The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-02-18
RUSSIAN cossAcks.
Tho Lawicss. UnprIncipied Men who Com
pose tho Czur's Body Guard.


see here at st. Petersburg only n
few soldiers In the streets, and the
dashing Cossacks riding like mad on
horseback are the life of the military
for the winter The Cossacks are the
life guards of the Gar, and are the
most interesting of the many char
acteristics in that strange country.
A genuine Cossnck has no more ap.
probation or dread of danger than he
has OF his vodka, a terrible rum. which
he drinks like water and which makes
ntoxication at sight. He was the
original soldier of Russia. tho patron
detective and the prime spirit in making
republican institutions what they are.
He is devoted to the Car, and for bis
devotion has been knighted in the high.
est degree. Tho acme of the Russian
soldier is to become associated with the
service of the crown and to bo located
about the palace. When soldier is
stationed in the vicinity of the palace
and 1t becomes known that lie has been
recognized by the Gar. his reputation
| has reached the zenith, and he in
| stantly becomes the admiration of the
entire people. 10 get promotion en-
suite-that is, into the direct service OF
the Czar--is to acquire the highest
honor y million Russian soldiers aspire
to.
In all the wars Russia has fought
from her organization the Cossacks
have figured most conspicuously. They
especially did the bloody work when
Napoleon came over from France in
1872 and attempted to conquer the en-
pire. The great French General found
his men falling like hail when he was
unable to strike back the enemy always
being under shelter. Twas continuous
bushwhacking till the retreat began,
when the Cossacks rode out 40 900 on
horseback and shot down in cold blood
almost twice their number in Napo-
Icons ranks. For centuries these peo-
pie have been the predominant inhab-
itants on both sides of the Volga, and
the first to take up arms in all the
Crimca against intruders. Nearly half
a century ago tho Gar rewarded the
tribe by taking all Cossacks in his scrv.
ice as his special life guard. Alto
gether the most brutal and ignorant,
the Cossack is thus given the most con-
spicuous position in all this great army.
Whenever you sec Alexander III. you
see II swarm of CoSsacks about him,
riding over pedestrians. slashing their
sabers in the air, and holding high and
arbitrary authority. They have COM
plete privilege and exercise it to the
fullest extent.
A Cossack soldier is granted COM
plcte immunity against punishment for
all but the highest crime, whichis mur-
der in cold blood. If he wantonly mur-
ders an innocent and unoffending citi-
zen or companion he is court-martialed
and probably imprisoned for three or
six months, but it is extremely difficult
to convict him when once arrested. He
is furnished horse, clothing and ra-
tions when stationed in city. but is
given no salary. and rations only when
he can not forage. About one-fourth
of them are thus supplied by the hands
of the Czar, while nearly hundred
thousand of them are privileged to go
about the country and in the name of
the Gar pillage and plumber. They
hold up strangers, commit burglary
sometimes and demand ut the hands OF
the people the best there is to live upon.
II is useless to make complaints OF
their depredations, rs they are legal
lied. The people have to keep the
Gar and guard his life; they must pro-
tect him and all his interests, and he
holds that they may just as well do some
of their acts for the empires preserva-
ton directly, by maintaining Il band Of
marauders, as to do il indirectly,
through the channels of the treasury.
1t does not follow that because SOL
dier is life guard he must be at the
side of the one he is employed to pro.
tcct. His field is in any spot he can
locate effort to injure the empire or
its Gar. He is secret or public de-
tective. or soldier, according to his
purposes or desires. He goes about,
when not under direct orders. in the
uniform of soldier or the dress of u
civilian. At st. Petersburg, not many
days ago, l saw Cossack in private
citizens dress on the street, walking in
hot haste. He wore Il long ulster. but
toned up to the chin. He was in the
role of detective. In little group
of men he espied his game-a slender
youth. Hastily unbuttoning his great
coat, he drew forth a bugle. A single,
short call, and ut his side were three or
four of the fiercestlooking Cossack
soldiers ever saw. They came in a
twinkling. wore coats-of-mail caps, and
ut their sides and in their belts were
pistols, knives and maces sufficient to
start a band of Texas highwaymen.
The arrest was not resisted, and the
display seemed entirely unnecessary.
Moscow Cor. Kansas City Times.
MOST UNFORTUNATE.
tyoxv N IN Irnluckv Eellow WA. pur.uaA NV