The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-25

Adventures of Three Nihilists Who Were Sent
Into Exile on q Ten Years Sentence.

Into Exile ON . Ton Years Sentence.
San Francisco Special.
1t has been rumored for several days that e.
capped Nlhilists from Siberia were in this CITY,
ana the Chronicle tomorrow will contain the
adventures of three fugitives who fed from Via
divostok and crossed the Pacific in the Russian
man-ot-war Moskva. These three men were
Nlhlllst students at the University of Kief One
night at a secret meeting the police descended
on the room and fourteen were captured. The
evidence was clear, and one who was delivering
speech received twenty years in Siberia, while
the others received ten years. The names oe
the three friends who chung together and finally
escaped are Dimitri, Vissati and Ivan. The
family names they refused to divulge for fear of
consequences to their relatives. They were
taken with several hundred condemned Nihilists
ny sea to Vladivostok, suffering great hardships
on the voyage. as the vessel was overcrowded
and whenever near port the matches were
fastened down, and their quarters became like
oetween-decks of an African SLAYER. Ten men
cleo on the passage and two women. Arrived at
Fladivostok, after sixty-two days of suffering
on shlpboard, what was the surprise of the three
students to find in the officer of gen d'armes
placed as guard over them an old friend, who
had been deported from Odessa for Nihilism
This officer told them ne had been sent overland
to Siberia, but owed his present position to his
services as secretary Of inspector of convicts.
he gave the prisoners money, which enabled
them to change their vermin- infested garments
or Oua, where they were employed in the navi-
CATION of boats. After two years. through the
influence of their friend. they were transferred
to Vladivostok. where two were employed in
navy store-houses and the other became mes
senger in the prison Office. Dmitri, the elder,
concluded his story as follows:
Little by little gathered money contribu-
tons from our friends, and by doing various
work for the ship people. so our lot was easy
compared with the unfortunate beings who were
condemned to work in silver mines and never
see daylight but live in underground cells on
beds of straw with the mules that haul the
cars Their lot is terribe-a living death.
When, in June, the steamer Moskova came to
Vladivostok, we heard she was to go home by
way Of America, and we resolved to escape.
Our few roubles we bought clothing and tobacco
with, and upon the night previous to her de-
parture shaved our boards off and changed hats,
disguised ourselves and came on board the ship
in the darkness. Most Of the crew were drunk,
but many of them were good friends to us. and
never betrayed US; indeed, it was through the
help of one of the Muskova's officers that we
came all safe. Our work was in the boiler
room, and we kept out Of sight as much as posi-
ble."
The most singular feature of the escape of
these fugtives is that they crossed the Pacific in
distinguished company of Russian officials.
On board the Moskova were Vice-admiral Ivan
Shestakof, Minister of Marine of the Gar:
Prince Wittengenstein, adjutant general of the
empire and Princes Galitzen and Tonilui rela-
tives of the Gear. These officials remained here
for a few days. and then left for New York. or
their way to Russia. The Nihiist fugitives in
tend to work their way to the Mennonite colony
In Nebraska. where they hope to find an asy-
lum. Each of the men looks ten years older
than the age which he gives, and their faces
pursuit and capture, although assured they are
safe