Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-10
SENTENCED TO SIBERIA.
A sra1rIsrs xxPERfxScEs.
sis Arresstn Kienssd Escape In Irkussk--A
Horrible Recital.

Horrible Recital
AZ midnight on February IL, 1870, IN the
city OF ktth, Mrs. kossarovsky's house,
then occupied by the Nihilist brothers
lvichevitch, was regularly bcsieged and
captured by the gcndarmes az the point OF
bayonets. They fought desperately on
10th sides. The gcndarmes were ordered
10 take the conspirators' headquarters at
any cost, and the Nlhilists were deter
mined 10 defend themselves 10 the last
shot. One door after another was broken
in, but not before each was turned Into a
sieve by the shots fred from both sides.
Captain Sudeikin and his men wore suits
Of chain mail. vet ecndarme was killed on
the spot. and several were wounded.
Both brothers 1vicheyitch were morially
wounded. n. Brantner aud noiher friend
were seriously wounded. The con-
spirasors were overpowered. arrested, and
brought to the police headquarters.
On the same night in another house was
arrested and brought 20 the same police
building. In Whist a plight l beheid my
comrades there. n. Posen and II. steblin-
Kamensky were standing with their arms
tightly bound behind their backs aud held
by gcndarmes. In corner OF the same
room were sitting Miss Armfeid. Miss Pa
talitzen. and y. Sarandoyicth, all bound
and helpless. The room was filed with 20.
l.ctmen and armed gendarmts. Amid a
roar Of voices there suddenly appeared the
gigantic figure Of our brave comrade,
known under the assumed name OF Auto
pof. He was dragging behind him two
policemen who tired 10 hold HIN by his
arms. Never can forget bis appearance.
Pale was his face, sparkling his eyes, disor-
dertd bis black, curly hair. aud trembling
HIS frame from Lead 10 foot,
"Whst is thatf" he Numbered, p.inting
nj Posen and Kamcnsky. earns tied!
Away with the ropes!"
"Please calm yourself" said the police
captain. ave viii uptie them"
Instantly the ropes were taken away.
"Water! Iwant drink !" roared An
tonoff.
ssBring water at once" commanded the
captain. Presently . colonel Of gendarmes
appeared, and ordered that each OF us
should be taken 10 a separate cell.
"Use your swords and bayonets in case
OF need" said the colonel to the gendarmes.
On the next day we were transferred 10
the fortress, where scores Of our friends
had been piEiDg for years. waiting for the
"quick and Just triOl" which had been
solomnly promised by the Car Alexander.
or course. We were subjected to solitary
confinement. However. we kept up
lively correspondence. We telegraphed TO
one another by rapping on the wall. Oc-
casionally we shouted TO each other in our
cipher. The fortress authorities tried in
vain to hinder us from talking in one way
or another. In April we were tried by the
military court. As we were not allowed,
though we had the right by law, TO choose
our own counsel, we decided not TO take
any part whatsoever in the sham trial.
Three Of our party OF iiteen-Antonon.
Brantner, and OssinSky-were condemned
10 death and the rest 10 hard labor in the
Siberian mines for fourteen years and ten
months. When the sentence OF death was
announced lady prisoner swooned. The
spectators who packed the hall were greatly
excited. Curiosity prompted some TO stand
up on the benches.
.'What do YOU stare att" Numbered
AntoroT with his eyes flaming. "For
shame, TO make a spectacle Of this thing "
The people fell back and turned TO the exit.
After the trial the condemned prison
ers--tbose who were TO die aud those des-
tined for Siberia-were allowed TO rass
part OF every day together. II is impOssi-
bic 10 describe our feelings. On the eve OF
the execution Of our three friends we babe
them the last good-by. / must say that on
that InomCntous evening the three who
were about to die tried their best to cheer
the rest OF Us. AntonoG was anxious only
about one thing-that his proper name
would not be discovered. He loved his
mother dearly, and wished that she might
remain ignorant Of his fate. IL is hardly
necessary 90 say that the three died
brayely.
Soon after that we were sent to Eastern
Siberia. The two OF Us who did not belong
to the nobility wee sent on foot, like the
- tln npvrtxr,l.sraI ara, fTha.r
heads were half-shaved, and heavy chains
were put on their feet. According to the
law, the noblea EN- do not lose their privi-
leges until they reach their destination in
Siberia. and so some OF US drove in rude
wagons. Our heads were not shaved, and
we were free from chains. All, however,
were dressed alike. We had craitanS OF
coarse gray cloth. with two diamond
shaped yellow patches on our backs
10 signify that we were sentenced to
hard labor. The Siberian exiles proper
wore only an ace OF diamonds. From Kief
we went by railroad in Especial prison.car,
accompanied by gendarmes. Thus we pass
ed Orel, Moscow, and reached Nilni-Noy-
gorod. Then we were placed in q barge,
which was lowed by a steamer 10 Perm
Then again we went by railway up to Eca-
terinburg. After that there was before us
the famous Siberian road. Ii is a common
post route, with three telegraph-wires
stretched on one side. These wires lead
TO the very shore OF the Pacific. Each OF
US noblemen mad trOika, and each was &C.
companied by two armed gendarmes. From
kief 20 Ecateriuburg we had no chance
to look upon the world except through
iron bars and nets, but now we could en-
Joy the view with no obstacle before our
eyes. What q Joy Il was for me, felt rs
ff frfaInta xNa 20
since the first day OF my arrest the idea OF
attempting TO escape never left nv mind.
But now, that l looked upon the free. wide
world, the thought turned into burning
desire, which controlled all my actions.
Once in the night. while the gendarmes
were asleep al nv side. took the cap from
one OF them and tried 10 pun out his pistol
IL had succeeded in getting that pistol
would have tried my legs. but the gem
darme awoke, and parted for the time
with my happy dream.
We made two hundred miles, and reached
Tiumen. From that town mp 10 Tomsls
we were taken along with hundreds OF COM
mon criminals in barge. We ran up the
Oh. The prisoners called our barge a
poultry-ho because il was covered with
a solid iron net. The prisoners were pacG-
ed i'm the barge like herrIngs i'm box.
10 walk occasionally on deck. In this man
ner we iourneyed 300 versts, From
Tomsk TO krasnoiarsk we travelled 500
versts .on the troikss. and from there to
lrkutsk we had to 20 by the etdpe system.
One thousand yersts weio thus jour
neyed IN two months. In our party
there were 10 persons. There were
robust men, hearty women, babies,
and the nged. The etdpe system is ar
ranged this way: All the prisoners were
put into two lines. Then followed wagons
with the women and children aud the
prisoners' luggage. Then followed two
troikas Of the noble exiles. and three troikas
OF the political criminals closed the process
sion. An officer and thirty soldiers formed
sort OF chain around our party. Fifteen
miles was regular days tramp. Then all
stopped In The prison for the night. After
two days Of walking day was allowed for
rest. The houses are divided Into four un-
equal psrts--to wit a large ball for male
prisoners, family room, a room for noble
men, and the guards room. OF cleanliness
and comfort In any OF the rooms there was
absolutely none.
Besides the officer and the soldiers two
men play an important role in the prison.
er's life. Zach grOup OF prisoners elects