The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-04

ter Gets Jail Sentence.
The provincial newspaper Priasov-
sky Krai publishes an amazing ac-
count Of the escape of a Russian mill
tary prisoner who had been sentenced
to be hanged for selling military secrets
to Germany and plotting explosions In
two powder factories which caused the
death Of 5000 persons.
When a squad of soldiers and gov
eminent agents had assembled to
watch the hangman do his work, the
condemned man startled them by a
proposal that, instead of hanging him.
they give to him a vote OF approval. In
the debate which ensued the execution
er narrowly escaped hanging I'm place
Of the prisoner. The convicted man
was elected secretary of the meeting
and escaped while the vote whether to
kill him or the executioner was being
taken. The meeting then voted to SEN
tence the executioner to imprisonment
for failure to do his duty.
Smiling CONTEMPORARY, the prisoner
was led to the scaffold. When the SEN
tence had been read, he raised his
hands and demanded to be heard.
"No." objected the prosecuting at
torney. SIT Is too late now. You should
have spoken before, at the trial."
One Of the squad of soldiers stepped
out and said In a tone of amusement:
"Whatf Why too later Is not
speech freef Thank God there's no
Tsarist regime to keep our mouths
closed. Speak. comrade, speak,"
The condemned man began: "Com-
radesl Do you know who has con-
demned met A court constituted en-
tirely Of lower middle class capitalists
inspired by the imperialists of the al
lied countries. The prosecutor, as I
know absolutely. was a masQuerading
Kornilovisti Comradesl Shall not
democracy itself speakf Shall 1t not
say. Hands or the creators and In
spirers Of the internationalef'
outbursts Of oratory.
"Comradesl Can you possibly rec
ognixe q decision of this counter-revo-
lutionary. antidemocratic court as
binding on your"
"Bravoi" shouted a guard. "Let me
also speak"
The condemned man yielded the floor
to the guard, who began:
"Comradesl Can anything be more
atrocious than for US to permit the
hanging Of this man, who speaks as
an apostle and champion Of the inter-
nationalef Comrades. I propose a vote
Of want of confidence In the execu-
TONER"
II demand the right to speak," said
the executioner.
Comrades, ] solemnly protest
against this universal condemnation Of
all executioners. / am just as good y
revolutionist as any of you. and II the
revolutionary people have imposed on
me this sad duty i am bound by my
conscience. I demand, comrades, that
you pass a resolution confirming the
lawfulness of my acts. I hope that you
understand that 1t Is better to deprive
one dangerous individual Of his life
rather than sacrifice thousands Of use
tul lives.
II move to discontinue your speech,
Comrade Hangman," broke In the con-
demned man.
"And by what right, Comrade Ex-
ploder Of Powder Magazines, do you
constitute yourself the chairman" re-
piled the executioner, vehemently.
"Chairmani Chairmanl Let's elect
q chairman" came from several parts
Of the audience. The election proceed
ed fast. 1t took only half an hour. and
the condemned man had the Office
thrust upon him Of secretary Of the
meeting.
At this point an unfortunate diver
gency arose among the soldiers and
workmen's delegates. One of them, q
minimalist. demanded the instant hang
ing Of the prisoner; another. a social
Observation-Disclosures. suggest
ed getting explanations from the gov
eminent: the third. a maximalist, pro
posed that they should release the pris
oner and In his stead hang the execu
TONER as q servant and agent Of thu
counter-revolution.
The drummer got up to declaAn
against the third suggestion, but afteI
his first sentence he began talking. NO
to the point, but to demand the trans
fer Of all the land without purchase Il
the masses. A vote Of closure was In
voked to cut his speech on.
Solving the Problem.
An eloquent speech was made b.
the secretary Of the garrison commit
tee, although 1t was not much to tn
point. He said that the revolutionar,
government was now organized, tina
there was no reason now to fear GEL
man spies or explosions at powde
magazines, and, therefore, In the nam
Of the garrison, he called for the dii
closure Of all secret treatiesi
The chairman here turned the Oh
cusslcn to the actual subject, putin
40 questions to vote. First. the fat