WITCH BURNING IN RUSSIA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1884, 27 April 1889, Page 4

WITCH BURNING IN RUSSIA.

r ihe St. Petersburg Government Messenger reports that early last month a woman named Anrafena Ignatjeva was burned as a witch by the peasants in the village of Wratahevo, in the Government of Novgorod. It seems that the wretched woman, who was the widow of a soldier, had the reputation of being a sorceress and witch, and strove to promote this delusion by every means in her power. The peasants of the whole neighboring district had such a dread of her powers of mischief that they endeavored even to anticipate her wishes, and, although an absolute pauper, she lived very comfortably on the contributions spontaneously made to her. There were many persons in the district suffering from epilepsy, and it was popularly believed that the witch had thus punished them for offending her in some way. One of these epileptic sufferers, a girl from a distant village, besought some peasants to burn the witch and so release her from her sufferings. At an assembly of headmen and seniors of the village it was resolved to extinguish the source of mischief. They proceeded to her hut which they found fastened up. They broke it open, discovered the wretched woman, charged her with the crime, and then nailed tip the window and door to prevent her escape. By this time over 200 men had assembled around the hut, and amid their jeers ami shouts of exultation it was set on lire, and the whole crowd remained until it was quite consumed. The sum of 21 roubles and 90 copecks (nearly £3 6s) was collected and offered to the rural policeman as a bribe to secure his silence. But he rejected it, and so this terrible tragedy came to light.