The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-08
NIHILIsM.
An Interesting Letter Concerning the
Situation Of Affairs in the
Russian Despotism.
Correspondents San Francisco Truth.

Russian satirist wrote not long ago and
published abroad series of fairy tales,
one of which deals with wolf. Every
body hates him; everyone blames him
for the missing sheep, and for other out
RACES and atrocities against men. sBlood-
thirsty beast. id rascal, murderer and
thief, -" these are the only names he
is entitled with everywhere And still
the wolf continues his practices, robs,
kills and commits violence, answering to
all his enemies that he is wolf and
therefore must have meat for his food;
he can't live without it; nothing but
death can stop his career of crime,
Really this is very true, if allegoric,
portrait of present despotic rule in Rus
sis. Violence is its natural method to
get its food-the peoples liberty, the
produce of the peoples labor. But there
is difference. Wolf never commits use
less atrocities, never tortures its victims;
but Russian gendarmes do both. When
they desire tosqueeze out political secrets
or to revenge themselves on the prison.
ers they do not hesitate at any tortures
or any crimes.
( Jesse Hoffman died because they had
literally torn her newborn child from
her and nobody knows where that child
is at resent,-perhaps killed. Out of
three women tried with DR.. Weimar and
Mikailoff- Olga Nathanson, died in a
months time in the fortress, while the
two others became insane.
It is one of those three who was treated
in this manner: Gendarmes, doctor and
wardens invaded her cell and brutally
ordered her to undress herself in order
that they might examine for registering
all spots on her body,-accompanying
the order with greasy smile. The
prisoner said Indignantly: "You shall do
it on my corpse only. I Idespise you n
Then ensued one of the most detestable
scenes; gendarmes rushed to tear her
dress and clothes in pieces; herresistance
excited them; she still strives with de-
spair, but one of the brutes seizes her by
the hair and fells her to the floor ex-
hansted, her bare hands and face covered
with blood. Thus senseless, her bodily
spots were registered Now the doctor
tries to return her senses, but, alas she
never recovered after this struggle for
human dignity. She died in few days.
( Then comes the martyr Netchiaef, who
was given up to the Russian Government
by the police of Switzerland ten years
ago (of course for bribe). He was then
cast into the most horrible part of the
fortress in st. Petersburg, the Ravelin of
OF Alexis, for two years chained by his
hands and feet to the wall, for blow
which he had given to the chief of the
gendarmes. 1t is impossible to count all
the tortures this wonderful man has sus
tanned during these ten years, while con-
stantly day and night watched by four.
eyes from the door and window. At LIST
he died in December last after a cruel
fogging. His last breaths of life were
marked with special attention" to him
by the authorities; there was a secret
trial in the fortress eighty persons
guards and warders) were charged with
connection with the revolutionary party
and with helping correspondence be-
tween Netchiaef and the Elective Com
mittee Of Nihilists- fifteen have been
sentenced.
His comprisoner Skiriaietf died sud
denly, after q fit of very strong excite
ment as of dose of belladona.
Besides this there is still kept and has
been for about twelve years, in the same
prison an insane man, Shevitch, whose
wild cries and yells resound through all
cells of the prison. He is kept for simple
revenge; because he, being an officer.
said once openly at a parade, of Alexan-
der II, that "he was scoundrel, who
had seduced his sister,
But how many young girls and fresh
vouths died, Lost their minds, or honesty
md yfrtue in prison, while subjected to
Is moral tortures? Who may count
A Vegy often tho Russian +