The Mineral argus., 1884-08-07
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 a report of what
there was said and done. "You are
welcome to know all, as far as l am
concerned" replied the lady, with a
laugh, ''for you can't send me to ST.
beria."
The chief looked at her with a smile
and then made a remark which she
never forgot. do you suppose" he
he said, ct would be necessary for me
to speak to take away a persons char
acter? Not at all. If there was a ques-
ton as to that person in society, and l.
shrugged my shoulders, thus intimating
that he or she was suspected, that per-
son would be ruined"
The English lady knew of a lady who
was living in a hotel. One day she re-
ceived a friendly hint that she had bet
ter be on her guard as to what b said
or did in her room, as she was watched.
The walls of her apartment looked all
right, but on tapping them h found
one place which was hollow.
She discovered, on further examina-
ton, that the winter supply of wood
was piled up in the hotel yard against
! the wall of her room. In that wall there
was a space where a man could stand and
see everything that went IN 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 a row on
the Neva, when a carriage drove up with
two ladies in it, who turned out to be
Princess r. and her cousin.
The latter, a 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'Afaires
walked into her room, and to her great
surprise and CONSERVATION informed her
that she was to go to st. Petersburg ins
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
till the navigation opened, and then she
arrived, having never been in Russia be-
fore. The first visit she paid was to a
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
t 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.
e One day we were all invited to aparty
: at the islands to visit a gypsy camp and
hear their music. The Princess cousin
arrived. looking as pale a death, so
t went up to her and inquired whether
t she was i'll.
n She said no, only worried and could
o she speak a few words to me privately
So we drove together to the gypsy camp
n and then she informed me she had heart
!. that her only son, a boy of seven o.
eight years old, was dangerously i'll a
g Vienna.
g She had applied hat morning fo,
leave to go to see him, but had beer
refused, and she was so unhappy sh'
/ knew not what to do.
Ibid my best to comfort her, and from
e that time we became very intimate
If and / saw a great deal of her.
It She was kept about six months at st
/ Petersburg, whilst her papers were be
It ing examined.
IF At the end of that time the head o
the police told her that as there was n
proof against her, she was at liberty L
lie depart so to her intense delight sh
was able to return to her family.