Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-29
BUTCHERY OF EXIL ES.
Bea tiful Girl and Her Compa MONS
Killed by Siberian Qua rds.

New YORK, August %. Especial Telegram
to TIE BEE. IA Russian, Alexander Kwiat-
kowski arrived here on Monday and brought
with him the first account Of the horri BILE
Tiumen tragedy, which occurred several
weeks ago He had gained bis news almost
at first hand from a relative of one Of the
victims, beautiful young girl, the Princess
Elene Ognski, eighteen years of age. From
Prince Adam Oginski Nj. Kwiatkowsh
learned the following details
The story begins with exles a hundred in
number, who left Ekatermburg about the
end of May. They had been trans ported
with steamer load Of exiles political and
criminal, from Novgorod to Perm, living
in iron cages on the deCiifo and we're then sent
by railroad across the 80 noun tains twelve
hours Journey to EkaterImburg, where the
real horrors Of the Siberian journey began.
From that point the exi1es had to go on foot
all the way to Tiumen, a distance of neally
five hundred miles, where a cage steamer
would be in readiness TO transport them via
the Jenisei and the Obi TO Tomsl<, where an
other thousand miles would have to be trod
den by the weary exiieS un III 1rkutsk was
reached
The heat during the day was intense and
for fifteen days the exiles were compelled to
walk under the burning sun along roads half
foot deep in dust. From letters received by
tiful Princess Elena were intense, arousing
even the sympathy of the Cossack guards at
times. She was the youngest OF the gr0u p Of
exiles, but much as she suffered herself she
was never heard to complain. All her CON-
panons were in simla ar pitiable condition Of
exhaustion from the dreary journey. Their
feet were swollen to such an extent that some
of them sat down by the road side and de-
clared 1t was utterly impossible for them to
move another step, and asked permission to
.ln A.tr
escort of eXieS for the purpose of trans port
ing the sick and the women unable TO walk.
They appealed to the guard in vain, however,
for as answer they were cruelty beaten by
the soldiers with the stocks OF their guns and
ordered to get up and march on.
But at last, when within only a few sta
tions OF Tiumen, small bandof exileS, driven
to desperation, turned iercely upon their
guard and began to fight for their freedom.
But it was a very unequal fight, for the sol
diers, who made the journey with loaded
rifles, Immediately began firing on the crowd.
The result was horrifying. The first vic
tim was the beautiful young princess herself.
Her head was pierced bya bullet and she fell
dead without uttering word. Still the sol
diers kept up the firing, and out of the small
band of n hundred political exiles who left
Ekatermburg twenty were shot dead and
twelve were wounded. As nearly all the ex-
lies in the group participated in the "rebel-
liOn' to a greater or less degree, 1t is feared
that the remainder will be severely punished
If not hanged.
The case of the Princess Oginsh has been
followed with deep interest in the Russian
colonies in Geneva, Paris, London and here
She belonged to an old and honorable family,
several members of which spend the winter
season in ST. Petersburg, How she came inte
tr0u BILE originally is not dearly known. She
was probably connected in some way with so
cieties in St. Petersburg for the brin ging
about of political reforms.