The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-09-16
Domiciliary Visits in Russia.

cal Hot we'll Injured 10 the everyday
noises of the Russian capital. You
generally hear it during part of the
two hours that Immediately succeed
midnight. First there is o tramp of
heavy feet resounding along the cor
ridor. Then, if on listen ate ntively,
you may detect the jingle of spurs, and
the occasional voices of zen. For q
while the noise continues, and it may
either cease suddenly or die away in
some part of the building too remote
for it to be traced to the point of cessa-
ton. But if you follow, trusting to
your audacity and powers of conceal
ment, you may easily learn the char
acter and purpose of your disturbers.
The light from a lantern carried by
one of the party shows it to be body
of police headed by military officer.
The nocturnal visitors pause before
the door of an apartment indicated by
their leader, and, after some little
knocking obtain Ell trance, the occu
pant Is requested to rise and dress.
While he does so, the police peer into
every box and cupboard, examine
every book and tu1n over every leaf,
pry beneath sofas, search beneath car
pets-rummage the apartment as COM
pletely as custom-house officers rum
mage vessel suspected of contraband
trade. And when the occupant
half blinded by the light, and terrified
in proportion to his consciousness of
guilt-has hastily cast on his attire,
the examination of his bed begins.
The mattress is turned over, the sheets
separated. and the pillowa explored.
The search over the polit retire, car
rying with them all printed matter of
a compromising character, as well as
any letters or written documents too
long to be examined on the spot. The
"domiciliary VISIT is thus over, yet it
by no means terminates with the de-
parture of the midnight intruders.
Occasionally-that is to say where
there is obvious guilt-the occupant of
the apartment is removed in custody,
and, even when his criminality is not
Immediately evident, he is practically
under arrest until the close of the in
vestigation. The process Is precisely
the same in the case of females, and
illness is one of the last things that
can be pleaded in postponement of the
search.
The promoters of the Nihilistic prop
uganda occasionally inf1ict the most
serious consequences upon members of
society perfectly innocent of Socialistic
or revolutionary tendencies. Seditious
pamphlets are distributed in thousands
at time, andug often enoh the post
man is employed to convey them to
their destinations. The discovery of
one of these pamphlets in room or
house amply suffices to bring the occu-
pier into the hands of the police. Thus
it was with M. Vinovich, rising
young barrister of st. Petersburg.
During his absence from home some
body had pushed revolutionary PAM
phlet into his letter-box. The police
found il there, and M. Vinovich's re.
turn was the signal for his arrest. He
knew nothing of the pamphletan and had
not authorized anyone to send it to
him, yet he was thrown into prison.
His friends were not long in establish
ing his innocence, and at the end of
three weeks he was set at liberty.
But it was then too late. He had
gone mad.
The audacity with which they are
made is by no means the least start
ling of the characteristics of false de.
nunciations. Take, for example, the
case of Boolabash, the mayor of a
small town in the Ekaterinsky gov
eminent. This functionary-whose
name, by the way, has had the honor,
or the ignominy, of adding new verb
to the Russian language-took offence
against two apparently respectable
citizens, and formally denounced them
to the police. The usual domiciliary
visitation was made, but it yielded
nothing in support of the accusation
of political infidelity" (neb lagona-
dezhnost). The mayor was thereupon
asked for his proofs. He promptly
got into the witness-box and swore
that on the evening of certain day,
which he named, he saw the two &C.
cused posting revolutionary placards.
He did more-he produced printed
copies of the placards, and tri am
phantly asked for a conviction. The
accused were, in fact, committed to
prison, and had the case rested solely
on the statement of Boolabash. thew
would have been ultimately banished
to Siberia. But mark the sequel. The
matter was not allowed to remain
where the mayors evidence had left
1t. An investigation took place, and
1t was established not only that tina
aeon aAtl0n O fol-