The New York herald., 1922-05-28
BOLSHEVIST TRIAL
OF RUSSIAN PRIESTS
HELD AS EXAMPLE
Holding Meetings of Protest
Against Church Requisi-
tions Their Crime.
TWELVE DOOMED TO DIE
Patriarch Tikhon, Called as
Witness, Held Under Domi-
ciliary Arrest.
TWELVE DOOMED TO DIE

Special Gable to THE NEw YORK HERALr
Copyright, 1899, ba THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin, May "a.
Twelve priests were condemned to
death at the trial in Moscow Of fifty
seven church supporters whose crime
was the holding of mass meeting to
protest against the requisitioning of
church property, including the precious
stones, gold and silver vessels and
ornaments. by the Bolshevil. The So
Wet Government made an example of
these churchmen not only by the Sc
verify of the penalty but by holding
the trial in Moscow's largest theater
and giving wide newspaper publicity
to the verdict in order to impress on
others the futility of resistance.
The crime of the defendants was no
more than that committed by any body
of persons who might hold a protest
meeting in Carnegie Hall Of Sun
day afternoon. A group Of church ad-
held such a meeting in Moscow, at
which a. letter was read from the pa
triarch condemning the requisifions.
AS result they and seventeen other
priests who read the letter from their
pulpits were arrested. When brought
to trial the prisoners were herdec TO-
gether and surrounded by Bolshevist
troops with bayonets set and pistols
drawn and marched into The theater,
which was packed with Communist
sympathizcrs, who had received tickets.
Patriarch Awcs Crowd.
Patriarch Tikhon.4 who since then has
relinuuished his high office. was called
as a witness On entering the hall he
raised his, hand and blessed the as
sembled people The crowds religious
instincts were awakened for the moment
by the Patriarch's dignity and appear
ance and it rose with bowed heads.
Then the trial proceeded.
The Judges held that the fact that
the mass meeting was held was suf-
ficient evidence to condemn the priests
for treason. In addition to those who
received the death sentence several
were sentenced to imprisonment for
terms ranging from ten to fifteen years.
The Patriarch is again under domi-
ciliary arrest: that is. guards are placed
about his house to prevent MIN from
leaving or any one from visiting him.
Soviet authorities here tell THE New
YorK HERALD correspondent that 1t Will
,eouire another month to complete the
raoujsiton:ng of church treasure. The
Bolsheviki admit that they feel un-
easy about the consequences of this re-
newa Of the war with the church, but
they are not considering the hostility
that may be aroused abroad. They ex-
cuse their act by saying that they
have no other way to get funds.
1t is typical of the general apathy in
the country that conflicts between
churchmen and Bolshevist treasure
hunters are relatively rare.
Pittsburgh Worker on Bench.
Among those who sat as judges in the
Soviet Supreme Revolutionary Tribunal
which condemned the priests to deatr
was a former Pittsburgh metal worker
named John kotek, Russian American
who was arrested for his radical activi-
ties in Pittsburgh and deportcd. SIX
months after he returned to Russia he
was appointed to the Supreme Revolu.
tionary Court and now with ten other
workers Ire has the power of life and
death over the Russian people.
When asked concerning his judicial
nosition he said he found the death
sentence the most effective and simple
sort Of punishment. Asked concerning
the penal code he replied that until nov
they have judged according to their own
common sense, but that now they had
some rules and the beginning OF penal
code.
1t is typical of the Bolshevist revolu-
tionary tribunal that the judges spend
most of their time performing the duties
Of prosecuting attorneys. While the
presiding judge is intelligent the others'
all OF whom are workers. appear TO be
decidedly stupid The clerical work Is
done mostly by former lawyers.