New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-06
TRIAL TO BE SECRET.
Tschaikousky's Case VII Be
Heard Behind Closed Doors.

st. Petersburg. March 5.-The Project of
Police to-day ordered that the trial Of
Nicholas Nasievitch Tschaikovsky, the
widely known member of the Social Revo-
lutionary party, be held behind closed
doors. Tschaikovsky< was arrested on No
vember II, 1907 charged with revolutionary
activity
The projects order was issued by virtue
of the regulations covering the state of
extraordinary security prevailing in st.
Petersburg and under which the admins
tratiOn is empowered to 0verrule the court
and close its doors when such a course is
deemed necessary in the interests of public
order. In such instances the Russian news
papers are not permitted to publish the pro-
ceedings of the trial, but only the verdict.
The present is the first occasion upon
which the closure has been applied in con-
nection with a political trial in the Circuit
Court of st. Petersburg for several years.
The project was Influenced by the prob
ability that Nine. Rreshko- Breshkovskaya,
who is TO be tried with NJ. Tsclaikovsky,
would make a revolutionary address to the
judges, and further by the fact that
Tschaikovsky will be represented by At
torney Vassili Malakoff. the member of the
Douma whose eloquent and scathing ar
raignments of the government have been
features of the parliamentary debates,
Upon the eve of his trial NJ. Tschaikovsky
has issued a long statement analyzing the
accusations of the Indictment in the light
of alibis and calling attention. to the in
credibiltv of the chief witness, the in
former Pateuk. who, he said, having been
condemned to death for killing policemen
and committing political robberies, was
now trying to save his neck by volunteer
ing testimony against the accused.
The principal new feature of the state
ment is the allegation that the English
police furnished information concerning
Tschaikovsky's alleged visit to Russia In
the latter part Of 1906, and upon which
the gravest accusations were predicated.
according to Prosecutor Korsaks statement
during the preliminary examination.
The intelligence that the Russian gov
eminent has denied the privilege of an
open trial to Nicholas Tschaikovsky Will
cause regret and some surprise TO the
prisoners friends and sympathizers in this
country On February 70 the court OF
ficials confirmed an earlier report that the
trial would be open to the puollc, ana De
gan the issuance Of admission tickets in
k
room. The change of heart on the part OF
the authorities is not explained In the
cable dispatch from St. Petersburg.
Tschaikovsky left Russia in 1874. ana dld
not return to that country until August
1907 He visited America in 1850. and
delivered a series of lectures, in connection
with which he collected funds for the re
lief of Russian prisoners and eXiies- lie
also participated in the organization III
the United States of the Society OF AileFl-
can Friends of Russian Freedom
/ On March / a cable message signed by
several Congressmen, Supreme Court jus
tices college presidents and others in the
United States was sent from New York
to Premier Stolypin, reminding the Russian
Premier that America expects an open
and public trial of these distinguished po-
Iitical prisoners, in accordance Win the
ssages of civilized nations.