In a People's Court. November 21, 1917

Original Source: Izvestiia, No. 219, 21 November 1917, p. 2.

It was the first meeting of the revolutionary tribunal of the Vyborg city ward in Petrograd. The ... hall was filled with spectators ...

eager to know what kind of a court it was going to be. Everybody was convinced that now there would be real justice and not as before, because now all were equal before the law.

The judges, consisting of workmen and soldiers, took their places. One could see that they were excited, for they recognized their responsibility.

The defendants were brought in. A member of the Red Guard showed them politely to their seats and offered them cigarettes. They smoked and chatted. How different from the old court!

One of the judges ... addressed the assembly, explained the underlying ideas of the court, and invited those present to help the judges ... Then the chief judge ... said: "The procedure (of the court] will be as follows: Each side will state its case, then the audience will be allowed to take a hand, two for and two against conviction."

The first man up was the soldier-militiaman, Beliaev, accused of firing off his rifle while intoxicated. When asked to explain, he ... said: "Comrades, it is true that I was drunk, and it is possible that I fired the gun, but I do not know. I swear it will never happen again.

The chairman called for someone in the audience to say something for the prosecution. After a pause two men came forward and pointed out the harm that a man can do with a gun in these exciting days and demanded that the accused be punished.

When the judge asked for someone to come to the defense of the accused, no one offered his services ... Put finally one workman asked to be permitted to say a word ... He argued that "the misfortune of the poor soldier might come to any of us" ... and recommended that he be acquitted but be dismissed from the militia. The audience approved with exclamations of "That's right; that's fair!" After a brief consultation the chairman announced that Beliaev was to be set free and dismissed from the militia, but he warned the soldier that if he ever did that again he would be severely punished. After hearing the decision of the judge, Beliaev turned to the public and said, "Thank you humbly, comrades," and walked out ... -'

Great interest was aroused by the case of a thief called Vaska, the red-haired. He was caught with a burglar's outfit and seven keys.

"One to my trunk, one to mother's, and from other trunks." .

You have served a term before?

Yes, for stealing.

There was a titter in the audience, but Vaska paid no attention and proceeded: "I stole until the revolution but since-never."

It was a clear case. One of the judges recommended forced labor. The audience approved and suggested a full year. Vaska was not without friends. Someone urged a milder sentence, but this did not meet with public favor In the end he was sentenced to hard labor for a year with the understanding that if he behaved himself his term might be shortened ...

The next case was that of two waiters in a hotel . who concealed and sold strong drink. They were fined three hundred rubles each, the money to go to a fund for those who suffered in the war against Kerenskii. It was also decided to close the hotel and bring the hotel-keeper before the court ...

In the Provinces

Svoboda Rossii, No. 38, May 30, 1918, p. 1.

The following "penal code" was formulated in the village of Lubnyi, Lebedianskii uyezd, Tambov Guberniia:

If one strikes another fellow, the sufferer shall strike the offender ten times. If one strikes another fellow causing thereby a wound or a broken bone, the offender shall be deprived of life. If one commits theft or receives stolen articles he shall be deprived of life. If one commits arson and is caught, he shall be deprived of life.

Such is the brief code of law. For its enforcement a revolutionary court was elected. Soon two thieves were brought to trial. They were condemned to death. One was killed outright. They broke his head ... and ribs ... and threw him naked on the highway ... The other thief began to cry aloud and implore that a priest be sent to him for confession and communion. The priest and the reader who arrived on the scene pleaded with the mob and secured a pardon for the condemned. The death sentence was commuted and twenty-five blows by a rod were substituted. (Novoe Slovo, No. 20, February 21, 1918.)

The Volost Committee of the village of Studenets, Sviazhskii Uyezd, condemned four peasants suspected of robbery to death by burning. Among the condemned was a woman in the last stage of pregnancy. Ufimskii Vestnik, No. 38, March 19, 1918.)

In Sarapulskii uyezd a peasant woman, aided by her paramour, killed her husband. The people's court sentenced the man to death and the woman to be buried alive. A grave was dug; the body of the dead paramour was placed in first and on top they put the woman bound and alive. An arshin of earth was already on her but she still continued to cry, "Help, little fathers." (Delo Naroda, No. 29, April 26, 1918.)

Voronezh. The peasants are quite explicit in their declarations against sending criminals to jail. They think it is too great an honor to the criminals and a waste of public money to feed them. The peasants decided to close all detention houses. (Zaria Rossii, No. 10, April 28, 1918.)

Source: James Bunyan and H.H. Fisher, ed., Bolshevik Revolution, 1917-1918; Documents and Materials (Stanford: Stanford University Press; H. Milford, Oxford University Press, 1934), pp. 289-291.