The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-07-28
THE rIUmEN PRISON.
Description OF ForwNrdine ststica "a
Siberian ExtIea.

Description OF Forwarding Station Ton
Siberian Exiles.
The Tiumen prison was originally
built TO hold 500 prisoners, but was
subsequently enlarged by means Of de-
tached barracks so that 1t could accom-
modate 800. On the day Of our visit,
as we were informed by small black
board hanging beside the Office door, II
contained 1,741. As we approached the
entrance we were stopped by an armed
sentry, who. upon being informed that
we desired admittance, shouted through
square port-hole In tho heavy gate,
''Star-she-e-e!' (the usual call for the
officer OF the day.. A corporal or SER
geant with q saber at his side and a
Colts revolver in holster on his hip,
answered the summons, carried our
note to the warden, and in moment
we were admitted to the prison yard.
Fifty or sixty exiles and convicts were
walking aimlessly back and forth in
front Of the main prison building, or
sitting idly in groups here and there on
the ground. They were all dressed
consisting of a visorless Scotch cap, a
shirt and trousers of coarse homespun
linen, and u long gray overcoat with
one or two diamond-shaped patches Of
black or yellow cloth sewn upon the
back between the shoulders. Nearly
all Of them wore leg-fetters, and the air
was filled with a peculiar blinking Of
chains which suggested the continuous
iingling of innumerable punches Of
Keys.
The first "kamera" or cell that we
sntered was situated in one-story log
barrack standing against the wall on
The left of the gate, and built evidently
to receive the overflow from tho
crowded main building. The room
was about 30 feet in length by 25 in
width and 12 feet high; it's walls OF
hewn logs were covered with dirty
whitewash; its rough plank floor was
black with dried mud and hard-trodden
filth; and it was lighted with three
grated windows looking out into the
prison yard. Down the center of the
room, and occupying about half its
width, ran the sleeping -bench-.a
wooden platform IL feet wide and so
feet long, supported, at height of 2
.eet from the floor, by stout posts.
Each longitudinal half of this low
platform sloped little, roof-wise, from
the center, so that when the prisoners
slept upon it in two closely packed
transverse rows, their heads in the
middle were few inches higher than
their feet at the edges. These sleep
ing platforms are known as 'nares,"
and a Siberian prison contains no other
furniture except a large wooden tub
for excrement. The prisoners have
neither pillows, blankets, nor bad
clothing, and must lie on these hard
plank mares, with no covering but tbsir
overcoats. AS we entered the cell, she
convicts, with sudden jingling of
chains, sprang to their feet, and stpod
silently in dense throng around 'he
iares. 'Zdrastvuitui rebiata!" ["AOw
do you do, boys?'] said the warden.
'Zdravie zhelaiem vasha vwisoki blag-
arodie" ["We wish you health, your
high nobility'], shouted hundred
voices in hoarse chorus. 'The
prison." said the warden, sis terribly
over-crowded. THIS cell, for example,
is only 35 feet long by 25 wide, and has
air space for 35, or at most 40 men.
How many mon slept here last nightp"
he inquired, turning to the prisoners.
IA hundred and sixty, your high
aobility," shouted half dozen hoarse
voices--Ge0rge Ken,sa,s, in Century.