A SIBERIAN HORROR.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 444, 8 February 1890, Page 4

A SIBERIAN HORROR.

‘BUTCHERY OF POLITICAL EXILES, i A TERRIBLE STORY.. Tiik first full and authentic story of the; massacre of Russian political exiles at Yakoutsk, of which brief mention was made recently in cable despatches from St.Peters-: Burg, is the following, taken from the London “Times.” • -1 S At the beginning of April last thirty political exiles were waiting at Yakoutsk to' be 'transported to : some localities in the extreme’ east of Siberia, where they were, ordered tp reside, These prisoners had hot been 1 tried ’afid convicted by any tribunal, • The horrors' of the’ journey for these'men, women and children, herded with common criminals and dragged over _ Siberian deserts where not a trace of civilisation exists, it is not necessary to recount. Pre-

vious to the spring of 1889 some leniency was generally shown to “administrative prisoners, such as these, m the way of allowing them to go in small parties, .to have a little extra food and clothing, so that the mortality was not greater than is commou to any body of Russian prisoners. Bub tho new Vice-Governor of Yakoutsk, Ostashine, who, fulfilled ad interim the funefciofis of Governor, thought fib to alter all these rules or customs relating to the transport of exiles under “administrative order.” The number starting nt one time was doubled, the intervals between the times of different parties starting were lessened, less food was allowed, and other severe measures adopted. A protest was forwarded by the exiles, and this protest was endorsed by several Government officials. Hopes were at first held out that their petition would be granted. They met youkhabcheff, chief of the Yakoutsk police, at the house of one M. Notkine, an exile “ under administrative order ” residing at Yakoutsk, and he asked them not to come in a body to the offices of the administration as they had done when presenting their petition, but to assemble again next day at the same house, when a definite answer would be given. They met as agreed, and had not waited long when a subaltern officer .of police named Olessoff' entered and ordered them to follow him to the offices of the administration. The exiles, of course, observed that they had been especially ordered by the chief of the police not to go in a body to the Government offices. “ Then you refuse to follow me,” shouted Olessoff, and he turned his back upon them. The exiles only asked for some explanation. The police officer, ho\veve», left them without deigning bo reply. A shocking scene now began, for a few moments later the house was surrounded by soldiers and policemen. The scene that ensued is thus described by one of tho victims :

“On looking out of the window I perceived a detachment of soldiers advancing. When within a hundred yards of the dwelling they charged, flung themselves against tho door, which at once broke into splinters, and gave them admittance into the yard. The house was instantly surrounded, and the yard thronged with troops and policemen. We had hardly time to open the door for them. Led by an officer they rushed into the rooms and we were crushed into a corner. There were about seventy soldiers, commanded by the officer Karamtine. The commander of the garrisod, M. V ageff, was there, as also the chief of the police, M. Soukhatcheff', together with numerous policemen, Cossacks, etc.

“ We were summoned bo attend the police bureau, and Kohan Bernstein, speaking for ail, said we were ready to go, and that we had done nothing to provoke this outrage. The officer said—“ Will you follow us?— Yes or no?” Several cried, “Yes, yes.” Bub the soldiers did not wait or listen. They sprang upon the unfortunate exiles and struck them with their bayonets and the butt end of their guns. In a moment severalmen fellamong those who wei'enearest to the soldiers,, and then shots were fired, and this again and again. Ib is impossible to describe the scene which followed. The soldiers, after the first.attack, rushed out into the yard, but the house was bombarded from all four sides. The bullets came in by the windows, and even penetrated through the thin walls. There was no shelter anywhere. One man mad with terror rushed out shouting, “We surrender,” bub was shot down. One of the exiles, Zotoff, fired on tire Governor, Ostashine, who had come up, and was wounded by the soldiers. Women and men wero ripped with bayonets ; and the soldiers seemed possessed with the spirit of demons. In this uncalled-for butchery six of the exiles were killed, and nine were wounded. On tho sido of the authorities tho policeman Khlebnikoff was killed, the Governor Ostashine, the officer Karamtine, and the soldier Gorlowsky, three in all, were wounded.

The butchery took place on the 4th of April. The exiles were removed to prison for trial, and on the 18th June they were privately tried by court martial, carried on in the most one-sided and unfair manner. After such a mere mock trial as this seems, Hausmann, lvohan Bernstein, and Zotoff were condemned to death. Four others were seutenoed to penal servitude for life and six for twenty years. Four women, among whom was the wife of Bernstein, were condemned to hard labour for fifteen years, one only to penal servitude for ten years, two for eight years, and the young girl, Eugenie Gourewitch, who was betrothed to Zotoff, and whose sister had been killed, to six years. On the 19th August the men were shot and then hanged.