RUSSIAN PRINCE SLAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1918, Page 7

RUSSIAN PRINCE SLAIN.

BUTCHERED IN A CASTLE BiT PEASANTS. Details of the murder of Prince Sanguszko and visitor's to liis castle at Slavuta are published in a Kieff newspaper, a copy of which readied .Berne recently. The story is told 'by an eye-witness, M. Kublicki Piottuck, who says: "If they knew in Western Europe what is happening in Russia they would understand the terrible situation of Rus-1 sian landowners who are now exposed 5 to the unrestricted barbarism of peas- > ants who have been intoxicated bv promises that the land shall be divided among them. Brigandage is rampant and remains for the most part unpunished. Early in November Priuco Sanguszko was walking from his eartle at Slavuta lo the village church. On his way an officer warned him not to return to the castle. A priest also gave a similar warning. Nevertheless the. prince returned, but immediately lie re-entered the castle was surrounded by soldiers. Among the visitors were Count llzvszoevsky and his sister. Seeing them at a window, the soldiers lircd point-blank at them and tho count was wounded. Soldiers then brolte into the castle and found the count bleeding, but left him to die. They then shot hts sister and mutilated her body with their bayonets. Rushing wildly from room to room, they found Prince Sanguszko and dragged aim into the open, where, surrounded by soldiers, lie was driven round and round the path while his persecutors beat lnm with the butt-ends of their rifles, kicked him with their heavy boots, and prodded him with their liavonets. At last, overcome by fatigue, the prmc sank exhausted to the ground. At this moment one of the soldiers thrust his bayonet into the prince's face, making a horrible gash. The prince rose, hut immediately received bayonet thrusts in different, parts of his body- Laughing and blaspheming, tho soldiers carried his l) 0( lv to oil., of I.he stables and pitched it upon a heap of straw. Then the pillaging continued. The contents of the castie were stolen or burned- The soldiers carried away by their blood-hint killed all the splendid Arabian horses'in the prince's stables."