The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-08

Mr. george KEENAN,, whose travels II
Siberia and subsequent expose OF tn
inhuman treatment OF the Russian OK
lies there has startled and Mortified th
civilized world, gives 10 the Associate,
Press n resume OF correspondence re
lating to the massacre OF prisoners las
April at fatoutsk. The fact that Mr.
kennan is former citizen OF Wheeling
having been Western Union telegraph
operator here, lends additional interes
to all that comes from his pen to tn,
readers OF the INTELLIdENcER
CHICAGO, Feb. 7.-Mr. George Ken
nan. now lecturing here on Siberia, has
given to the Associated Press a resume
OF voluminous correspondence latel,
received by him relating to the massacre
OF Russian administrative exiles N
fakutsk on April 3 last, the occurrence
Of which has been hitherto strcnuously
denied by the Russian Government
One OF these letters, written by sur
vivor OF the affair, is sixty.one pages in
length, and sets forth with great exact.
ness OF detail every particular OF the
massacre, and the events leading up to
and Immediately preceding and succeed.
ing it. Mr.. Kennan declared the com.
munications tu be OF the most impartial
character, and even unimpassioned in
tone and said they were thoroughly to be
relied on but withheld the names OF his
correspondents, as a publication OF their
names would involve them in trouble
with the Russian administration.
at appears" said Mr.. Kennan, THAT
towards the latter part Of February last
SO politicians on their way to Merkhoy-
ansk and Sredni.Kolymsk were quar-
tered temporarily at Yakutsk, the first
named places being distant from St.
Petersburg G,39S and 1918 miles respec-
lively, in part OF Siberia so remote from
civilization that it is seldom if ever
visited by human beings. Merkhoyausk
is the first village to which thesurvivors
OF the Jeannette came after they left the
Lena Delta. Both places lay close to
the Arctic circle. Communication is
between these two villages
by means Of reindeer sledges. The
story OF Mr.. Remnants correspondents
agrees in many particulars with the ac-
count published in the London Times.
but gives in addition many details hith-
erto unknown and the language OF the
writers is at times most graphic.
CHANGE OF GOVERNORS.
They write that the former governor
OF the province OF Yakutsk, General
Sveletski, had done all in his power to
see that the exiles in his charge were
forwarded as comfortably as possible to
this inhospi.able region, but he being
promoted to the government OF the
province OF 1rkutsk, his successor, Gem
eral Ostashkin, who assumed the office
temporarily in March last, gave great
dissatisfaction to the exiles by the an
nouncement of certain cruel and arbi-
trary rules which prevented their prop.
per equipment for their journey, one
rule being so maHifestly impracticable
in its application to the conveyance OF
exiles to their destination rs to draw
forth personal remonstrances from one
OF the largest post contractors in the
province.
Another rule curtailed the amount OF
baggage by one.half which all exile was
permitted to carry into the country,
though no supplies OF any kind could be
purchased there. Two months subsis-
tence money previously given was also
withheld, and they were also forced un-
der the new rules to take their depart
IRE from the prison instead OF their resi-
dences. they being locked up the night
before. !.
Under the Russian penal code it is a
criminal offence for political exiles to
unite in apetition for redress OF griev-
ances. Each exile therefore prepared a
separate petition and presented it at the
office OF the provisional administration.
The letters then 60 on totell how they
were directed to assemble in the house
OF one OF the exiles, and when there were
told that the Governor regarded their in
dividual petitions as merely m evasion OF
the law, and their action equivalent to
open rebellion.
MERELY A BLIND.
Asked in regard to the report lately
circulated that the Russian governmen,
intended to abolish the sending OF exiles
through Siberia on foot and the con
struction OF trans-continental railway
for their accommodation with feeders
tapping the different mining districts
enroute, Mr.. kennan said all such an,
nouncements are merely ruses on the
part OF the Russian government to dis
tract the attention Of the public from
the spectacle from time to time forced
upon the vision OF civilized nations OF
unfortunate people being transported
with such atr0cious cruelty that human
ity shudder at their recital. The con.
slant endeavor Of Russian diplomatists
is to lead outsiders to believe that more
liberal and humane policy in this re-
spect is being pursued year after year
and to pull the wool over the eyes Of
such organizations as tho Howard So,
ciety OF Great Britain, to whom every
credit should be given for the stand
they have taken on this subject. This
society will be represented at st. Peters.
burg at the coming Prison Congress BY
two delegates-nen OF wealth, convic
tons and principles, who will strongly
insist on sitting this Yatoutsk affair tc
the bottom and record their unqualified
condemnation Of the inhuman COURSE
pursued by the Russian Government
toward its political prisoners undear the
present diabolical administrative sys
tenn, under which the dear
est family ties are ruthlessly
sundered on the say so O
mere subordinate official, the number
Of cases coming before the Minister o.
the Interior every year precluding any
thing but the briefest Investigation, be
practically taking the report of Subordi
mates as sufficient proof Of the guilt O
the prisoner. In many cases in the ex
animation Of prisoners their only form
OF trial is conducted by the gendarmel
who make the arrest. This then passes
! up and is docketed and endorsed by OFF
cial alter official until it reaches the
Minister Of the Interior, who signs It a!
matter OF course. all this govern
mental red tape affords sinecufe 0mploy