The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-19

Drunken Russian Soldiers Commit
brutal Murders and Destroy Price.
less Historical Treasures. -: s1T

|
OF The Associated Press)-A graphit
story of the, murder by drunken Rus
sian soldiers OF Prince Sangushko. :;
Polish noble, and of his two daugh-
ters. the Countesses Rzyzczwski. is re
lated by the Petrograd CORRESPONDENT
Of Lloyd's News.
Before the war the tragedy lately
enacted at Slavuta would have sent a
thrill of horror throughout Europe. "
says the correspondent "As it is
the bare fact that the venerable
Prince Sangushko, 80 years old. had
been murdered, has been announced
but the ghastly details of the crime
have only just been revealed.
1.-The castle of Slavuta, built when
the district of Southwestern Russia
where it stands, belonged to the
King Of Poland, lies on the outskirts
Of a little manufacturing town of the
same name. Owing to the unsettled
state of the country, which is infested
by deserters from the army, the mill
tary authorities had sent a guard of
dragons to the castle. which contains
priceless historical treasures accumu-
lated by the Sangushko family in the
course OF the centuries
"One of these dragons caught a
soldier from neighboring village
cutting down n tree in the forest sur
rounding the castle and tackled him.
The thief was slightly wounded, but
not severely enough to prevent his
running to the neighboring village,
where his regiment was stationed,
shrieking that the guard at the cas-
tie was trying to murder him. The
soldiers comrades at once seized their
rifles and surrounded the castle of
Prince Sangushko. They began to
fire, and the dragons on guard re-
turned their fire. All the time the Of
iicers and the members of the regi-
mental committee were appealing to
the insurgent soldiers to obey orders
and to cease firing.
Suddenly they gave way, only
stipulating that a deputation from the
regimental committee should search
the castle, as they were convinced
that the old Prince had stored ma
chine guns for use in the cause of tho
counter-revolution. OF course, there
were no machine guns. and all that
was found was n few sporting guns
and revolvers
Just as suddenly as the crowd of
soldiers. standing in the courtyard of
the castle, had yielded to the appeal
of their officers, came a new uproar,
and. in an instant, they had over
powered the guard. and rushed into
the castle. Neither threats nor ap-
peals had the slightest effect on
them. They destroyed, in a fit Of
maniacal fury, everything that they
could lay hands on. Pictures, furni-
ture. statues, draperies were destroy
ed blindly. ruthlessly. The venerable
Polish magnate and his two l,ieces,
the young and beautiful Coumtesses
Rzyszczwsk!. fed to one Of the at
tics, hoping that, if their home was
to be ruined. at least their lives might
be saved. From early in the morning,
when the marauders began their at
tack, until five o'clock in the after
noon. the sacking OF the castle went
on. Then the soldiers retired to- the
courtyard
What about the Prince?' cried
one of them.
And the lovely Countesses?' add
ed another.
Back into the castle rushed a
band Of soldiers, and began to search
for the owner. At last he was found,
and dragged into the courtyard among
the derisive yells Of the soldiers wait
ing for their victim. They decided to
take him to the village where they
were stationed, and dragged the old
man along, for he was too Old to
walk at the pace they desired On
the way they finally lost the las shred
Of self-control, let the Prince drop,
half senseless on the ground and then
Il score of men thrust their ha VOr of