WITCH BURNING IN RUSSIA
The Qt Pateraburg " Government MesseDgpr" reports that early last month a woman named Anrafena Ignatjeva was burned as a witch by the peasants In the ▼Ulage of Wratshevo, m the Government of Novgorod. It seems that the wretched woman, who was the widow of a soldier, had the reputation of being a soroeress and witoh, and strove to promote this delation by every means In her power. The peasants of the whole neighboring dlstrlot had snob a, dread of her powers of mlsohlef that they endeavored even to anticipate her wlshea, and although an absolute pauper, the lived very oomfortably on the oontribntlons spontaneously made to her. There were many persons In the dlstrlot suffering from epilepsy, and It was popularly believed that the wltoh had thus punished them for offending her In some way . One of these epilep< ' Ho sufferers, a girl ttoax a distant village, besought some peasants to burn the wltoh and hq release her trom her stiff at Ings, At. an assejhbly of headmen and seniors of th^jlllage it was resolved to extinguish i the source of mischief. They proceeded to her hut which tbey found fastened up. They broke It opeo, discovered the wratobed woman, charged her with the crime, and then nailed np the window and door to ptevent her esoapa. By this time over 2CO men had assembled around the hut, and amid their jeers and shouts of exultation It was set on fire, and the whole crowd remained until ft was quite oonsumed. The sum of 21 roubles and 90 copecks (nearly £3 6j.) was oolleoied and offered to the rural policeman as a bribe to secure bis silence. But he reJeotedit, and' so this terrible tragedy came tollaW, ' " i A * " ~
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2106, 15 April 1889, Page 2
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293WITCH BURNING IN RUSSIA Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2106, 15 April 1889, Page 2
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