The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-07-25
A NIHILISTIC STORY.



Cincinnati Dispatch to New York Sun.
Alexander Seminof, a highly educated
Russian, who has been living here short
time aud has attracted the attention of
scholars, gives the following account of him.
self:
"My pseudonym Is Charles Frank. My
Russian name Is Alexander Seminoff. In
1876 was one of the editors of secret Nj.
hilist paper, and having been convicted Of
treason was sent to Siberia for an unlim-
tied number of years. Nihilism, you may
be aware, is spread all over the Russian en-
pire, and the peculiar secrecy of Its princi-
Piles and workings is mainly owing to the
fact that only ten may join together to form
a band. Each band often knows nothing
whatever of the other band of ten. Each
band works separately. We do not know
even outside of our band who Is q Nihilist
or who is not. After editing Nihilistic
paper for two years. was betrayed to the
police by one of my associates and was sur
prised one night in bed and taken to the
prison in Odessa, after having been cruelty
scourged. After an eight months examins-
tion was sentenced to three years. hard la
Dor in Siberia and to exile as a colonist in
the extreme north Of the country.
"In June, 1876, was separated, according
to legal form sanctioned by the clergy of
Russia, from my wife and children, and with
head shaved on one side and twenty EIGHT
pounds of iron attached to me, was sent
with other alleged criminals to the central
prison in Moscow. The journey lasted four
teen months, and during that time the knout
was freely used on the prisoners. Our desti-
nation was Nertschinsk, and on ARRIVING we
were assigned to different gold mines. In
the mines 1 worked from o'clock in the
morning until 0 at night. The allowance Of
food per day is two and half pounds Of
black bread, half baked and hardly palata.
BILE, and bowl of soup, with small guam
tity Of meat. Morning and evening small
cup of tea is allowed. endured my suf-
ferings for two and half years; then COM
district declared that was unfit for work
The rest of my sentence was remitted and
was Immediately assigned to my place in
the colony. 1t was in one of the primitive
forests of the north, where wolves, bears and
reindeer dwell. In 1881, toward the end Of
May, l resolved, with four companions, to
escape, without money or weapons, and with
only knife and tea-kettle. We took the
direction toward the Caspian sea, through
forests and an almost impossible country.
We had no shoes on our feet and kept our
selves alive on fish, game and mushrooms.
In the Tauskian country we separated, and,
with only one companion (Marsilli Maurain-
noff), went on. soon lost him and then
pursued my journey alone. At length ar
rived at Astrabad and Teheran, in Persia,
where received assistance.
"My hair had grown over my shoulders,
my beard extended to my chest, l had neith-
er shirt nor shoes, and my face was sunburnt
almost to a black color. An English tele-
graph operator took charge of me. He had
me washed and gave me clean clothing.
next went through Turkey and thence to
Switzerland, where was arrested and kept
in prison for four months. Again was ar
rested in Hesse Dsrmstadt and served term
of five months. l then resolved to find peace
in England or the United States. met Mr..
Bradlaugh in London and at his request re-
manned at his house for four days. Through
his kindness received means enough to take
me to the United States. arrived in New
York in January last and have been in Gin
cinnati few days only. l want to 60 to
Chicago, where understand a good many
Russians reside"