News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-07-17

Alexander Seminoff, a highly edu-
Gated Russian, who has been living IN
Cincinnati a short time, and has at
tracted the attention of scholars, gives
the following account of himself:
''My pseudonym is Charles Frank.
Ny Russian name is Alexander Semlnotf.
In 1876 was one of the editors OF
secret Nihilistic paper, and, having been
convicted of treason, l was sent to
Siberia for an unlimited number OF
years. Nihilism. You may be aware, is
spread all over the Russian empire, and
the peculiar secrecy of its principles and
workings is mainly owing to the fact
that only ten may Join together to form
band. Each band often knows. moth
ing whatever about another band of ten.
Each band works separately. We do
not know even outside of our own band
who is a Nibilist or who is not. After
editing Nihilistic paper for two years,
/ was betrayed to the police by one OF
nv associates, and was surprised one
night in bed and taken to the prison
in Odessa, after having been cruelty
scourged. After an eight months ex-
animation I was sentenced to three
years hard labor in Siberia, and to exile
as colonist in the extreme north of the
country.
SIN June, 1876, 1 was separated ac-
cording to legal form, and sanctioned
by the clergy of Russia, from my wife
and children, and with my head shaved
on one side and twenty-eight pounds of
iron attached to me, L was sent with
other alleged criminals to the central
prison in Moscow. The Journey lasted
fourteen months. and during that time
the knout was used freely ON the prison
ers. Our destination was Nertschinsk,
and on arriving We were assigned to
different gold mines. In the mines /
worked from in the morning until
8 at night. The allowance of food per
day is two and half pounds of black
bread, half baked and hardly palatable,
and bowl of soup with small guam
tity of meat. Morning and evening a
cup of tea is allowed. / endured my
suffering for two and half years. Then
1 completely broke down, and the doctor
OF the district declared that / was unfit
for work. The rest of my sentence was
RENTED, and l was Immediately as
signed to my place in the colony. IT
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-kettIe. We
took the direction toward the Caspian
Sea, through forests and an almost i'm
passable country. We had no shoes on
our feet, and kept ourselves alive on fish,
game, and mushrooms. In the Tauskian
country we separated, and, with only
one companion, Marsilli Murainoff,
went on. 1 soon lost him, and then pur-
sued my journey alone. At length 1
arrived at Astrabad and Teheran, in
Persia, where received assistance. Ny
hair had grown over my shoulders, my
beard extended to my chest, 1 had
neither shirt nor shoes, and my face was
sunburnt almost to a black color. An
English telegraph operator took charge
OF me. He had me washed and gave ne
clean clothing. l next went through
Turkey and thence to Switzerland,
where was arrested and kept in prison
for four months. Again I was arrested
IN Hesse Darmstadt, 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 remained at his house for
four days. Through his kindness l re-
ceIved means enough to take me to the
United States. 1 arrived in New York
In January last, and have been in Gin
clnnah few days only. Iwant to go to
chicago, where l understand a great
many Russians reside"