The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-10-07

A short account Of the cslebrsted
cassmates Of the Fortress Of Sc Peter
and Sc Psui. in which the Nihilis,s are
csnfned immediately after their arrest.
will. | doubt not. be psrussd With In
tsress BY ::our sssdsrs. Ths writer. .
St Petersburg correspondent, obtained
access TO the easements by . special
order from one OF the Grand Dukes.
whose name be naturally suppressss.
The sight Of the order when presented
was by no means acceptable to the
comRendant Of the fortress. bot as it
vss peremptory. be had no alternative
bat 70 comply.
The cassmatss. il appears. are hol.
lowed out under the Nevs. and directly
under the rsmparts. Their only win =.
dow. little sqoare bols. protected by
. thick barred grating. rises but few
inches above the level of the river A
stsircass OF about ten steps lead down
TO them. and. as the sidedecamp who
scted ~ guide. remarked in Q jocular
tone. Many 60 dewn. bnt few come mp
again Il would seem that the climate
10 not favorable TO revolutionists. At
stated distances there are iron doors
opssing into halls filed w,th sentiuels.
who, With loaded rife aud fixed bsyon-
ct, keep watch aud ward over the I'M.
happy tenants Of the cells which open
upon them. The doors Of the cells.
also Of iron. are very low.
As for the tiny prisons. they are
very narrow quarters, square, with
stone wallis and floors. and fsarfully
damp. the wstsr constantly dropping
about ia all directioos. A chair, .
table. and pallet Of white wood form
the only furniture. One Of the pallets
was found to Do covered with bed of
straw horribly foul. but even this. poor
luxury asit vas, must be considered an
exception. The prisoners. the writer
learned. were fed onka soup made of
salted cabbage and black bread. Oo
grand OCCASIONS. however. they were
treated to bit of meat and tchsrka,
or glAssful of brandy.
The visitor was allowed entrance to
few of the cells. Their tenants were
pale; they rose o. be entered. according
10 order. but regarded him with fixed
look Of despair. On some Of the walls
characters had been traced with .
pointed iostrument. One of the phrases
ran thus:
Ny poor mo her. you doubtless
know that your innocent sou 10 buried
alive in this vautt'
The guide intsrfsrsd and prevented
the writer frsm reading more. He WAS
shown. the famous cell in which was In.
carcerated the Princess Taraksnova,
daughter OF the Empress Elizabeth.
VINO fell victim 70 her rival. the EN-
press Catherine II. grandmother Of the
present Gear. The unhappy woman
perished in the cell under the most
dramatic circumstances. The Nsva,
swollen by the melted snow. suddenly
rose. and the rushing torrent. dashing
with overwhelming strength against
the tiny window. broke in and filed
the cell with water. The princess was
drowned.
The cells of the great State criminals
are lined with msttrasses. and rings Of
iron sre placed IN the walls. to which
many Of them arp bound when they
are nns straight wsistcostsd. The guide
informed the writer. among other
things that these unhappy men we're
asked every quarter Of an hour If they
were present. Whenever they failed
10 reply, they were barbarously pun>
ished. He aiso states that In the wall
of the Emperoe's room there is IN in.
visible door, concentrating with
little pAsssgc. very narrow. and leading
to z subterrsnesn gallery. followed out
under the Nevs. The gallery leads to
the fortress. and. in case of.a revolu-
tion or Of imminsnt peril. the Gar
could disappear In few seconds from
the Winter Palacs. and fac minutes
sfter aud himself in psrfsct safety in
The Fortress Of st Peter and st Paul.
the guns Of which in . short time
could rsdues et Petsrsburg 10 ruins.
Tho palace Of the Czar. Paul l.
which 10 now the Engineen' School.
~as siasilsrly provided; but when the
assassins sntseed his room he had no
time 20 dee, and was struck down ~
the very ooment When hs wss about 10
disappear bshind the secret door. which
wss alrssdy open.