TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF SOLOVIEFF.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 886, 10 September 1879, Page 2

TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF SOLOVIEFF.

The man Solovieff, who fired at the : Emperor of Russia, has been tried at Stt Petersburg, sentenced to death, and" almost immediately executed. TheC«wrt which tried him assembled at the Commandant's house m the fortress of St Peter and St' Paul. The tribunal was a specially constituted supreme criminal court, comprising the President, Prince Urousoff, and seven other members. There was a very small number of spectators admitted by special tickets, which "there was immense difficulty in' obtaining. On the members assembling, the President announced the Court open, and the prisoner was produced— a tall, fair young man, carefully dressed m a black frock coat, his hair thick, not parted. The accused stood up stiff,, his eyes; glaring defiance. H& looked pale and haggard, and evidently suffered from anxiety and the confinement. The President asked the jprisoner— - WhatisyourOhristianriame, patronymic, and surname 1 Answer—Alexander Oonstantihovich Solovieff,a noble retired collegiate secre-/ tary, 33 years of age, baptised m the true Faith, but I do not acknowledge a religion. "■'.'" President — I do not enquire respecting your particular religious views. Where was your permanent residence until your arrest ? Prisoner— On the Kamney Island with my relations. I had no definite occupation. I have received a copy of the Act of Accusation. The Act was then read by the Secretary of the Court, after which the prisoner was asked if he was guilty or not of belonging to an illegal association called the " Socialist Revolutionary . Party," and of an attempt on the life of the sacred person of his Majesty the Emperor, by firing, several shots at him with a revolver. • - Prisoner — Yes, I did that— l did that which my conscience and a sense of duty dictated to me. ;.-,-' President — Inform the Court of the circumstances of your attempt. Prisoner— l ask the Court to excuse me from any declaration. The whole circumstances are already clearly&nown, but I will not refuse to answer any questions; • The night between April Ist and 2nd (old style) I passed m a no jse of ill fame, and left at seven m the morning. About 9 o'clock I was at the corner of the Nevsky prospect, and Admiraltyplain. I did not see the Emperor ; but from the movements of the persons always awaiting I perceived he had come out. I crossed the Palace square, and met the Emperor coming from the opposite direction, near the gate at the office of the general of the staff. Then I drew my revolver and fired. I do not'remember how many shots, but I beliere five. President — Did you act under the influence of anybody, or. had I you any accomplices 1, Prisoner— l did not act under any* body's influence, I had no accomplices, and did not inform anyone of my intention. V • : President— - How long have . you belonged to this so-called Russian Socialistic Revolutionary party ? . . , . . Answer— lt is difficult to be precise, as there was no formal reception. When I went to ( the Novgorod Government I then began to take an active part m the proceedings. I never, was at revolutionary assemblies. I received printed proclamations, and spattered them m the streets. I received these forbidden publications from a certain feodor whom I used to meet on the Nevsky at a fixed place at appointed hours. The Minister of Justice was then asked if he considered it necessary to produce witnesses : The Minister — Yes. Counsel for the defence said he did not object but considered it unnecessary, as the prisoner pleaded guilty. The prisoner refused to be defended, and he (counsel) could not assist him. . The Minister of Justice declared he had nominated counsel for the prisoner's defence, which was necessary according to law. • ■: . The Court decided that the counsel nominated should remain. Witness was then called, and sentence of death by hanging was passed. Solovieff, was executed two days later at ten minutes to ten o'clock, m a field adjoining the Great Prospect, m Vassili Ostruff, near the Smolensk Cemetery. On the same spot Karakosoff was hanged thirteen years a«oi Solovieff did not present any petition for pardon. He was brought to the place of execution from the fortress m a cart, seated on an elevated position, and pinioned., He mounted the scaffold without assistance, and surveyed the crowds on both sides of him, maintaining the same undaunted firmness which he exhibited at the trial. On refusing the last religious rites, he was enveloped m a white dress, covering him from head to foot, and then he mounted on a stool, and the execution took place. . Life appeared to be extinct m four minutes. After remaining half an hour, the executioner, assisted by two convicts specially brought from the fortress for the purpose, covered the corpse and placed it m a coffin. The death Was certified by a medical officer, and the corpse wes taken away m a cart escorted by Cossacks and mounted gendarmes. . , An orderly crowd of perhaps 6000 persons, for the most part drawn together by the signs of preparation, witnessed the execution, the time and place of, which were not previously announced. Sentries were posted, round the field, with Cossacks and mounted gendarmes m the rear. . The scaffold was surrounded by a square of infantry four deep, The line of the road was kept by troops and policemen m the immediate neighborhood of the field. , ■ ;