The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-01-19
RUSSIAN TERRORISM.
How Persons Belon ging to the ''Untrust-
worthy" Clnss Are Abused.


General Strelnikoff's plan was to ar
rest simultaneously large number Of
persons belonging to the .'untrust-
worthy class; throw them into
prison, keep them for ten days or two
weeks in the strictest solitary confne-
ment, and then subject them to ter
rifying inquisitorial examination with
the hope of extorting scraps of in
formation, here little and there lit
tie, which might be pieced together,
like the parts of dissected map. so as
to reveal the outlines of a revolution
airy plot. If, for example, young
girl belonging to an enthusiastically"
family, and a "suspicious" letter to
her had been intercepted by the au-
thorities; or if she had been seen COM
ing out of suspicious" house at q
late hour in the evening, she was ar
rested in one of these police raids,
generally at night, conveyed in closa
carriage to the Odessa prison, put in
to a small solitary-confnement cell
and left to her own agonizine
thoughts. No explanation was given
her of this summary proceeding, and
if she appealed to the sentinel OF
duty in the corridor the only reply
she obtained was "Prikazano ne CAV.
art" Talking is forbidden" The
effect produced upon young, mex.
perienced, impressible girl by tho
overwhelming shock of such n transi.
ton from the repose, quiet and sc"
curity of her own bedroom. in her OWE
home, to narrow, gloomy cell in a
common criminal prison at night, can
readily be imagined. Even if she were
a girl of courage and firmness of char
acter, her self-control might give way
under the strain of such an ordeal.
The sounds which break the stiffness
of a Russian criminal prison at night
the stcalthy tread of the guard; the
family heard cries and struggles of u
drunken and disorderly casual who
is being strapped to his bed in another
part of the prison-cries which sug-
gest to an inexperienced girl some ter
rible scene OF violence and outrage;
the occasional clang of heavy door;
the moaning and hysterical weeping
of other recently-arrested prisoners III
cells on the same corridor. and the sud-
den and noiseless appearance now AMI
then of an unknown human face at
the little square portfolio in the cell
door through which the prisoners
are watched-all combine to make
the first night of young girl
in prison an experience never to be
forgotten while she lives. This expert
ence, however, is only the beginning
of the trial which her courage and self
control are destined to undergo. Ono
day passes-two days-three days
ten days-without bringing any news
from the outside world, or any infor-
nation concerning the nature of the
charges made against her. Twice every
twenty-four hours food is handed to
her through the square portfolio by the
taciturn guard, but nothing else breaks
the monotony and the solitude of her
life. She has no books, no writing
materials. no means whatever of di-
verting her thoughts or relieving the
mental strain which soon be-
comes almost uncomfortable. Tor
tured by apprehension and by
uncertainty as to her own fate
and the fate of those dear TO her. she
can only pace her cell from corner to
corner until she is exhausted, and then
throw herself on the narrow prison
bed and in sleep try to lose conscious
ness of her misery.-Century.