The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-11

tumbled on the floor and everything infinitely
examined The next proceeding is to search
| the attic rooms for not hole or a corner of
the dwelling is overlooked. Books, papers
| and private letters especially the last--are
eagerly sought and carefully inspected. Noth
ing is sacred to Russian police agents The
young lady who has incurred their suspicion and
| given them all this trouble, watches their row.
ings unmoyed as it would seem, in full assur-
ance that the search will lead to no compromis-
ing revelation, But unfortunately for her, this
confidence proves to be premature. A policeman
opens the drawer of little cabinet in which she
keeps her own particular letters. and, as he
fumbles among them, she perceives bit of pa
per whose existence she had forgotten. The
sight of this morsel of manuscript moves her to
the quick; she becomes painfully agitated for
though there is nothing in it to hurt her, it con
talns name and an address which may be the
means or delivering another to the dungeon Or
the scaffold, and the fault will be hers! After
cursory glance at the paper the officer lays it
aside, and goes on with his inspection OF her
letters.
This proceeding suggested to the poor gill a
desperate expedient With single bound she is
at the cabinet, and, seizing the paper puts it in
her mouth. But at the very same moment two
brutal hands are at her throat With cry of
indignation the father PUSHES forward to protect
his child. In vain. Before he can reach her he
is pushed back, forced into a chair and held there
fast, while three of the ruffians deal with the
young girl--one holding her hands, another
graspng her throat, and third, foreibly open
Ing her mouth, thrusts into it his dirty fin
gers to get out the paper which she is trying to
swallow Writing, painting and desperate, she
does her utmost to accomplish her purpose. but
the odds against her are too great After short
struggle the zerbere lays on the table piece or
white pulp streaked with blood. and as the men
bose their hold the victim falls fainting on the
floor. THE insolvent conduct as it is called,
of Miss N will be fully set forth in the official
dispositions. The scene thus described is no i'm
aginary one. 1t happened thus to Varvala
Batinschkoff, daughter of Gen. Nicolas Batin-
schkof. The police, in trying to force piece of
paper from her mouth, broke one of her teeth,
and many more young girls have been similarly
maltreated.
Whether the address which Miss N desired to
destroy be deciphered or not will now make very
little difference to her personally. The mere
attempt will be taken as proof o. conscious
guilt. and punishment melted out to her accord
lngly. The search is now conducted with
read at once, others taken to be read at
leisure. Everything in the house is necessarily
| in these circumstances, at the mercy of the
pollce-plate, jewelry, cash, all pass through
victims of search often lose both liberty and
money, moneys worth. Yet complaints are
rarely made and for very good reason. Even
if the thief could be identified, most impossible
contingency, restitution would almost be GER
tainy refused, and the man who attacks the
police makes for himself host of implacable
enemies, who are sure, sooner or later, to have
their revenge. The search goes on till daylight
Every corner has been examined even the chair
cushions have been ripped open and the flooring
of the young ladys bedroom taken up, on the
chance of finding beneath it some forbidden
book or compromising papers For all Amer
lean readers may not be aware possession of
literature which the State deems pernicious is in
Russia penal offense.
The business is now over and the tragic mo-
ment has arrived. The young lady whose sole
crime is trying to swallow piece of paper is
sternly hidden to say farewell to her kindred
No tears are shed-they are too proud too indig-
nant to show such weaknesses in the presence
/ of the enemy, yet in the outwardly calm counte-
nanceS of the parents as they fold their child
in their arms, may be read a very agony of ap-
prehension and sorrow. What will become of
her2 Will they let her out alive? Shall they ever
see their darling again9 1t may be with her as
with others! With desperate effort the mother
keeps down a rising sob-her heart makes silent
appeal to heaven She kisses her child again,
perhaps for the last time The prisoner too
much overcome to speak, tears herself away and
haStens to the door Five minutes later is heard
the rolling of the wheels which conveys the lost
one to the dungeons of the Gar; and darkness
as of night has descended On these three lives
it may be for long years. it may be forever. One
is that of young creature, now doomed to I'M
known suffering but yesterday full of energy and
life; two others are those of parents long past
their prime, whose secret tears and silent grief
are all the more bitter and intense that they
have neither the martyrs courage nor the heros
hope