Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-21
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TO exchange oneself" means In prison slang
TO exchange ames and consequently sentences
Win some enc else. However incredible this
may seem it is true. nevertheless and tina
CUSTOM existed In fun yigor during nv time IN
sloeIla; IL was sanctifled oy old traditions. ana
sne uansac,ions were conducted according 20
e IAN iofn-S i should never have believed
such thing 20 be possible n a similar instance
r'a a,ie one am going 10 relate had not taken
faSos n ysaofS - my own eyes. An exchange
party OF eonyicts are on their way 10 s,nerls.
some are going TO the mines others IN a s,on
VIZ VIC, p1isoni snd me rest 10 a convict colony.
On lne ROAD one or then-a certain Mfkhaiior-
expresses desire to exchange himself ia
Is sentenced TO penal servitude for 40 many
years, and does not In the least care about
going TO convict prison. SO he casts his
eyes about, and finally discovers some poor
wretch whose punishment is less severe than
his Own; he may be Going 10 the mines for a
short time, or 10 settlement or have bsen
sentenced TO penal serv1tude for a few years
We VIII call this poor wretch Scushilof. He
mas been bern serf aud is sent 10 the cot
onies perhaps for some trifiing onense through
some caprice OF his master etc SoushiloN ia
hungry and cold and tired; he has walked I, 500
Sersts without copeck in his pocket living
on The coarse food provided by the govern
ment, and not being able 10 AFFORD himself even
cup OF Tea His convict garb is bSrely sum
Gent 10 protect him nom the inclemencies OF
the weather.
Mikhailon makes up TO Soushilor: they be-
come friends, ana one fine day on arriyi 10 AT
The next stage where they are 10 rest a day or
Imo. ne trtats MIN 10 as much liquor as the
other can drink. Finally he proposes 20 him
70 exchange names "You see my name Is
Nikhailon. / am not going 20 a common
prison Ike the rest OF you, but TO the special
department., and being special it must nat
n1alIy be better than one or your common
prisons"
The fact is that few people knew anything
ABOUT this SO called special department" The
conyicts who were In that department did not
know whether they were sentenced for life-
,lme or only for term. lt Is. therefore, not
10 oe wondered at that neither SoushiloM nor
any OF his party knew anything about this
place, perhaps with the exception OF Mikhailoff.
VINO mad reasons OF his own for suspecting
Mnat IL might possibly be. Soushtlon was ex-
lied TO one OF the convict setlements Was
there ever more fortunate coincidence for
Mlknallon? would you like 10 exchange
Dames:. Poor Soushiloff is drunk: HIS simple
soul is fled with gratitude toward Mikhailor
VINO has been Sd kind TO him; he cannot ind a.
IN his beart TO say no. Besides, he has
f neaia me other eonyicts talk among them
selves about exchanging names, and knows
mat II Is frequently done. They agree. Mix
ha1lon takes advantage OF Soushilofr's child
IKE simplicity, and buys his name from him
Tor silver ruble and red shirt, both objects
being handed over 10 him on the spot In the
presence OF witnesses
The next morning soushilofr has sunicienrly
recovered his senses TO realize That be has
piedged himself rashly; but Mikhailon STANDS
ueat again, ana when he refuses to let his
Vlcum nave any more liquor why, there is the
Tuble TO fall back upon, and the red shirt fol-
lows the ruble. he has got into a scrape now
and cannot get out OF IL again. He must
either give back the money or keep the false
name; and where is Soushilon TO get a whole
ruble from? In vain ne asks for mercy. The
affair comes before the Grtei. and he is plainly
told that he must either keep his promise or
else the Grtel VIII force him 10 give back the
ruoe. IL stands ID reason that IL the ortst
were TO excuse one OF its members from keep
Ing his promise the whole system OF exchang-
lpg names would fall TO the ground. The poor
fellow knows that IL he persists In making
russ ABOUT the matter ana IN refusing 10 keep
his promise he viii be severely beaten, nav
perhaps killed: and with heavy heart he &C.
cepts his destiny. The exchange OF names is
made known TO the rest or the party MIX
hailon stands treat once more, and the Others
DON'T care where Mikhailoff or SoushiiofY 90 10
Dnaily. especially after the former has treated
them so handsomely. At the next stage the
roll Is called. "Mikhailoff," shouts the officer
| on duty present" replies Soushiloff, aud
| vice versa In Tobolsk the convicts separate
10 60 TO their respective places or destination.
Mikhailon walks on TO the settlement and
Soushiofl Is sent TO the special department
with a double escort The matter can't be
helped now. for the poor fellow has no means
OF proving his Identity. Nobody knows where
the witnesses are now, and even tf they could
De found they would be sure. 10 swear that
Scushilon Is Miknailoff. And this Is the way
In which SouShilon got into the special de-
partment" for ruble ana a red shirt and was
laughed at into the bargain by the convicts
for having exchanged names for such trifiing
sum. Generally tie convict who gives his
name 10 another and takes bis instead de-
maids high price. not unfrequently 20 or 50