Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-14
A%LExANDER's AssAssINs.
The ..Effs,, and .soffs,, and ssskysn
Hunted down by Melikoff.

The ST., Petersburg correspondent
of the London News says: No little
interest and excitement has been
created in palace circes by the arrest
of. Mile. Sophie Peroffsky. her broth
Or being well-known in very high
quarters. She has been Implicated for
the past four years in nihilistic pro-
ceedings, and 10 believed to have ex-
erted . strsng aud active influence on
Hartmann and others. The man
Jslisbof is said to have been her par
ttculsr friend. Such appears to have
teen her energy and resolution that
shs probably considered all means
legitimate to carry out her steadfast
revolutionary purposes, which only
GAEe way when she found to her sur
prise that Jeliabof had made the
most compromising revelations. With
regard to confessions. many persons
naturally, suspect the means used to
induce these dispositions; and it is
stated in n quarter without quail
6cstion, al If q w%ell-known fact or
personally !volched for, that the
Aihilist Goldman was "tortured" to
death in the fortress of Petropaulovsk.
II the Jew Goldenberg is meant by
tho above Goldman, l can only say
that very few well-informed persons
in st. Petersburg believe in his death
at all, it being well understood thai
to escape the vengeance Of the party
for his revelations, he stipulated that
his death should be reported, while
he was quietly shipped off to a dis
tant continent and provided with the
means of livelihood. Respecting
Rysakof, until he is publicly brought
to trial l can say nothing, but | have
seen at close hand Solovief, Mirsky,
Presniakof. Tikonof and Oklodsky,
al of whom were condemned to death
aud three executed. These bore no
signs Of sstorture." They had ample
opportunities for denouncing 1t if it
had been p%ractieed, and, as they ex-
pectsd death, had no reason for keep
ing silence. Other prisoners did
complain Of being insuited, whilst a
psasaut woman (Griaznova) publicly,
In open court, i~nterrogated u police
officer as to his having dragged her
by her hair, and struck her in the
face, after they we're disarmed, as
reported in the last trial. But neith-
or complaint or suggestion has been
made by the prisoners respecting
physical torture. On this point l
have myself the testimony of a we'll
known person, who states he was
confined in a fortress two years with
out trial, but there were no horrors
there except the long torture of sell
tary imprisonment without trial,
which hs describes as so great that
the prisoners determined to starve
themselves in order to force the
chiefs to give them some liberties.
Nsyertheless, my informant candidly
,fefntes the idea of physical torture.
Although deportation by admins,
trative process continues, and appeals
loudly for reform, the torture Of in.
definite Imprisonment. before triaI
has been one of the foremost abuses
which Gen. Melikof has dealt with
and prompt trials have marked the
obvious change. Whether all equal.
~ marked change has taken place il
the amelsration Of the conditions O
the prisons generally, and III p~articu
lar the central prison of Khark of
described as a grave of horrors from
its terrible unhealthiness, 1 can no
say. OF this l am sure, it was onl,
In keeping with the well-known char
acter Of the late emperor and EN-
press, 40 it will be with the presen
emperor and empress, who takes sue
solicitous interest in all works O
b~enevolence, to desire that increase
attention be given by the high official
worthy Of their confidence, to ten
per the treatment of all prisoner
with humanity and mercy. Rever'
ing to Mile. Peroffsky, she is eviden'