
Star Chamber Trial.
neither the accused social democrats nor
their attorneys being present, and the
public was refused admittance. No re-
ports were issued and ingenious fiction
was resorted to. In order to comply with
the requirement of the law that sentence
be pronounced with open doors the doors
were opened. but the police kept every
body out OF the room. with the exception
nf he Y~iaI haa rd ho
Deputies Alexinsky and Ozel and a
number of others who were included in
the original indictment fled from the
country. so that they are not among
,hosa who have been sentenced.
.-...ng the progress of their trial the
impeached deputies shave received tele-
grams from their colleagues in the Brit
ish house Of commons and the French,
Italian and German chambers.
Protest Submitted.
The severity OF the sentences has ere
ater a bad impression. 1t Is taken for
granted. however. that some Of those
convicted will ultimately manage to
escape Siberia.
The social democrats have issued a
statement to the court. signed by thirty
ex-deputies and deputies. in which they
point out that 1t is unheard-off event
for an entire parliamentary party to be
indicted and tried behind closed doors,
the nation thus being deprived of the
right to hear testimony in defense OF
themselves. The signers of the state.
ment deny absolutely any connection on
their part with seditious organizations
the manufacturing of false passports
the circulation of forbidden literature the
alleged formation OF a conspiracy to over.
throw the existing government or prepa-
rations for an armed uprising.
Court Is obdurate.
According to the statement, the socia
democrats believed that the dumas chic.
value was as a propaganda for the polit.
ical education OF the people; hence they
encouraged the masses to keep In touch
with the duma by direct activity; but al
this was strictly lawful. in no way de-
parting from the custom of other lands.
The deputies accuse the government oi
having created a cry of conspiracy tc
obtain a pretext for dissolving the dums
in order to restore autocracy.
The court declined to receive the state
ment, which was largely circulated amonf
the workmen,