A VICTIM OF "WHITE TERROR."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10479, 26 June 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

A VICTIM OF "WHITE TERROR."

HORRIBLE RUSSIAN TRAGEDY. The case of Maria Vetrov, the girl " .Nihilist" who was imprisoned last December on account of her supposed connection with the party of the "People's Will, ,, .atjd disappeared in March, takes a darker colour as the circumstances come oqt, grid continues to attract public attention, although there is little hope of bringing justice to bear upon the authors of the tragedy. The following ia an outline of the facts as far as they can be gathered :-On tbe 21st of December, 1596 (0.5.), Miss Vetrov, a student, 25 years of age, a brave, active, and intelligent yoiiug woman, very popular with her companions, was arrested on suspioion and shut, up in the " House of Preliminary Detention." It is known that the original suspicion against her was on account of her friendship for the peasants, who were, indee-i, her own people. Her sister, a teacher in one of the Zemstvo {or county) schools of the province of Chernigov, was twice allowed to see her during the Christmas holidays, and was assured at the headquarters of the police that there was nothing serious in Maria's case, and that she would soon ba set free. Meanwhile she was to be allowed (after her sister's depsrture) to aee a girl friend. However, the friend was never suffered to see her, and on January 21 Mdlle Vetrov was transferred to the Fortress of So. Peter and St. Paul. Here she occupied a solitary cell. The next thing known is that on February 21, immediately after a four lours' visit by Kichin (assistant procureur, or permanent counsel for the Crown), who had conducted the inquiry, a heartrending shriek was heard from this cell. It whs alleged that the unfortunate girl had upset a petroleum lamp upon herself and set herself on tire, wA that when the door was unlocked she was found to be burnt past the hope of recovery. She was not removed from the cell; her groans were heard by the other prisoners during two days, and on February 24 they ceased. The triend, who bad been constantly at the prison gates, was permitted to leave books and money, etc., during all this time, and not until February % wa3 she—as yet unsuspectingtold that Mdlle. Vetrov " was no longer in need or anything." It was now ascertained by the GRIEF-STRICKEN FRIK.NDS

that the only lamp within reach of the poor prisoner was ao heavy that it could not have boen upset by mistake. No Information was slven them by any of the authorities until after the burial, which waa conducted in secret. A loiter, manifestly intended to uiook and delude them, wna sent by the commandant of tha fortress to say that Maria died " repentent." However, words of hers, uttered (luring delirium, have transpired, showing the mental sufferings which the poor girl must have endured during her solitary confinement. She was entirely at the mercy of two men, Klohin and Colonel Smakov, and, as in all mieb cases, must have feared being driven to reveal the names of persons whom tlio authorities deeircd to seize. Maria hud once told her sister that under inquiry the was always made to feel that she was a mere " peasant girl," not worth much consideration. It is possible only to one who has been in the daws of these conliJants of the Teat , to realise all tha helplessness, nil the horror of tha victim's position. A pa<sio» of sympathy was aroused among the fellowstudents ot Jlnrrn Vetrov. They assembled in the Kazan Cathedral to hold » servico in her meinory. But the priest, acting under orders., refused to perform it, and tho young people, in mournful indignation, pourod out, into the streets singing a hymn "In everlasting remembrance" The police accompanied this procession, which carried wreaths bearing memorial inscriptions, and managed to surround a party of a thousand or more, forcing them down the Kazanstreet. The rest of tho youths and girls were thereby thrown among the crowd which had gathered, explanations passed from mouth to mouth, and the incident! became known, and soon had reached the ear of all Petersburg, No punishments devised by the authorities can prevent this remarkable demonstration from having its effect. One thousand and fifteen names were taken down by the police, and 500 mpre were sent in voluntarily, in order to " show solidarity," All thpse young people were imprisoned, for,three days, and deprived of any scholarship* which ''hey had gained for a period of six months. Another young and promising life has been sacrificed to the White Terror, and Russian opinion (daily and hourly a more important item in the national economy) is forming, upon the gloomy and sinister details of this tragedy, an irresistible popular verdict.