Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-21
THE CRIMINALS OF SIBERIA.
A Country Full of Tramps-Dsngeroui
to TrayeIers-phiCials Not Attacked

A Country Full of Tramps-Dsngerous
to TraveIers-oficials Not Attacked.
Siberia is best known TO the rest of the
world as the land of exileS. Since the time
of Peter the Great it has been the place of
Punishment for those who offend against the
sovereign of Russia and his laws. Ortlin-
arily from 10000 TO L, 600 criminals are sent
there every year; the occasional revolts in
Poland and the present spread of Nihilism
through the empire add more or less largely
70 the inv voluntaTy emigration. In some
years ~, OOJ or $4,000 exileS, including GRIM
inals and politicalS. have been sent to 81
IBERIA, and of this great number compara-
lively few are ever returned TO Europe II
naturally follows that Siberia is filed with
an undue proportion of the criminal CLASSES
Many of the criminal exileS have been
sent there for small Offenses. and are conse-
quently of the category of simple detenus, or
detained in the country" They can do
pretty much as they like, as long as they do
not return to Europe; can wander from
place to place, and take any employment that
is open to them. The result is, the country is
full of tramps, and on occasions when there is
a chance of making an honest penny by high
way robbery the tramps are not slow to en-
cold for their operations. and they mostly
hibernate in the towns, like the tramps of en-
Hghtened America, 50 that the roads are COM
paratively safe, but if you carry any bas-
gage in the rear of your sleigh it must be
fastened with chains, and not with ropes,
which can he cut away. In the spring the
tramp's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of
rural strolling, and he continues to wander
till the snow falls again.
1t is in this period that he is dangerous TO
the traveller. or, rather. 10 certain classes Of
travellers He does not attack a government
courier as be knows he can and probably
will he shot down without mercy, and. be
sides, the courier does not carry much money
about him. The same reasons apply to trav-
elers Of the second class; officers on private
business and not travelling en- courier, and
the game of the Siberian robber consists Of
the third class traveleIs-Inerchants-
are not often armed, and far more likely to
have large sums of money about them than
are the officials. Besides, the robbery or
death of an official would rouse a very un-
pleasant hue and cry, while the same calam-
ity to a merchant would be-well, il would
not make so much trouble for the tramp
Thomas W Knox in Cincinnati Enquirer.
Honor Among Newspaper Correspondents.
There is much more honor now among
newspaper correspondents than there has been
in the past and the most prominent cor
respondents of the country have, weekly, in
trusted to them secrets which would have a
large morey value as news, but which they,
in honor, 10 not use. They hea.' daily eN-
pressions OF opinions which would ruin men
who ute them if they were published but
are givek in confidence and such confidence
is seldom violated No one understands the
effect Of a statement upon the character of
the man interviewed better than the inter
viewer and good correspondents often with
hold sentiments expressed for publication out
of regard for the future Of the man inter
viewed. This, however, is a matter Of mere
friendship.
na person tails for publication, the cor
respondent has right to report him just
he talks whether the words he says he his
political death warrant or the magic sesame
which opens the doors of the presidential
mansion. In reporting private conversation,
however the correspondent has no right to
use matter which he does rot know will be ac-
ceptable TO the man Of whom he talks. If
the correspondent is a well known newspaper
man the supposition is that every converSa-
ton be has is in the line of his business Is ILL
tended for publication, and the public man
should expect to see such a conversation re-
ported in print without he makes a special
request to the contrary q. Carpen-
ter In Cleveland Leader.