Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-15
siberian Prison Life.
Correspondence London Times. ]


INSTRUMENTATION 1 was told is not OF frequent
occurrence In siberian prisons. but IL IL does
occur, the mfldeSt form or punishment is soli-
tary confinement. and next the partial depriNa-
llon or food and minor comforts, as In England
Again. the man may be put In irons, those for
MS legs weighing nom five 10 nine pounds
hng!lsn. Some or the old letters weigh up Ia
fourteen pounds for extreme cases, but the new
ones weigh only live pounds Those for the
hands are heavier and more clumsy than British
nanucuns, and weigh two pounds English.
Noiporal punishment, by Russian law NAV be
lnnlc,ed on no free man. nor the first offence
'onNlcts, however, after repeated tranSvrss-
SONS, are subjected thereto the mildeSt form
nelng That OF homely birch rod. Finding that
mere was 10 be a biTching administered in n
loWh where was staying, / deemed it rirnt
since Ihe Visitation OF prisons was my specially
10 sillrk no opportunity OF witnessing with m
eyes what was called upon 10 believe with nv
ears; so l Went 10 see II. The culprit was a rs
leaS.d Son.lcl OF horrible countenance. who hal
served MS term or imprisonment was taken into
nercnantS establishment. and had rewarded
MS employer by robbing him. for which the man
Mau peen summary condemned 60 sixty stripes
lie was lald on the floor. with his back uncoy-
ered, with two Cossacks 10 hold his head ana
his feet respectively. Two other CosSacls
then inflicted striped successfully on the lower
part OF his back while third counted aloud
the number administered. The man wrtrrlei
and roared, and the skin became very red hIt
saw no blood. The operation was soon over.
ana lne prisoner was allowed 20 adjust hts
trousers and 10 restore TO himself his personal
comforts, though there was room for doubt
Wnetner Tor the next few days he would succeed
In finding comfortable seat They do not use
me treadmill in Siberia, nor the ''cat-o-nine
talls and the ''knout" has long been abol-
lshed; but at three places and at three only. I
was informed they had a formidable Instrument
called the ''troichatka" or '.plait" a whip end
ing IN three lashes, which is reserved for grave
end repeated offences or convicts-for Il should
be remembered that though man commit half
dozen murders he is never, as a rule hanged
OVERwoRkED CHIIDREN.-A German physf-
can, who has been giving attention 10 the las
sIude ana habitual headaches OF children
SAYS mat he finds the trouble 10 be largely on
TIE increase. He attributes the cause 10 ex-
cessiye Intellectual eNertion. which ambitious
parents, Instead OF checking, as they should do
are inclined 10 stimulate and spur up on All
occasions. Children who have a variety of
SUBJECTS TO study up and do much night-worI
are almost invariably exposed to these dis
orders, caused entirely by exhaustion of the
Grain. n London physician, commenting upon
The Germans observations. remarks thar he
has sometimes found the brain 10 be growing
faster than the skull which contained IL
Nv hat seemed like great stupidity was for A
time the result, but I'm time the skull effected
It's enlargement and the brain was relieved A
brain overworked I'm childhood prepares man
for great evils later In life.