Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-11-19
LOST SOULS OF SIBERIA"
Graphic Picture of the Lives ard
SurerinGs OF Russian ConNicis
I'm Exile.


A graphic picture of the condition OF
those unfortunatcs who arc fifty de-
scrihcd rs ''lost souls is drawn in the
work on SLcr a by the Russian writer
.ladrinzeff, German edition of which
bus just hoen published by Prof. +.
Pctri, Of Bern But few of the eXiles
ever attain 10 the possession OF a
'housc.' by which is meant a miscra'
be hut. Most If them are n reality the
bondsmcn OF the Siberian peasants by
whom they are hired: that is to say,
they remain in their debt rs long rs
They live. and are salts Fed when they
can get money for drink NJ on holidays
from the + ur;a.icrs. But ~ thc major
ity Of the eAiles are rogucs and vaea-
bond, los profess ON, who are afraid of
work, the number of fugitves is con
SANITY increasing. who steal. rob, and
plunder whenever chance offers and
| thus mteus fy tie natural ant pathy of
( the settlers against the class OF the de
ported. The peasants have every cause
20 bee incense aga.uSt ti.rm, for be-
sides sUacrinr from t5r $50 practices OF
! the convict class. tine. uaNu @ bear the
cost ot the clcCliol AND pre- ort"jlOn O!
prisons for tire eNl,,, organize hunts
| FOR the capture at rura";1s. PROV &c
guards for them. and iind the taxes
| which can not lee III scd from among
! the dcport,d cla~s. But the greatest
gaps IN tine ranks Of the cXilcs are
/ caused by the almost systematic escape
of the latter from forced lauOr and from
the convict settlements. No less than
ID per cent. of tn Gcportcd escape dur
/ ing transport. Man, of them are shot
down ! h. wild beasts by the peasants
and native. and an observer OF Siberian
! life made very true remark when he
said that Siberia would scarcely have
been ALE to oVcrpowcr the runaway
cN los if the peasants had not annihi-
lated them.
The most cNtrCmc measures TO check
the system of escape are the hunts by
the natives. organized by the Russian
Government. The nat yr receives ;
ru!,e> If hc delivers the prisoner,
.'tcad or alive, TO the authorities.
The people are provided with good
arms and ammunition. 50 as 20 make
hunting The escaped prisoners perfect
success. One of those few who munag-
ed TO escape was Sc zed in his native
village and when brought before the
court he said: For two wears | have
wandered about. have SWAN Through
stappcs and mounta u and 40 one
has touched me. neither man nor
least; but here in ny native village, /
have been seized and cast INTO chains. y
The escape from forced labor had be-
come 50 common that the adm nis,ra-
tors of convict establishments were IN
the habit of calling ont. when recciy-
no prisoners: Whoever wishes to
Istay. let him take clothes: he who
wants to run away viii not need them. "
Il should lee observed that the clothes
left behind by escaped convicts, 80 rs
TO guard against capture, arc tn,
pcrquisitcs Of the prison authorities.
While the statistics show IN incrcdi-
bic increase in the number Of crimes
committed by eNileS. proving the in
efficiency of the system Of deportation
rs corrective u de.usion, they arc
equally condemnatory of It's much
Wanted chcapncss To the state. The
cost of transport of Siberian deportc
is estimated ut 80 rubles (S37 50) But
i'm this estimate are not included tho
transport TO the main route (steamer
on the Nolga and Kama. aud thence
TO the place of destination. the main
tcnancc of his family. if he is nc
companied by it, the maintenance in
prison till the spring. a. transports in
winter have been abolished as well rs
the cost of the military guard, 30 that
the expenses of transport for each CON
Wet TO his place of destination amount
/ 4
which would be sufficient TO keep him
at least four years in the dearest prison
Of European Russia. But this sum j,
raised to 500 rublcs (>GOO) 10y the eN-
pcnse attaching 10 the maintenance OF
etapic routes, escorts, prisons along
the route, and ctGptc houses, not f.
reckon the burdens imposed upon the
population. who have 10 provide
vehicles and hospitals. and their losses
through theft and crimes of all dc,
Scriptions.
, \ simple calcuatan, consequently.
ought 10 be in favor OF those in Russia
who raise their voices against degrad-
ing Niber into "A receptacle for lost
souls. JadrinZcN says: The system
of deportation has converted Siberia
into Il sewer; deportation has been tn,
cause of much injustice and harm done
to the country. b. mixing the dcport.
ed with the population. crime WAS &C
corded wider scope. The cXilcS az,
at present in an extremely miserable
and Objectionable condition. and : IBERIA
receives. instead of the useful workers.
q numerous. homeless. ana lazy pro.
ictariat. BY the present dep.orabl,
condition of the ban.>a",l. the punish
; mrut inflicted doc1 mol lead to reform,
tH Yield, result quito the reverse
, consisting in the demoral.la' .on al ;aC
eN le.. and an increase N vagaboud u
and crime. - LOudoH iost
The Lumber ii,tIc3t.