Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-05
RUSSIAN CATHOLIC
PRELATE EXECUTED
BY A FIRING SQUAD

opposing the Soviet government, has
been executed by a firing squad.
The fate of the prclate, in doubt
since last Thursday. when his APP.
PEAL for clemency was denied, be-
came known today when it was an
nounced that the death sentence had
been carried out last Saturday.
The secrecy that surrounds soviet
executions makes uncertain the cir
cumstances under which the SEN
tence was carried out. but it seems
probable that Monsignor Butchka-
witch was put to death in the Mos
cow prison for the condemned, to
which he had been removed after a
reprieve was refused him.
Appeals from the outside world,
which had poured in upon the soviet
authorities, had no effect in staying
the hands of the executioners. Com
petent opinion, indeed, is that even
the breaking of diplomatic relations
Ey outside governments or threats
of war would not have moved the
Moscow officials from their course.
Their last word in the case had been
spoken, it appears, when they com.
muted to ten years imprisonment
the death sentence upon Archbishop
Zepliak, convicted at the same time
as Vicar General Butchkavitch.
Protests Numerous
Protests from all parts Of the
world were made against the execu-
ton of the death sentence, the
American government Joining in the
appeals for clemency.
The protest of the American state
department was based on humani-
tartan grounds and set forth the
earnest hope" that the life of the
vicar general might be spared.
Monsignors Butchkavitch was ia
ther-superior of the Church of st.
Catherine in Petrograd He held the
title of prelate to his holiness, grant
ed b ythe pope for special services,
and he was fifty-five years old. He
came from an old and wealthy fami-
ly of Polish origin, although he him
self was Russian citizen.
Monsignor Butchkavitch was
conspicuous figure in the trial of the
Catholic prelates and priests, which
resulted in death sentences for nim-
A,,o1o1NiChnn Tnn1i11Y 0nH
prison terms for their-fifteen fellow
prisoners.
Up to late last night there were
rumors that an exchange might be
arranged. Responsible officials, how
ever, asserted that soviet justice
must take it's course regardless of
protests and attacks from abroad.
Hurt Priests Chances
The foreign protests, in the view
of close observers, injured rather
than aided the cause of Monsi2nor
Butchkavitch, is creating public
sentiment here against foreign in
reference. Not since actual inter-
vention days when the elements of
Kolchak, Denikine and others were
trying to be heard or when the
Polish war was on, has there been
such a storm of indignation as was
aroused among soviet officials on
reading the declaration of the
Polish Premier Sikorski and of the
archbishop of Canterbury.
This indignation was voiced in the
sharp note which Tchitcherin has
sent Premier Sikorski. and in the
reply to the British appeal for
clennency. The latter reply said:
Prussia is an independent SOW
ereign state and has the undeniable
right of passing sentences in con-
formity with its own laws on peo-
pie breaking the established ordi-
nances of the country. Every eff
fort on the outside TO interfere with
this right and to protect spies and
traitors is an unfriendly act and a
renewal of the intervention which
has been successfully repulsed by
the Russian people"
The Pravda says the execution
occurred or March 81. The news
pape- Izvestia asserts: THE sen
tence of death on Butchkavitch,
whose reprieVe was refused, has
been carried out" The time and
place are rot given.
The Izvestia prints the announce
ment on an inside page, under
One-line mead IN it's court news de.
partment. In the Pravda the execu-
ton IS noted briefly without come
ment m a column of local news.
| Constantine ButchkaV4tch, vicar
general of the Roman Catholic
church in Russia, was sentenced to
death on March 26 after he and six
teen other prelates, including Arch
bishop zeplial1, had been found
guilty of opposing the soviet gov
eminent. The Russian central eX-
ecutiVe committee, meeting last
Thursday night to consider appeals
made in behalf of the ecclesiastics.
denied clemency in the case of Mon.
slgnor Butchavitch, asserting he
hal used his position as a priest
70 carry on a direct and active state
treason" The committee at the
same time committed to ten years
imprisonment the death sentence
imposed upon the archbishop.
The prelates were charged in gen
eral with carrying on widespread
propaganda against the Russian
government and were alleged to
have melted the people against the
communist regime. Maxim Litvinotf
was quoted as saying the action
against the defendants was politi-
cal rather than religious. In reach
, ing its decision to commute the
sentence given Archbishop Heplialt,
the central executive committee sad
it had decided to modify the de-
cree OF the court because certain
backward element of the Catholic
citizens of soviet Russia" might
consider the sentence as directed
q GA inSt The rnr,inctc fhn;1,