The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-05-20


"refect" three years before he was ex-
amined, when it was found that there
was mistake in spelling his name in
the warrant and he was not the man
that was wanted. AT the end of seven
months the young girl is again called
up and asked if she "has reflected"
Replying to question that she has
nothing to add to her former deposition,
the result is the commands eco back
to your cell, then; 1 will make you rot
therep' And there are proofs in the
maniacal demonstrations of the prison
ers in the adjoining cells that the pro-
curator did not threaten in vain. The
end may be death in a fit of suicidal
mania, or release after lunacy has be-
come confirmed, or elf by reason of
abnormal strength of character, vigor
of constitution, or other exceptional
circumstances, she should survive until
the day of trial, her judges, out of con-
sideration for her tender years and long
Imprisonment, may let her end her days
in Siberia" The author writes from
an inside view of the scenes he de-
scribes. His portrayal of the horrors
of the political prisons would arouse
the incredulity of the skeptical, but the
terrible picture has been outlined by
other hands. Accused persons SEN
fenced to Siberia are said to have been
born under lucky star, so mild is the
fate of exiles to g the land of cold and
misery, of brutal task-masters and
cruel punishments," compared to the
fortunes of the miserable victims con-
fined in the political prisons, the con-
demned cells of which are 50 real under
ground vaults, dark at MONDAY and in
tested with loathsome vermin." They
are thus described: The small win
dows are on level with the river,
which overflows them when the Neva
rises. The thick iron bars of the graf
ing, covered with dirt, shut out most of
the little light that else might filter
through these holes. If the rays of the
sun never enter the cells of the upper
floor, it may easily be imagined what
darkness reigns below. The walls are
moldering, and dirty water continually
drops from them. But most terrible
are the rats. In the brick floors large
holes have been left open for the rats
to pass through. | express myself thus
Intentionally. Nothing would be easier
than to block up these holes, and yet
the reiterated demands of the prison
ers have always been passed by I'M
noticed, so that the rats enter by scores,
try to climb upon the beds and to bite
the prisoners. 1t is in these hideous
dungeons that the condemned to death
spend their last hours. AT the present
moment, among others, there is a
woman with little child at her breast.
Night and day she watches over her
babe, lest he should be devoured by the
rats" Physicians are provided for the
sick in their cells where " are horrors
that defy description, that only the pen
of a Dante could adequately portray"
but the doctor, in one instance mar
rated, though humanely inclined, dared
90 only to the threshold of the cell,
through fear of the prison officials, asked
a few questions and departed, telling
the miserable wrecks of human beings
who sought his aid, 9 For your illness
there is no cure" These details are
derived from letters, written in the
blood of the victims, which found their
way from these subterranean vaults
past the iron vigilance of prison officials.
"No mercy is shown even to the mad -
SAYS one of the letters, "and you may
imagine how many such there are in
our Golgotha. They are not sent to'any
asylum, but shut up in their cells and
kept in order with whip and scourge.
Often you hear, down below you, or at
some little distance, the sound of heart
rending shrieks, cries and groans. II
is some wretched lunatc who is being
logged into obedience" Apparently
the eulogist of Russian beneficence, who
had given considerable attention" to
the study of her history and policy, did
derground Russia"