The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1883-04-26
The Exlles in Siberia.

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The Exiles in Siberia.
The exile system of Russia is far less
cruel an Is better in every way than
the penal system practiced in tho other
countries. OF course, there arc in
stances Of great hardship and wrong ut
times, but as q general rule one will
find the prisoners in Siberia more con-
tented, better treated, and better re-
formed than those of the best of
"model prisons" as they call them.
either in this country or Europe In
dealing with criminals, the Russian
| Government has 10 act as best it can
for the good of the community in gen.
eral. If there is any likelihood Of the
criminal being reformed in prisons or
houses of correction at home he is not
transported to Siberia, unless his Of
Tense be of n character that demands
such course; but if, after repeated i'm
| prisonment in the local prisons, he is
not yet reformed, then he is banished
to Siberia and the community are rid
OF corrupting member OF society.
while another unit is sent to
assist in developing the resources
of Asiatic Russia, which stands
in great need of population.
But. in order TO be transported to
Siberia q person need not be guilty OF
an oiense against the laws OF the land,
for there are thousands in that desolate
country who have been guilty of moth
| ing but mourning the enm ty of some
acquaintance, for ia the turbulent state
in which Russia is at present the slight
I Ms inn hat ra1p hal n
Nth list party is sufficient to cause his
| arrest, and in case circumstantial evil
| delce is sufficient, insure his ranspor-
tition without public trial, and often
W ,hout b 5 friends ever hearing OF his
arrest Then, agan, if a man Russ a
be idle and drunken ard will not pay
his taxes or support his wife and fami-
II, but leaves this to be done BY his
neighbors, the commune in which he
lives meet in their village Parliament,
vote the man nuisance, and adjudge
that he be sent at their expense to
Siberia. OF course this Judgment is
submitted to higher tribunal before
being carried out. but unless just cause
for its reversal be shown, it is confirmed.
He is then takon TO Siberia, not to be
imprisoned, but to gain his livelihood as
q colonist.
1t is q common error to suppose that
all, or most of the Siberian exiles. are
political offenders. The fact is shat this
class o. criminals forms but small per-
centage OF them. Twenty per cent are
sent there charged with no part cular
ollense, but by the modus operandi ex-
planned before, for being q public
nuisance. There arc upwards of thirty
| crimes, for the commission o. one or
more of which man may be trans-s
| ported. This list includes nearly every
kind OF ollense, from murder down to
petty thieving, being without a pas
port not renewed. attempted suicide,
Insult, horse sealing, roguery, debt.
smuggling and the Ike. The great
class of exiles are nothing more nor less
than ordinary criminals, such as are
found in every prison of every country.
The sentences OF exiles vary widely, 40
cording as they are condemned to one
or the other of two classes, VIZ: those
who lose all their rights and those who
| lose only portion OF them. The for
mer class are in an unenviab Q position.
II a man has title or official rank, he is
degraded. An exile's MARI age rights are
broken, so that the wife is free to marry
another. Neither his word norhis bond
is of any value. He can own no property
nor do anything legal in his own name
In prison he wears convict's clothes and
has his head shaved. If the exile be a
woman, she cannot marry after her re-
lease from prison until by good conduct
she has placed herself in certain
category; and, whether man or woman,
the proscrlpts may at any moment, IL
the authorities see fit, be thrown into
prison again, even though they have
served their time and are living as col
onists. In fact, they lose all their
rights as subjects and almost as human
beings, though they may appeal to
the law if grossly wronged. But
in case they be murdered, little
trouble Is expended to ferret out
the murderer. Though an exiles
marriage rights are broken, the
can accompany the convict to
there, and the Government pays
the cost of travelling and sus-
tenance. II, however, the convict be the
wife. the husband has to bear all costs
for himself should he decide to accom-
pally ner. Inc consequence Is tnab Dy
far less number of husbands accom-
pany their wives into voluntary exile
than wives their husbands. Those
criminals who only lose some of their
rights lose only part of their privileges,
and are settled in Siberia, to get their
living in any way they are able. They
may, however, first have to serve term
in prison; or, again. they may be al
low ed to live in their own house and
give portion OF their time to Govern
ment work. As a rule they are first
condemned to serve certain time to
confinement, with or without labor. If
they behave well they are allowed to
live outside oil the prison with their fam
ili., but are not released from their
shore OF the Government work until the
tina for their liberation has arrived.
Sons of the female prisoners are given
out il service to favored civilians. where
they serve out their time, subject, how
ever, TO Government inspection. -
Amoor Cor San Francisco Chronicle.