The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-01-31
Corruption In Russia.

A MOSCOW paper has just puolisned
list of the principal thefts and embez-
elements that have recently been COM
mitted in Russia, the trials concerning
which are at present going on or have
lately been concluded. First, mention
is made of Melnizky, who carried off
$40, 900 rubles from the great Founding
Hospital in Moscow, and who has just
been sentenced to Punishment TO Siberia.
The cashier, Swiridoff, defrauded the
Association for Mutual Credit in Moscow
TO the extent of 257, 900 rubles. A GER
tain Safjano managed to defraud the
Southwestern Railway of 100000 rubles.
The deficit of the Skopin Bank amounts
to no less than 100000 rubles, Of
which sum "Uncle'' Rykoff is said to
have got at least one-half. One evening
the Agricultural Bank at Kherson was
found on fire. After the flames were
extinguished revision was ordered of
the bank funds. There should have
been 10000 rubles in coinage and
100000 in paper currency, but care
full count revealed n deficit of no less
than 100000 ublcs. Where the
money went to no one knows. The d.
rector of the SuieurtSch Bank, in Wlad-
ikawkas, can not explain the loss of
100000 rubles from the treasures in
his charge. In Kranstadt former men,
bers of the board Of management of the
bank there have been arrested, las deficit
of 100000 rubles has been discovered.
In KostrOma the cashier of the Com
munal Bank was satisfied with merely
taking a bagatelle of 10000 rubles, and
the chief of the railroad station at Kis-
chineff with paltry $4,000. The re-
cent commissariat process at Odessa
has reference to steal OF 6,000, 900
rubles. The s0.called quinine process
FRAUDS in connection with quinine con-
tracts during the Russo-Turkish war;
treats of theft of 100000.
In Archangel the crown apportioned
10000 rubles for the construction of y
lighthouse, which cost, according to the
examinations made by special com
mission, only 10000 rubles, GO, 900 stick
ing in the hands of officials and contrac-
tors. An official named Argustof, in
wilma, stole $4,000 of the Government
funds, and the postmaster Of Jelissawet-
grad "annexed" $4,000 rubles. A Mos.
COW merchant named Solodownikof,
has been found guilty of fraudulent
bankruptcy to the amount of 100000
rubles. In Odessa a criminal process Is
to be instituted against certain Mat
kowsky, who forged certificate D
baptism for the purpose of getting un
lawful possession of 100000 rubles
And so on, not TO mention the bagatellt
of 10000 rubes and under. The con
clusion arrived at by the Moscow papel
is that Siberia has no terrors that are
sufficient to check the mania for fraud,
and embellishments in Russia, and to
anybody who has been in Siberia II
seems strange that the idea could ever
have prevailed that simple Punishment
thither is severe punishment at all.
There is to-day sentenced Russian
bank cashier living in Tomsk, who,
being cultured and intellectual man,
really enjoys very prominent position
in his place OF exile, and his crime, that
of taking about 100000 rubles out Of
the bank funds, is almost entirely for.
gotten. OF course, to live we'll in ban
ishment in Siberia the embezzler mus
have put something by in dry plac
for such an eventuality, and il lie
willing to hide the temporary inconver
fence OF being under police SUPERVISE
in a town that, beyond its distance frol
civilization, has nothing particuarl
disagreeable about it he will in due tin
get his reward. He may return to Ru
sa after the lapse of his term of exile
if he made enough out of his transa
tons he will prefer to live in Paris I
Nice or some other resort, and the
enjoy the fruits of his former delinque
cies, and which, having suffered pu
ishment therefor, in due time he thinl
that he has fully earned. Such crime
have in the past been undoubtedly pur
ished most leniently, and sterne
measures will in all probability soon b
: adopted. Berlin Cor. N. Y. Herald.