GRIM TRAGEDY RECALLED BY NEW CENSUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18055, 15 January 1927, Page 1

GRIM TRAGEDY RECALLED BY NEW CENSUS.

RUSSIAN FANATIC WHO BURIED 24 ALIVE TO AVOID GIVING DETAILS TO “ HERALDS AGAINST CHRIST,” RELEASED FROM CONFINEMENT.

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.—Aus. .and N.Z. Cable Assn. (Received January 14, 10.30 a.m.) MOSCOW’, January 14. A recent census recalled an astonishing tragedy of fanaticism enacted on the occasion of the last census in 1887. A small sect, known as the Uzbekistan, regarded the census takers as heralds against Christ and chose to be buried alive in preference to answering the questions. .-Vs it was essential that there should be one survivor lots were cast, and a protesting youth was selected to enclose the rest in their living tomb.

Chanting weird songs, intoning prayers and carrying lights, twenty-four men, women and children descended into a cellar and the twenty-fifth cemented them in in their tomb, kneeling in prayer until the singing of the entombed, including his own wife and two children, ceased. * Later, the fanatic was sentenced to life confinement in a monastery, but before the recent census he was released, and went to the members of his sect and persuaded them to accept the census, thus averting a second tragedy.