New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-25
IT would be well for us to import and naturalize
in this country?
RRYnITING P[CTNRF.


toward justifying, not the assassination frenzy
of Nihilism, but the social revolt against I'M
perial methods of administration. Radical
even TO the verge of Socialist extravaganza as
are his political opinions, there is not Vestise
of passion or fanaticism in these pages. Inc
penal institutions of the Empire are described
with simplicity and gravity not as they appear
in the Imperial DEGREES, nor as they are PIC
tured by foreign ook-writers, who are favored
with partial glimpses of the best interiors at
the discretion of the authorities, but as they
are In hideous and revolving reality. frlnce
Krapotkine's interest IN the question oil prison
reform was first excited in 1861, when he was
apnointed Secretary of one of the numerous In"
vestioatine commissions organized by the Gov
ernors of provinces. He was then a tavorite a'
Court and one of the best educated men III hus'
STA he is now convict In french prison.
condemned under republican INSTITUTIONS ior
his connection with the lnternatonale ana III
the interval he has shared the sufferlngs OF MS
political associates in the penal INSTITUTIONS he
now describes His account OF Russian prison
life, based rs il is upon personal 0bservahoh
and a critical study of Official documents,
bears no evidence of exaggeratlon, but is MOD
crate in tone, deliberate, reasonable ana con-
vincing
One of the most abominable features OF the
Russian system is the haphazard way In which
arrests are made and the innocent confined Tor
indefinite periods in overcrowded and pesti-
lential lock-ups. Prince Krapotkine proves
from the annual report of the Ministry OF JUS
tice that of 99,964 arrests made during 1876,
only 1859 cases we're brought before court,
and of these 1852 resulted in acQuittal.
More than $4,000 persons were arrested on
frivolous charges, and of the "a, SAT who were
actually convicted, about 10 per cent were ac-
cused of neglecting to comply with the pass
tort regulations OF of similar oifences These
100000 suspects" the great majority oil
whom were innocent, were doomed to remain
for months. many Of them even for years, In
the pro vincial lock-ups, OF Ostrogs, where they
were at the mercy of q set of omnipotent all
ers, packed like behring's in cask, In rooms OF
inconceivable foulness, In an atmosphere that
sickens. even to insensiblity, any one entering
sdirecty from the open air." The monstrous
overcrowdng of these filthy dens is proved
from the official statistics fer 1879, when there
were &c, 1888 cases awaiting trial and an aegre-
gate maximum capacity OF the prisons Tor
51.253 souls. The frIghtful mortality rate Is
eviuced by declaration in sermon preached
bv the priest of Kharkof Prison to the effect
that of 500 inmates, 200 died from scnrvy in
the course of four months. The horrors OF
prison life are illustrated by recitals like Mime
Koutouzofl's which kindle glow Of righteous
indignation In the cheeks of any reader with
ANYTHING warmer than ice water in his veins.
This woman was convicted of the technical
N for
dren without authority from the Ministry of
Public Instruction. AS her husband was Tor
eigner and her offence was not penal. she was
sentenced to expulsion from the frontier. The
Journey from st Petersburg TO the Prussian line
occupied about two months, during which she
experienced in the town lock cups horrors indie
scribable. Forced to stand for hours in an open
courtyard under drenching rain, brntally IN
suited by soldiers and keepers, dependent upon
murderesses and prostitutes for food and pro-
lection, marching four days at time with
bleeding feet, sleeping in overcrowded rooms
no better than sewers, dragged into prisons
where men amused themselves by tormentDg
manacs and drunken women, and finally es-
Gaming through the venality OF her iailers this
helpless schoolmstrCsS is an unimpeachablo
witness OF the revolving degradation and heart
rending suferings TO which Russian prisoners
are subjected. To her testimony Is added IN
Prince Krapotkines article great array OF EVIL
dence from many sources, bearing mainly upon
the protracted duration of preliminary deten-
ton, the herdng of hundreds OF prisoners in
small rooms, the immortality and venality o.
iailers the cruelties of discipline. solitary con-
finement and starvation diet, aud the futlllty
of all attempts on tho part of honest and cap
able men to reform the abuses Of the system
and to mitigate the horrors of prison life. The
fate of the reformers is the most melancholy
feature of this startling narrative. The chief
of the model penal settlement at Kara was dis
missed as soon as an English book writer had
sounded his praises. A reforner who had had
admirable success in amelorating the condition
OF iuyenlle criminals was degraded as soon as
people began to talk about it, and the institu-
ton was Iemanded to one OF the old-time Off
cials who could restore the rod and the black
hole.
Prince Krapotkne concludes his survey OF
this subject with the reflection that these OK
amples of barbarous Inhumanity and systematic
Insmanage cement are typical both OF what Rus
slams arc now suffering and Of what they may
expect In the future, as 1t is an idle fancy to
imagine that the prisons can be reformed 80
long as they remain a reflection Of Imperial
administration. Certainly nothing has oc-
Cured since tho present reign opened to en-
courage the hope that serious reforms are TO be
expected in any branch of administration.
Since Count Tolstoi succeeded General Igna-
tieff in the Ministry of the Interior, the State
police has become almost ..as independent ana
irresponsible as it was before General Melikoli
undertook to subject 1t to systematic restraint.
The Third Section has virtually regained the
immunity enjoyed by it in the old days and
arbitrary arrests are followed by indefinite
q, tho fIfl,u tnIas ia