A WOMAN ON THE GIBBET.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 165, 13 July 1881, Page 1

A WOMAN ON THE GIBBET.

On the trial of Sophy Perovsky, the Bussian woman of noble family re-* cently banged in St. Petersburg as a regicide, when leave was given her to speak in her own behalf, she said :— "In 1869, beiug then sixteen years old, and having through the usual school studies, I fitted myself for a teacher, [o 1870, 1 iaugb,|sa/ village school. I soon founil out. that (he Government, by iis systeai of despoiia interference with the ej|auß of the pea*;BDtry, was pDtiing insurmountable obstacles in the way of their normal, icleUeclua!, mora!, and econooiicaS development. Io 187S I was forced <o leave ths EChool, und I joined the revolutionary party. Since then I have served the cause, Several times I wee arrested and tried for taking part in the revolutionary f propaga*cdf. I„ 1878, without any Itrial. . bat by Adminiatrsiive order, I wsa transported to the province of Otoholsk. I escapei|dropped my neajp, and procured false passes. My part ia the Moscow explosion is known to the Court. Since June, 1880, 1 have §ecu living in St. Petersburg with a woman whosa nam» I don't want -to give here. Geliaboff came to liva io my. floras, and by order of the. Executive Ci-m-Bittee we began preparations for tiie event of March 13'h. Being an agent of tbe Committee, I knew e^rythiog about the means to be reeorteq^Oi I was charged with the duty of finding oat where and wh?n tbe Czar coufcj: be met with. In the morning of Ms^h 13tb, I brought two bombs into tie rooms of Hessy Helfman. But whence the Jbombs were brought, or maoy f persons wer|e charged *ithr the duty 6^ throwiogthem I don't cfadose toaay. I drew the; trap in order 'tto sbow the station appjointed for eac#/bif my comrades, aud; it was I to whe)^ the bom.b-thro*n-e'ißJ bad to look for directions oa. ihe place of aotioo. I made signs with my haojdkerchief, and they moved and act^d acccrJing to^our agrgeWn*, I had] no bomb mysstf, for we had Ldt enough of tbem for all of or. I stood ou She other side of the Catherine Canal aosi; observed the effect of all the explosions. That* is ali I want to say ot the jpractical part I tack in the revolutionary movement. Ac to tbe motives that induced me to join the revolutionary party, I can '.siy this : Tae principal task of our party is to awaken in the people a consciousness that they have the right and power lo govern themselves. To solve thia problem our party hoped to gradually raise the intellectual and moral level of the people, to improve their economical conditio)?*, snd bo to devebp thia cousciousneaa ot their civil rights ; and therefore the members of the party settled among the peasantry in different capacities nnd: carried on a peaceful propaganda, But the Government, by a sti-i-.s of severe repressive measures, made our peaceful work impossible. Thea our party, after a locg hesitation, was forcjed to underthke a political struggle against the Government, ea the chief obstacle in our way. Once on. the political, arena, we could not help adopting the terrorist policy. Our relentless persecution ot the late Cz%r was, oa one eide, an answer to hia reeatjess persecution of our party, and on the otber it was the result of our conviction that he would never change his ruinous internal policy. I admit that I nm a member of the party of Narpdnaia Volla (the Will of the People), and aao bu agent of the Executive Committee. The party of Narodnaia Volla is far from having a desire to impose on the public and on •he people at large any inttituiioiiß whatever, or any form of government ; it hss cnly a deep conviction thai by and by the people and society will adopt its social ideas-and will realise them. I consider it my duty to say aLfew words for some of my comrades. Hte&y Belfman, being in charge of the conspirators' rooms, was connected with the party of Narodnaia Volla, but she had no knowledge of or part in the terrorist acts. Mikhalloff, too, had no part in these acts, took no chare iv the preparations for the event of March 13, and was hot among those who were charged with the duty of throwing the bomba ; in short be had no part whatever in the event of M&rch 13. Many, very many, accusations have : been heaped upon' us;by the JPfoiecutbr. Aa regards the practical part of tho^e accusations I . will not . say a word ; 1 hav-^ admitted all of them. 1 But Ido most solemnly protest, against hia accusing me and my comrades of immorality, cruelty, and contempt of public opinion. lam sore tbat those who know our. life and the conditions under wbich we have had to ect, will not throw a stone at us— will not accuse us of immorality or oiF cruelty. And now for my single and lan request : I do not aek mercy, but J demand that in dealing with me no favour ehall be shown because oi my fies."