TO SIBERIA.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 54, 22 March 1912, Page 2

TO SIBERIA.

Pelted with Flowers.

A dramatic scene occurred recently in one of the St. Petersburg law courts, where sentence of exile to Siberia was So be pronounced in its final form on nine members of the St. Petersburg Social Democratic Committee. A number of friends of tho accused, ambly young men and young women, who were in court, carried bouquets of red flowers. Tho prisoners were brought ia, escorted by two gendarmes each. Twenty more gendarmes were drawn up in front of the barrier separating the public from the court. Before, the pronouncement of sentence ono of the prisoners, a student isamed Federoff, asked permission to make a statement. His request was refused. All the accused stood up, and declared that they, did not wish to attend tihe further "proceedings. "Very irell, remove them I" ordexed the president of the court. There wa3 a commotion among tho prisoners' friends, who pressed close up to the barrier, and the gendarmes were ordered to draw their swords. Notwithstanding this, the prisoners were pelted with ilowers as they were taken from the coxi.rt, which was siibsequently cleared. It is reported that several of tie demonstrators have been arrested.