The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-03
Tho Prisons of Siberia.

tue morning, two consecutive shots were
heard near the political prison Of Nigni-
Kara. The sentinels had fired at man
who was escaping from workshop loca-
ted just beyond the grounds. Soon after.
ward special visit was made at the
prison. and the keepera established the
escape Of nine prisoners: Michkine, IL.
roustchow, Bolomiesow. Volnarolsky
Lsstcheuko, Jurkowsky, Dlhowsky, Iii,
anowaky, and Minakow.
This escape 30 disturbed the authorities
at st. Petersburg that they threatened to
recall the governor, IgEcbewitch, unless
the fugitives should be recaptured. A few
days before, on the twentieth 0f April
| lglichewitch and aalkine- Vrajsky had In
spccted The pris IN pud found It in goot
order. 10 mitigato their responsibility
these two functlonaries CO.. celycd the In.
genlous idea of fomenting revolt among
the prisoners. On he fourth of May, the
manager, Potolew, ordered that the heads
OF the political prisoners be shaved. Tho
prisoners replied that the instruction of the
ministry exempted them from this process,
that only the mlnistry could rescind the
instruction, and that consequently they
refused 10 submit to Potolows order.
This decided stand OF the prisoners led the
authorities TO ref 4ct, and on the sixth OF
May they officially notified the condemned
that no violence would be done them anC
that they might be tranquil. Five days
passed without incident, and the prisoners
began to breathe agaiu.
On the eleventh of May, at three o 'clock
In the morning, six hundred Cossacks,
under the command of Iglichewitch, Rou.
denko, and Potolew, authorized by Gal.
kline. surrounded the prison, occupied nll
the pass ages and courts, aud rushed upon
the sleeping prisoners. They proceeded
first to general visit, summoned the pris.
oners to dress themselves, and obliged
them to 20 out in five groups. The Cos.
sacks then lnvstled the prison and took the
prisoners effects; their chiefs sel tho cx-
ample by approprlatlng articles Of value.
They took every thing, even photographs.
Twenty six prisoners were sent to Gust
Kara, and as many more 10 FcchnlG. Kara
and to the prison Off Amour. The Co.'S
sacks, urged by their leaders, insultcd and
struck the unfortunatcs. When the latter,
worn out with suffering, made show of
resisting the bad treatment, the order WAS
given TO break the heads Of all who should
utter word of protest. They tied their
hands behind their backs, aud thus our
unhappy comrades were marched to
Gust. Kara
At the moment when the PRISONERS at
Nignl-Aara were beginning to dine, Poto-
lew and RoudenkO appeared with the Cos
sacks. The prisoner Orlow demanded an
explanation OF what had happened. ISL
.ence!" was tue only answer that he OBJ
talned. Orlow insisted. The Cossacks
rushed upon HIM, struck HIM with the
butts OF their guns, and then took EIm off
TO put him In the dungeon. During tho
excitement Potolew struck some blows and
ordered the Cossacks to do likewise.
Orlow's companions received similar usage.
When at last this scene of aavugery ceased,
Poto]ew shouted gleefully: "That is how
we make vlsts!"
The cruel wretches then passed into the
next room, The prisoner Bobohow was
seated when the inspectors entered.
Take him by the hair" yelled Rou-
denko; and Bobohow, dragged by tho
hair, received shower OF blows. Filled
with indignation, the prisoners Starlnke-
witch and Jastrawsky seized boards and
threw them at Roudenko, who unfor-
tunately was not hit by them. Tbs
attempt at resistance was followed by q
frightful scene Of violence. The Cos.
sacks set to beating the prisoners with
such zeal that the stock Of one Of their
guns broke. OF all the prisoners Starln.
kewitch suffered the most.
After which the unfortunate prison era
were submitted to whole series of pcrse-
cutions, Their books, tea and tobacco
were taken away; they were restricted to
ordinary prison fare spoiled bread and
soup made from tainted fish. Not content
with that, the authorities confined them in
twos and threes in narrow cells. prohibited
them from going out oven to take the air,
took away their beds, refused them Their
own linen, and deprived them of light.
The women were treated in the same way,
and the sick had neither care nor medl-
oine. Vlastopoulo went mad!
4 few weeks went by without any med
ihcation in their condition, when Holton-
grlne, major of the gendarmcs, arrived.
iloltongrlne told the prisoners that they
were accused Of receiving stolen goods,
and that the authorities had taken away
all their things as compensation for the
tWenty-three thousand roubles which the
search for the fugltlvcs had cost. 81 vii!
make them die of hungerl" said Holton-
grine, speaking of the political prisoners
ht piScCut I.lio ID IIlC 6ltuhLlOn al hnr0.
The prison Is divided into small com
partments. Each compartment contains
Six or seven men all shaven and in irons;
come are handcuffed, notably Popro, Be-
rousnik. and Fomltchew. All are OK
prcssy forbidden to 70 out, and are de-
prived OF books, journals, ink, and paper.
The prisoners are formally prohibited
from writing to their relatives and friends.
Twice a day they receive an offiolal visit.
The authorities are disposed to send back
tho women WHO have voluntarily followed
tho political prisoners. Among the latter
there are twenty-five who have finished
their sentences, but Holtongrine says:
"Russla has Its term, and we have ours"
We are no longer allowed 10 work in the
shops, or TO care tor the sick, who are
numerous. Tho women are treated like
tho men, with the single difference that
they can spend their money, wh,ch they
do IN buying tea and tobacco for the prls-
onerb. Several of the women are sick;
Bronchhowska, Kowalslia, Kobenkina,
Lechern, and Levenson. Among tho men
the following are very seriously i'll: Flha-
now, Jurkewsky, Dlkowsky, Bogdonc-
witch, Starinkewitcl, and Jounow. Star
lnkewl,ch and Jastrawsky are under SEN
tonce for resisting the authorities. Pont-
Kara has vowed All implacable hatred
for aoltongrlne. jRoudenKo, Iglichewltch.
GolH,po oh "