THE LUST TO KILL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1918, Page 6

THE LUST TO KILL

MOB PASSIONS IN RUSSIA

ANOTHER GLIMPSE OF THE RED TERROR

London, September 30. The "Lokal Anzeiger's" Moscow correspondent telegraphed in mid-Septem-ber a frightful account of the Ited Terror: "A red billow of blood is flowing from Moscow over the whole Empire. Tho Bolshevik leaders declare that the Bed Terror will purify tho atmosphere, saying that tho executions are nothing compared with the millions sacrificed in the war. During tho whole French Revolution not so many aristocrats were executed as hnve been executed in Russia, during the last month, with only the faintest show of a trial. An extraordinary Commission, with branches and sub-branches in the provinces, is ordering executions as it pleases. Its Inst decree, ordering tho seizure and execution of the hourgeoisie as hostages whenever counter-revo-lutionaries create a disturbance, surpassed any of the previous horrors. The recent executions include former Ministers of the Tsar—Tscheglowitoff, Chwostoff, Maknkoft', and Protopopoff. Jinny who plnyetl an important part in most recent history were- brought liefore the Court and ordered to reveal all the secrets of the Tsar's Government. Afterwards- they .wore dragged from their cells in tho dead of night and conveved to Petrovysky Park and shot by sailors. "Details of these wholesale nocturnal executions are kept secret. Thev take r>lsce in a guarded square brilliantly lighted hy arclamps, where squads of soldiers are always kept in readiness to receive the victims from prison. No time is wasted, no pitv is expended. The majority meet death with dignity. The ixenutioiis in the provinces include numbers cf woll-born women and priests. The executioners become victims of the execution habit like mor-nbia-mnniacs, ind eagerly volunteer for service. They aro unable to sleon unless they hnre shot someone dead. Several Grand Dukes and members of the Jverensk" Cabinet we kept in prison in Moscow. The Rolsheviki laughingly tell people: 'Don't he impatient; thev are only snared for a lit— tlo Inter.' Relatives of hostages know nothing of thfi rky or hour of rxpeution; wives., mothers, and sweethearts are ignrx-nnt of the fivtejnf their lived ones. They ".0 everywhere spiking nnws. Tim wholesale terror h.ns had n. bhidireon-like effect, end so cowed n"d tprrnrisod U the rw"Vion that tfio wholp of Moppow fould h° nut to +l ie word without insurrection."—"The .Times."

FIfHT-HANOTTI H.OIWJRY. (Rco. September 30, 10 p.m.) London, September 2fi. Advices from Moscow state that during a service a robber snatched the wwld-famed Image of Our Lady of Kazan, covered with jewels of fabulous value, from a priest, whom lie shot with a revolver, and severely wounded. The robber escaped with the booty.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

APPALLING CONDITIONS IN PRISON FORTRESS (Rec. September 30, 11.35 p.m.) New York, September 29. It is reported that 170 porsons, mostly former army officers, are being held as hostages for the lives of Bolshevilci officials. About 1910 Englishmen aro Imprisoned in the fortress of Peter and Paul on the pretence that they are inipjioated in the plot for tho killing of OTisfsky. There arc ulso. twenty French citizens in tho sa'rne. prison. ™°!fiir conditions could not be worse, "fue prisoners are crowded into groups of from fifteen to.twenty, in small damp polls, only two or three being jililo to lie down at tho same time. They are not permitted to exercise, they hare , no bedding, and practically no food.- Fortytwo Checho-Slovaks who had !>oeii captured, were found imprisoned and starving to death. Twenty-nine are- still imprisoned. Fifteen were removed to thf hospital dying.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE ADVANCE IN SIBERIA T4entsin, September 29. Chinese., and Japanese troops have, disarmed 1500 Austro-Hungariiins in the vicinity of Blagovestschensk.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.' SANCTUARY FOR. EX-GRAND DIKES (Rec. September 30, 7.35 p!m.) Rome, September 29. Tim Vatican announces that as. the result of the Pope's intervention the Russian Government has decided to'romove all the ex-Grand Dukes to the Crimea for safety.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablfi Assn.