West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-03-27
THE CARS BASTILE.
Description Of the Horrors OF a
Great Russian Prison.
Dying In solitude-The alserabies In the
Fortress OF Sc. Peter and st.
Paui-An Outrageous
System.

Recently there appeared in the Jour
MAJ dc GeHcUc n communication from
its st. Petersburg correspondent. in
which 1t was mentioned that one OF the
clandestine papers which are still occa-
sionally circulated in Russia had pub
lished startling and most fearful let
ter purporting to be written by Ian in
habitant OF the casemates," describing
the horrors which prisoners awaiting
transportation to Siberia undergo in the
fortress OF st. Peter and st. Paul. 1t
VIII be remembered that Prince Kran-
o,kie was confined in one OF these case
mates. But he had been neither tried
nor sentenced, and by favor of the
Gar, and in order that he might con-
unue his literary labors, he enjoyed in
duigenoes that were granted to no other
prisoner. Yet he suffered terribly. and
he Will never, let him live as long es no
may, recover from the effects of his ionJ
lnodrcerat on in that frightful dungeon,
Eat u n nobleman high in rank and fav-
ored by The sovereign suffered so much.
what must have been the fate OF the
1rlendlesS and obscure? Let the Gin
habltant of the classmates" tell.
But hrst OF all something about this
bastlle of the Car. this inferno of dcs-
potism, building of terrible memories
detiled by more horrors even than its
famous prototype which the populac,
OF Paris. nearly century ago. levsled
with the ground. 1t is hnSe. hideous
and slab-sidcd, and surmounted bv a
than and tapering spire that LOOKS Ito
the end Of a Brobdingnagian SYRINGE
The fortress Is in the center of the CITY
and faces the imperial palace Durin0
the day 1t is in part public thorough
rare, and people pass through a narrow
deh.e OF gloomy and tortuous vaults
where heayily-armed sentinel march 10
and 10, and s.onc saints in inches hold
alOtt burning tapers. But at nigbtfaII
all j. closed, and when darkness covers
the capital and the quays of the Neva
are all aglow with gas-iights the prison
here dedicated to S. Peter and St P,nI
remains shrouded in gloom. like some
huge nav, ever ready, to swallow nm all
that Is best and noblest Of the uDbapnv
land which it curses with its presence
found the fortress reigns a deem ST.
fence; but four times in every hour the
big clock in the svriDge-shaped sp.r
chimes psalm tune in praise of God
and the Car! No wonder that mon
who were taught in their childhood that
TO disobey the potentate was 10 dis
honor the Creator should have learnt To
detest the one and repudiate the other.
GREAT ARMY or MGsERABLEs.
IL those hoary walls Of the Russian
bastile could speak, what tales they
might tell! Since its foundation the
fortress has been :he chief political
prison ot the Empire. In past times
the inmates were mostly court offend
ers on their wav 10 Siberia or tho
scahOld One Of these was the
wretched Alexis, son of Peter tho
treat and heir presumptive 10 the
throne Visitors are still shown the
cell where, after being put 10 the tort
IRE, be was put 20 death by order ~
his father But for well-nigh one hum
dred years there have been neither
palace plots nor coup d'etat, and from
the beginning Of the century 10 1925
the fortress prison was closed Then II
opened % receive the Decemberists tho
hover Of the Russian nobility. who had
tired. by opposing the accession Of
Nicholas 20 the throne, ~ overthrow
autoCracy and establish In it's stead
constitutional regime. In his reion
there was little open discomfort: 6a
kept it down, crushed IL out Of sight
but even the strength Of despots must
yield 10 death. and the whfrlwind be
sowcd was reapod by bis son. The
fortress is now filed with unfortunate.
During the last twenty years Thousands
have entered H. gloomy portds. and a.
last as they perish or depart the great
army ~ miserables is reinforced bv
fresh victims. Most Of them remain for
time, either pending their trial OF un
nl they arc removed 10 q central prison
" deported TO Siberia But there arc
syme whose fate is still more terrible
There are prisoners who have never
been tired and never viii be- men and
women. who are kept in prison general
ly for years often for life sinpfv bv
order of the Czar One d. an cx-0fliccr
Of thc imperial guard by the name Of
'hevitch lt is said that The late I'm.
pcr9r made the sister of Chcv,tch hi.
mistress, aud that the young officer
stepped out Of the ranks 20 the review
and cried 90 the tyrant. like Victor
iugo's 50 Vail or. Sire. YOU have
done 3D. w For this oneus he wa
doomed o. lifelong imprisonment In The
AleHs rayelin. and Is Pow ravfnQ