The Irish standard., 1888-01-21
RUSSIAN TERRORISM.
How Persons lsrioa .i:l to the ''Untrus..
;. worth..., C!:A,s Are: 3 Dn ,ed.

+ J.
How Persons isein:l .i:l < to the ''Untrusa.
:, worthI;'' Class re Aba ,ed.
General strc,nikof' plan was to ar
rest simultaneously a large number OF
persons belonging to the stuntrust-
worthy" class: throw them into
prison, keep them fo,: ten days or two
weeks in the. strictest solitary contine-.
ment, and then subject them to a ter
rifying inquisitoria1 examination with
the hope OF extorting scraps OF in
formation, here Il little and there q lit
tie, which might be pieced together,
like the parts OF a dissected map, so as
to reveal the outlines of a revolution
ary plot. If, for example, a young
girl belonging to an enthusiastically"
family, and a "suspicioush letter TO
her had been intercepted by the au-
thorities; or if she had been seen COM
ing out of suspicious" house at a
late hour in the evening" she was ar
rested in one of these police raids,
generally at night, conveyed in Il close
carriage to the Odess;, prison, put in
to small solitary confinement cell
and LEFT to her own agonizing
thoughts No explanation was given
her of this summary proceeding, and
il she appealed to the sentinel on
duty in the corridor the only reply
she obtained was "Prikazano ne CAV
alit '--'' Talking is forbidden" The
effect produced upon q young, mex
perienced, ilnpre> sible girl by the
overwhe lining shock of such q transit
ton from the repose, quiet and Sc
curity of her own bedroom. in her own
home, to a narrow, gloomy cell in a
common criminal prison at night, can
readily be imagined, Even If she were
girl of courage and tiruness OF char
acter, her seli-control might give way
under the strain OF such an ordeal.
The sounds which break the stiffness
of Russian criminal prison at night,
the stealthy tread Of the guard; the
family heard cries and struggles Of a
drunken and disorderly casual" who
is being strapped to his bed iii another
part of the prison--cries which sug-
gest to an inexperienced girlsome ter
Yible scene OF violence and outrage;
the occasional clang of % heavy door:
the moaning and hysterical weeping
OF other recently-arrested prisoners in
cells on the same corridor, and the sud
den and noiseless appearances now and
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 a young girl
in prison all 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 Aays--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 tc
her through the square porthole by the
taciturn guard, but nothing else breaks
the monotony and the solitude Of hel
life. She has no books, 10 writing
materials, no means whatever OF di-
verting her thoughts OF relieving the
| mental strain which soon be-
comes almost unenaurable. Tor
tured by apprehension and by
uncertainty us to her own fate
and the fate of those dear to her. she
can only pace her cell from corner tc
corner until she is exhausted, and thci
throw herself on the narrow prlsol
bed and in sleep try to lose conscious,
ness OF her misery. -Ce,'tury,