WITCH BURNING IN RUSSIA.
The St; Petersburg Government Meisenger reports fatt early last month a woman Banned; Agrafena Ignatjeva was burned as a witch by the peasants in s the village, of cWj-atshevo, in the Government of 1 Novogorod. Jt 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 delation by.,every means in her power. The peasants of the. whole neighboring .district had . such a dread of her powers of mischief that they endeavoured "even to anticipate her withes, and.although «n absolute pauper &he lived ifery comfortably! > on the ■•' contributions .spon» iaoeouslympdeto her. . There were many persons in ;tbe^ district suffering from jepjiepsy, and it was. popularly believed that, s the. witch had thus punished, them for' Offending her in eonae way. One of these,epileptic f sufferers, a girl from a distant tillage, besought some peasants to -burn the witch and so release, her, from her sufferings. At an-assembly„of head* f men and seniors of the village it was 'resolved to! extinguish the source of ,niiaohief; They proceeded to her. hut, : wbioh they found ■ fastened t up. They broke it,open, discovered the, wretched woman, charged her with, the .crime, and f then , nailed ,up the window aud door, to prevent,' her escape. By Ibis., time over 200 men , had (Assembled around the hut, and amid their jeers and .shouts, of exultation it was set on.fire, aqd*'jkh* whole crqwd remained until, it was quite consumed., The sum of 21, roubles, and ; 9o copecks (nearly £3 65.) ; was,; collected and, offered, to the rural ,policeman as r a bribe to secure his silence. ; But ha^ rejected it, ai>d so this terrible .tragedy came to light.
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Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3193, 14 May 1879, Page 1
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289WITCH BURNING IN RUSSIA. Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3193, 14 May 1879, Page 1
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