The Grenada gazette., 1888-04-07
THE RUSSIAN POLICE,
Three systems of Espionage Directed by
| an Unscrupulous Chief.


an Unscrupulous Chief
There are three separate and distinct
systems Of police, each of which is
independent of the other, and has
different chief, but all are directed by
one head. the mighty Gresser.
The first system is the ordinary force
of patrolmen, such as is found in all
cities, for the prevention and detec-
ton of ordinary crime. 1t is composed
of veteran soldiers. who wear the mill
tary uniform and wear sabers in the
streets instead of clubs.
The second, or gendarmerie, is a
large body of special agents scattered
all over the empire, one or two in
every town, who are superior to the
regular police, and are authorized to
call upon them at any time to make
arrests, or to assist in Investigations
They are well known to the public,
wear a distinguishing uniform. and
their business is to detect and investl-
gate frauds upon the revenue, to pre-
vent and detect official dishonesty, and
to look after the proper admins tration
of the several Offices This system
was first organized by the Emperor
Nicholas early in the century.
1t was reported to him that there
was large amount of corruption in
the different provinces, and calling
his Procurator-General, he said that
he would hang every official who stole
the value of piece of rope
"Then your Majesty will not be able
to fill your Offices" replied the Pro.
curator-General, but Nicholas thought
he would try. So, selecting the best
men he could find, he sent them
throughout the empire as spies upon
his officials. From this beginning the
system has become permanent These
special agents are known as the polit-
ical police.
Then comes the hated and hateful
'third section," the spies, who exist
in every branch of the social, political
and commercial world. are unknown
to the public and to each other They
are every where, and number thou
sands, Women in the highest society,
mobiles, princes, lawyers, clerks in
mercantile houses, workmen in the
factories, walters at the hotels and
cafes, barmaids. drosky drivers, ped.
dlers, courte sans, house servants; no
one knows who. A mans wife, or
son. or valet, may be in the pay of the
police; perhaps it is his brother
or sister. Every body in Russia is sus-
pected of belonging to the much-fear-
ed third section but no one would
dare confess that he is spy. These
people are not paid salaries, but are
given such sums of money as the
police authorities think they have
earned.
The Russian Government has the
most extensive and skillful spy system
in the world. All the capitals of Eu
rope are full of its secret agents. The
system is so complete that there Ii
scarcely person IN St. Petersburg Of
Moscow, or any of the larger cities
who does not feel that he is constant
ly under the espionage of some brancl
Of the police, and the people arr
naturally very cautious. A single
word from spy may send them It
prison, a secret denunciation ma.
transport them TO Siberia The III
vesligations are always secret, ant
the accused can not confront his &C
cuser, he can not have the benefit o
legal counsel, nor communicate will
his friends unless the police have SOM
motive for permitting him to do SO. -
". E. Curtis, IN Chicago Ncws.