Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-06-14
= Thrilling .sarratire.
REMARKABLE ESCAPE FROM
SIBERIA.

rare. The most recent as well as one OF the
most remarkable, took place in ls46. Its
hero was NJ. Runn PIotrowski. Pole. who
having taken part 10 the revolt Of lo3l. left
his native land, and after reading in Paris
for many years. vcn.ured % return as the
cmissary of bis exiied countrymen. Passing
himself of as one Catharo, a native Of Malta,
and teacher of languages. he remained
about nine months 10 hamieniec, in P0d0lia.
where, being recognized as a Pole, he was
arrested December 81, 1913, and after a
shlr; trial was sent % Siberia. There he was
lcried with c0nyicts of the lowest order.
and forced to perform the most arduous and
reuulsive labor under the superintendent,
who was himself a comm n ic.Jn. Cherish
ing hopes of escape, he studi0usly avoided
quarrclling with bis keepers. least he should
he sc1urged with the knJut, for be determined
o. resist the iah. .tiuu of corporal punishment
10 the ha zlri of his own life OF of others.
His industry and general good behavior were
rewarded by bis being employed at desk in
the counting house of the government disul-
lerv at Ekatc.iuskI-Lav1d. This office was
troquented by numerous travellers, who came
either to sell grain or buy spri,s, and among
them were peasants, t1wuspeople, traders,
Russians, Iariars, Jews, and hirgheez. BY
making inquiries Of these men he acquired
an intimate knowledge of the various parts
of Siberia. which was Of great value in form
ing his plan Of escape. His condition was
also improved by being allowed to leave the
barracks, where be was heried witt the West
fel0ns. and live % in a cabin with two Of his
counuymen. His new quarters, though far
from comfortable, were infinitely better than
3D. of a
guard Of soldiers whom he and his friends
had to pay for watching over them, was by
ne means satisfactory.
Though now in the possession Of unusual
privileges, and e-tccming himself fortunate
when compared with many of his brethren.
doomed TO labor with their feet heavily
ir0ned. IN the mines Of Nertcbinsk, under the
lash Of cruel taskmastcrs, yet such was bis
desire for freedom that hc determined 90 at
tempt to recover It even at the risk of being
sc0urged with the ku0ut, and immured in
the mysterious dungeons oi Akatouia. About
this time the Emperor Nicholas issued de-
cree which aggravated the condition Of cxiles
TO Siberia. Commissioners visited the penal
settlements and proposed new measures Of
severity. and. is order 70 satisfy the sus-
picious dcsqltIsm Of the car. It was deemed
desirable % curtail the privileges granted 10
some OF the prisoners, and ohlige them 20
live in the barracks with the other conyicts
AuIlhis made Piotrowski persist in the pro-
iect of escape which he had mcditatei for a
long time.
After carefully considering the different
ways Of leaving the Russian Empire, be de-
cided to take the road 70 the north, across
the [ raj Mountains and the steppes OF Pet
caora and Arcaangcl. This being the most
unfrequented. was for that reason only. the
safes. route. IL was, also the shortest, for
among the numerous foreign vessels at Arch
angel a political refugee would probably find
some means Of de.Iyerancc. After obtaining
all the information possible about the man
uers and customs Of the people on this route,
he took tie precluti1n also 10 acquire knowl-
edge in regard to the other directions in
which chance or fate might lead him. To
collect the necessary art icles for the danger
GUS Journey took good deal of time and
trouble The most important of these was a
passport. Of which there were two kinds in
use in Siberia: one being a mere pass, good
only for comparatively short distances, and
for very limited time; and the other, a
much more important document, known as
the plakatny, issued only by the high auth
critics, upon stamped paper. Both of these
be succeeded in forging, the latter by appro-
priating piece Of stamped paper from the
Office and aifxing to il a seal, with the arms
of the czar, which he procured for a few ru-
bes from one of the convicts, who was a skill
ful c0untertciter.
The next step was to transform himself in
70 a native of the country, a '- man Of 81
beria' (ShirsH tcheloyiek) as they say in
Russia His beard had been purposely al
lowed TO grow for a long time, SO that it had
reached a proper length, and after many at
tempts he succeeded in obtaining a Siberian
rig made of >heeTekin, with the wool inside,
worn in that country o. keep out the intense
cold At last his disguise was 50 complete
as to make recognition improbable. The
money remaining after the purchase of these
articles was only one hundred and eighty
rubles (about two hundred fIaucs). a small
sum for 50 long a journey, and destined by
an unlucky accident TO become still smaller.
Though well aware Of the difficulties and
dangers of his ilurncy he had from conscien-
tlus motives done something to increase
them As his communications to his breth-
ren in Poland had resulted in endangering
their safety, he made vow not to ask for
help. protection, or advice from any one, till
he had passed beyond the dominions of the
car. This determination was adhered to
under the most trying circumstances.
By the last day of January his prepara-
tions were completed. The time OF starting
seemed particularly favorable, from the fact
that one Of the great fairs peculiar TO Eastern
Russia was soon 10 he held at Ierblte, at
the foot of the Ural Mountains. Amid the
multitude of travellers on the road, there
seemed little chance Of tracking a fugitive :;
so, prodting by this circumstance, he set out
on the Sth Of February, lS46. lie had put
on three shirts, one Of which, being colOred,
hung over the trousers. Russian fashion. and
thick cloth WaistcOat. Over these was
small bernouse Of sheepskin, well creased
with tallow, reaching TO the knees. lie also
wore large riding boots. well tarred, and a
sash of xhite. red, and black worsted tied
round the waist. On his Wig was placed
red-yelyet cap, trimmed with tdr, such as is
worn bv well-to-do Siberian peasant on
HOLIDAYS, or by a travelling merchant. Be
sides these, he was well wrapped IN pelisse
the collar of which, being turned up and tied
by a red handkerchief, served the double
purpose OF keeping out the cold and hiding
bis face. lie CARED bag in bis hand, CON
tanning a second pair of boots, fourth shirt,
a pair Of blue trousers; such as are usually
worn IN the country in summer, some bread,
and some dried fish. In the leg Of his right
boot be had concealed a large dagger. lis
money, which was in notes Of four or i've
.ubles, was placed in his waisteoat; and in
bis hands, which were covered with stout
skin gloves with the hair outside, he held a
strong knOtted stick.
thus equipped, he stole away at night from
the settlement of Ekaterinski-Zayod by a
cross-road. 1t was freezing very hard, and
the flying sleet glistened in the mOonbeams.
The Irish, his Rubicon, was soon passed
and, hurrying along the road t. Tara he won
dered how far he could get before daybreak
When his escape would be discovered, and
what would become of him afterward.
Hardly had he crossed the Irish when
he heard the sound of a sledge coming W
behind him. Though somewhat alarmed, be
determined to wait for the nocturnal travel.
ler and, as happened more than once on hi:
dangerous Journey, what he dreaded as
Peril became an unexpected means of escape
me peasant driving the sledge asked where
I was going, and, being bound for the SAME
p,ace agreed TO take him to Tara for fifty
~ hPeks ten sOus). A hali-hour' s rapid drive
,ougnt them to Tara, where PiOtrowski
;nan 'lg bis guide, went up to the first post
ns ,house, and, calling loudly through the
O"s IN Russian fashion, asked ii ht