New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16
THE KARA PRISON HORRORS.
STEPNIAK CRITICISES TIE RUSSIAN OFF,
CIAL REPORT
cALUMNY AGAINST THE POLITICAL EX:LEs-

CALUMNY AGAINST TIE POLITICAL EXiLEs-
AGITATION IN AMERICA \ GOOD THING
London. March 15-Thc attention of scrsus step
MAX. the Russian Liberal. was called today u III"
fact that portion Of the press had expressed donpV
as TO the authenticity and truStwort!nesS OF tue
recently published accounts Of outragcS to when
poltical prisoners in Siberia had beer subjected Mr.
stcpnia said that the main features Of these accounts
were fully corroboratcd by such portions OF the oc'i
report compiled by the Russian Government as h'"
been given to the public 1t was admitted that maze
political prisoners subject to hosgns, ana II"
denial was voucsafcd Of the incidents reported to nave
taken place in the Kara prison. In regard 10 'i'sc
the official reports maintained dead silence Inc
information Mr. Sfcpniak continued. concerning the
Kara atrocities which had been gwen 10 the press III"
reached the Western world in letters from several vi"
tnct sources These letters came from persons VINO
had no interest whatever in eNasecrating the hruat"S
which they were describing. While these letters
differed in slight degree IN regard n certain details
they agreed perfectly a. to tho main facts oil the
snncrincs borne by the political prisoners at Kara
Mr. Stcpniaks sole purpose in giving out the lh'ei''
ccncc which he had received was to snbscrvc INC
interests OF humanity.
Speaking in reference Ia the views OF the RUSSIAN
Administrator Of Prisons. as published I'm The Times
yesterday morning and telcgraphed abroad, |" tue
effect that Mr. Remnants accounts Of siberian prison
nfc could not be depended upon rs they were drawn
from convicts. Mr. sternak said
II is almost impossible to exaggcrat" the sn1crhs'
Of political prisoner, in siberia at the hands OF the
prison officials. The great merit of Mr. KEENAN, : q"
counts Is that they are based facts learned. not only
from the prisoners but also from the prison "'la'
themselves: added t. this his own personal CD
servaflon Of the situations he describing Mr'
Lausdclls accounts. however. gave only Impressions
obtained under official supervision
The Russian conservative view. as voiced BY 'hc
Administrator Of Prisons is that Western writers nave
localized the Nihilists beyond all resemblance 70 INC
reality Wrctclcd men and wOmcn.' he says. " nave
been endowed with qualities Of refinement ana E"N
breeding such A. a university education and other
Russian surroundings never gave. while their >"ai
dcpraVity i great IN many 'ae'H tla' Ny"'ru
shock English people if translated int" proper fhs"S"
Hi, view Mr. srcpniak SAYS. j, the gro>sc>t cal
umny The political cAilcs. he asserts. are or'N"
largely from the most cultured cls,, oi kl>"hIs'
If lavish sefsacrinc" J. ANY proof moral 81"
mcni must Ice looked for among them. They p'>-"-'
whatever refinement exists ia Russia. The t"rtui'''
and degradation which they hay" EXPERIENCED u,
pr .on have been able t. "Niingii~h thcir NOR"
-ru~c lie iu~f;tnccd Nine. koNdlcN Ky. WE" hc'iih
insane under the >ur.rinc> of convict HE. 'u,
rrgaincd her sanity after she vHs set AZ liberty au
then reported herself f. ia" Government a. restored
To- health, and expressed her Willingness L. return
To siberia and share the lie "f The political con
vic~ With the hope OF allcNiaing the trdl- "i HOT
fellow sufferers .
Nr. ~trpniak cNprcs-cs the conviction that the
agitation I'm America behalf 81 reform ~ t4" ii'|'
uf political prisoner Do siberia 'inn"i lil 10
have H. influence with the Russian oH'iai- from
the Car down lie fccl- confident t'Hi II VIII g.,
~uf in initiating the severity ~ treatment winch
is now enforced against politlfAl exile.