The Dickinson press., 1884-08-02
Russian Police.

Those familiar with the Russian es.
pionage and remorseless despotism of
the Russian police find therein one
cause for the growth of nihilism. The
wife of a former English ambassador at
st. Petersburg was told by the head Of
the police that he knew everyone who
went in and out of her house, and that
each day he received report of what
there was said and done. ''You are
welcome to know all, as far as I am
concerned" replied the lady, with
laugh, ''for you can't send me to ST.
beria."
The chief looked at her with smile
and then made a remark which she
never forgot. "Do you suppose" he
he said, cit would be necessary for me
to speak to take away a persons char
acter? Not at all. If there was ques-
tion as to that person in society, and I
shrugged my shoulders, thus intimating
that he OF she was suspected, that per-
son would be ruined"
The English lady knew Of lady who
was living in hotel. One day she re-
ceived q friendly hint that she had bet
ter be on her guard as to what she said
or did in her room, as she was watched.
The walls of her apartment looked all
right, but on tapping them she found
one place which was hollow.
She discovered, on further examine
ton, that the winter supply of wood
was piled up in tho hotel yard against
the wall Of her room. In that wall there
was space where man could stand and
see everything that went on in the room,
and the occupant would not be aware of
his presence.
The English lady also relates the fol-
lowing incident as illustrating how far
the hands of the secret police reach,
when they choose to stretch their
arms:
In the summer of 1850, when we were
living at the Forestier's, we were just
starting one lovely evening for row on
the Neva, when carriage drove up with
two ladies in it, who turned out to be
Princess r. and her cousin.
The latter, charming Pole, had but
lately arrived at st. Petersburg, having
been ordered to come there for political
reasons. She was living at Paris when
one day the Russian Charge d'Affaires
walked into her room, and to her great
surprise and consternation informed her
that she was to go to st. Petersburg in
stantly. She happened to be in delicate
health, and quite unfit to travel in the
middle of winter, so with difficulty she
was allowed to postpone her departure
III
arrived, having never been in Russia be-
fore. The first visit she paid was to
country woman of her own, who ex-
claimed
"Why, what are you doing here? are
they going to send you to Siberia?"
This was not promising, and she
begged in vain to be brought face to face
with her accusers, or to be told what
she had done. She was merely told she
must remain at st. Petersburg, or run
the risk of having all her property con-
fiscated.
One day we were all invited to party
at the islands to visit gypsy camp and
hear their music. The Princess cousin
arrived, looking as pale as death, so I
went up to her and inquired whether
she was ill.
She said no, only worried and could
she speak few words to me privately.
So we drove together to the gypsy camp,
and then she informed ME she had heard
that her only son, boy of seven or
eight years old, was dangerously i'll at
Vienna.
She had applied that morning for
leave to go to see him, but had been
refused, and she was so unhappy she
knew not what to do.
Ibid my best to comfort her, and from
that time we became very intimate,
and saw great deal of her.
| She was kept about six months at ST.
Petersburg, whilst her papers were be-
ing examined.
At the end of that time the head of
the police told her that as there was no
proof against her, she was at liberty to
depart; so to her intense delight she
was able to return to her family.