London Times, 17 February, 1906, p. 5: THE SEAVSTOPOL MUTINY. ODESSA, FEB. 16.*
The trial by Court-martial of Lieutenant Schmidt, who assumed command of the cruiser Otchakoff in the mutiny at Sevastopol in November last, is now definitely fixed to take place next week. By order of Admiral Chukhnin, Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea Fleet, the Court has prohibited counsel for the defence from summoning witnesses or experts to give evidence on behalf of the accused. The Court will admit only witnesses for the prosecution, and it has, moreover, notified in advance that it will not allow any appeal to be made against the sentence of death which is prescribed in the code for Lieutenant Schmidt’s offence. The sentence will be definitely confirmed by the Admiral and will then be carried out. In these circumstances counsel for the defnce have replied to the Court’s notification by declining to take any part in the trial. They describe the proceedure adopted as a deliberate judicial murder, and believe that it is to be explained by the attempt recently made on Admiral Chukhnin’s life.
Lieutenant Schmidt, after starving himself for three days, has gone mad.
Provided by Stephen McLaughlin