The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-10-30
THE RUSSIAN POLICE.
4 Force which II Notorious for Imposition
and Extortton.


Although the whole of the Russian
official system is not above suspicious
Of corruption and bribery. the police
of all grades are notorious. both at
home and abroad. for barefaced impo-
sition and scarcely concealed extortion.
Their malpr actices. as well as those of
officials in general. are dwelt upon by
every unprejudiced writer on Russian
interior policy, and have been faithful
~ exposed by Goyolin his satirical COM
edy, 1.-The Inspector-General," in
which he describes the CONSERVATION
among the corrupt officials of q prov
incial town caused by the unexpected
advent of the inspector. While indulg-
ing in mutual determinations concerning
past misdeeds, which in q short time
must become known to the authorities,
. shrewd person evinces his apprecia-
ton of the situation by saying
to the chief delinquent: You steal
too much for your placer The
whole secret of success in
the police is based upon the idea so
happily put in words by the eminent
satirist. Provided police agent knows
just where to stop, ana does not "steal
too much for his place." his superiors
wink at his venality, while the general
public find it to their advantage to pay
the blackmail without protest TO re-
fuse is to incur the enmity of the whole
fraternity. and sooner or latcc would
inevitably be attended with disaster. as
the Russian police have happy knack
of manufacturing cases by the side of
which the occasional plants" perpe-
trated by our black sheep Of the force
fade into utter insignificance. A glaN
ing example of such conduct has Just
been brought to light at Warsaw. re-
sulting in the Punishment of q secret
police agent for preferring totally
unfounded charge of Socialism against
DR.. Herring. Although in tn 8 instance
the culprit was brought TO justice. it is
worthy of note that the unfortunate
victim has been subjected to his cxtor-
tons. and in constant terror. for three
years. Numerous cases have occurred
that have never been made public
through want of means or influence on
the part Of those oppressed by the po-
lice.
The Russian police force is divided
into two distinct ciasses-the polit cal.
or secret police, and the civil or mu-
nicipal police. The former division
pervades every class of society. and Is
. most powerful instrument of oppres-
sion in the hands of an unscrupulous
minister. Throughout tho whole of
the colossal Russian Empire and in
various fore On capitals its agents are
to he found. while the most II fling &C.
currences capable of bearing political
or misconstruction. are
reported on to headquar-
ters. Az these agents are not always
known to each other, amusing mis-
takes are made. and sonnet mes high
police functionary is astonished to find
. detailed account of b. movements
awaiting his return to official duties
from . short pleasure trip in the prov
inces or abroad Secret agents are
met with in fashionable drawing rooms.
in shops. and theaters, and in servants
livery. In each case their motive is
the same-to gain confidence in order
to betray. OF course. as.ip every other
calling. there are honorable men in the
Russian secret police. who would scorn
to willingly do q base action; but the
nature of their profession. and the
pursued N tracking political
criminals. inevitably tend to blunt the
finer sentiments. and cause all means
to be regarded IS fair provided the de-
sired goal be reached.
The civic or municipal police Is So
cially and Intellectually very far below |
the political division. Being drawn
from the lower classes,
Dnly very small proportion can read or |
write. Add to this the astounding su-
perstition inherent to the Russian ma
lurs. and it il by no means surprising
that the mistakes of the civil police |
agents are. except to those personally
of laughable character.
Thus. Mr.. Hare was arrested and
to tramp all the way to the
station. simply because the pol ceman
cOuld not read his passport Dr.
LansdeIl was similarly treated and
subjected to no little indignty for
l 'stributing relig Gus tracts. The in
telligent officer being totally unable
10 read few simple words in his
mother tongue, at once arrived at
The conclusion that the suspicious
ooking papers were Nihilist;c pro-
Carnations. Such incidents are by no
means rare in the experience of for
,ign travellers in Russia: the above ex-
implies of police stupidity are quoted
because they are the latest with
which the public has been made
acquainted. A more important
natter, however. is the conn.,
,lacency with which the Russian civil
'olice indulge in indiscriminata arrest
N the grsvest charges. No one dares
her aid toa diving man. or to one sup
'osed to be dying. in the street. as the
policeman almost invariably arrests the
learest person on . charge of murder.
This ID mot done from any desire to
maintain the dignity of the law, but in
rider to extort money from the accused.
should = capital charge not be pro.
erred against the bystanders. the POI
ice have power to compel their attend
moo daily ct court for IN indefinite
'eriod. TO avoid which Inconvenience
Considerable sums are often pad by
ersons who have the misfortune to be
ound near = dead body. Shtchedrin