Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-09-04
Russian Horrors.
INHUMAN TREATMENT OF NIIIILIST
PRISONERS-CAGED LIKE WILD
ANIMALS
Correspondence New York Herald.

Correspondence New York Herald
LoNroN, July 80, 1S79.---A cry
Of horror has gone up from every
part of civilized Europe at the sick
ening cruelty of the Russian au-
thorlties toward the 0retchcd
Nihilists on their way to Saghalien.
1t seems impossible that the officers
OF the holy czar conld be so bar
barous as to pack political prisoners
iin rows of iron cages, like wild
beasts, under the deck of convict
ship in such weather that the
wretches were nearly roasted to
death. Yet such is the fact, vouch-
ed for by eye witnesses. The Zele-
graph tells tie story this morning.
A SCENE OF HORROR.
During the second fortnight of
last month a person whose testino-
ny is above suspicion visited a ship
at anchor at Odessa fitted out for
the transport of Nihilist convicts to
the island of Saghalien. lie de-
scribcs it as a man-ot-war OF about
four thousand tons, freshly painted
white. On going below deck he
found that on either side of mar
row passage iron-barred cages had
been constructed, which he says
were exactly similar to those used
for wild animals. These cages
were Of different sizes, and contains
ed from four to twenty convicts
each. The rule observed was that
) snch among them as showed any
; disposition to be unruly were con-
fined in the smaller cages so as to
be more easily watched, The
gentleman who visited the ship es-
Inmates the number of these
wretchcd people at $50, most OF
whom have come by rail from the
, interior heavily chained together
by small groups. They were to
keep their chains during the Jour
: ney, and my informant says the
sinister noise they produced WAS
; distinctly audible long ere he
? reached the ship. Unable to con-
troll his feelings he observed to tho
: officer in command that his closely
packed cargo, chained together in
: place where there was absolutely
no ventilation, would never survive
the passage Of the Sucz Canal, the
Red Sea and the Indian Ocean,
To which the Russian officer cynni-
cally replied: "Well, so much the
better for all parties if they do not"
ROASTING ALIVE.
The same ship was visited at an
other place on her outward voyage,
and on competent authority it was
! ascertained that one-third of the
unfortunate prisoners OH board
could hardly reach their destina-
l ton alive. But my information is
: not confined to this one instance
/ The Nijhi-Novgorod, formerly
/ known as the SaXonia, of the Ham
\ burg and New York line Of steam
D ers, but since purchased for the
e Russian volunteer fleet, arrived at
G Port Said, ,.under Russian colors and
= manned by Russian sailors, at the
q end of last month. She had 800
/ convicts on board, for the most part
. Nihilists condemned to be trans
q ported to the island of Sagnalien.
y The Suez Canal Company raised
= the question as to whether this
: ship, which was known to have
" sailed under merchant cOlors on her
} last Journey from BIarseilles to
{ Odessa, and which belongs neither
. to the Russian government norto the
e Russian transport service. but
e which was freighted for the volun-
e teer fleet, should be considered as II
is ship of war. The discussion result
in the Niihi-Novgorod being treat.
ed as a man of war, under protest
of the Russian consul. Now. the
question just raised caused Il stop
Of page of three days, during which
a the convicts on board were literally
u left to roast in the heat, which, at
h' this time of the year is terrible
,. Their torture was prolonged for
- seventy-two mortal hours, because
W :" the Russian authorities hoped to
70 deceive the Suez Canal Company.
5. 1t has been reported since the
is above was written that $50 persons
I'd had died on one Of these ships, and
Is and that $50 had been landed in a
til diving condition. Mr.. Cowcn asked
sh Mr.. Burke about it yesterday in the
1t house Of commons, but, of course
as the foreign Office had no informa
ton. He asked if the Englisl
ne government had demonstrated, anC
ne TO this the secretary sardOnicall IL
~ ~ intimated that the government was
q . not i'll the habit of interfering witt
90 other governments unless they hao
ot reason to believe that their remon
de strances would have some effect
ID. Bnt the subject is creating mucl
cir indignation in England. 1t mus
of be added that the Nca0s correspon
u dent at St. Petersburg telegraph
as that the above story is greatly ex.