New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-19
THAT YAKUTSK MASSACRE.
THE CARS VERSION OF THE STORY-OX-
CARTS HEATING RAILROADS.

The account contained in The London Times
of massacre Of political cXilcs which IS alleged
TO have taken place last autumn at NaKutsk. IN
Eastern Siberia, has created a considerable sen
sation here. Under ordinary circumstances the
Imperial Government dsdains TO take any notice
of the British "Thundcrr." being aware OF the
position which the SLAYER of the Chief of Police
General Mczcntsef. ard NihiliSt leader katschef-
sky, better known by his pen name Of Stepniak. )"
has for several years past held on the editorial
stan OF The Times" In the present case, how
ever. the latter's story OF the alleged Yakutsk
massacre has received such wide publicity. and has
excited. such a hurricane of indignation through
out the Continental press. that the Cars Gov
eminent has considered IL advisable to abandon
its customary policy Of c0ntemptuous silence, and
to vouchsafc an official explanation Of the incl
dent. 1t denies the massacre, but admits That
two sanguinary ARRAYS took place at Yakutsk I'M
der the following circumstances:
About year ago the secret police department.
here received information to the effect that most
of the Nihistc pamphlets. proclamatons and
other revolutionary publications were not only
written, hut also printed in Siberia. At first
sight this appeared almost incredible in view OF
the close supervision to which both prisoners ana
exles are subjected in the Cars great penal col
ony However. il was deemed prudent to make
inquiries into She matter, and accordingly. Cap
tain Russan0w, one of tho clevercst members OF
the Third Section Of the Imperial Chanccllerle,
was dispatched TO Siberia for the purpose. Alter
much careful and patient investigation, he sue
cecdcd in discovering the existence OF most
deliberately equipped secret printing establish
mcnt at Yakutsk The latter is about the last
place on earth where one would have imagined
the Nihihsts to have established their presses
For only the most dangerous and desperate priS
oners and eXiles are interned at lakutsk. Their
names are not even known TO local authorities,
since from the moment that they leave Iomsk
they are deprived for the remainder OF their days
of their patronymics, and are designated by numer-
ais only BY reason of their dangerous character
they are supposed to be under specially strict
surveillance.
Captain Russauow. however, found that by
means of heavy brides they had succeeded IN cor
ruptng the Bailzal Cossacks appointed to guard
them and that the latter actually helped them
to forward their missves TO Russia. Having
made his preparations he caused the building IN
which the Nihilist presses were located to be sur
rounded one night by detachment of police
and soldiers and after a sanguinary ARRAY, dur
ing which several of the police well as the
conspirators were severely wounded by revolver
bullets and sabre cuts, the occupants OF the
premises were seized and thrown into prison
A few weeks later they were brought up for trlal,
and with a moderation unusual under The cir
cumstances the Judges contcnted themselves with
sentencing them to deportation TO various stlll
more distant and severe penal settlements Inc
object of the court was TO disperSe the band ana
TO scatter them to great distances from one an
other so as to put at an end all communication
between them The official statement adds that
when leaving the courtroom, after the delivery
of their sentence, they suddenly attacked their
escort and several of them having revolverS CON
cealed about their persons began TO use them
against the police officers who were present
Troops hurried to the rescue of tie latter, anu
before the revolt of the prisoners could be
uuelled it was necessary TO shoot down and 10
bayonet several of their number. Three OF the
survivors were subsequently hanged and the
others were condemned to penal Servitude IN the
mines instead Of TO mere deportation
The explanation thus vouchsafed by the Gov
eminent obtains universal credence here, for the
Nihilsts themselves admit and glory in the
fact that these pamphlets and revolutionary APP
peals with which Russia is at present flooded
were actually printed and issued from the most
strictly supervised settlement of Siberia.
General Gourllo, the Governor General OF
Poland who recently returned to his post after
q LONG leave Of absence, spent at Paris, has
sgnalized his resumption of Office by the issue
of a decree prohibiting the use Of telephones at
Warsaw except for Government communications
Warsaw is city with population Of some
100000 inhabitants and provided with most
elaborate telephone system. 1t is almost i'm
possible. therefore, to realize the dismay which
this arbitrary and dcspotc order of General
1. 1 -, lNg iaagg
circles Of tie Polish capital The grounds which
he gave for this extraordinary measure were
that the telephones were being used for revolu-
tionary purposes.
The death of DR.. Botkne at Mcntoue last week
has caused much sorrow and regret here. The
doctor the most eminent and Justly cee-
bratcd medical authority of the Empire, and his
reputation was of an international nature He
was the favorite physician OF the late Czarna,
over whom lie acquired the most extraordinary
influence curious story is told Of the crcum.
stances which led to his appointment at court.
The Empress, besides being afflicted with con
sumption, was suffering from disease of the
heart, Like many other invalids, She for
ever convinced that the physicians in attendance
failed TO understand her casa state Of things
due rather TO the extraordinary modcsty of Her
Majesty than to any ignorance on the part Of the
doctor For she was so devOut and 50 extremely
pious that she could not be prevailed upon 70
permit them 10 examine Ter chest in the ordinary
manner Ever on the lookout for a physician
who would understand her case she readily
granted permission TO princess. one Of her ladies
in waiting to present to her a young, and at
that time unknown, doctor, named Botkinc who
had effected a marvellous cure in the case Of the
princesS's daughter DR.. Botkine came, and
ated most favorable impression upon Her
Majesty until the moment when he asked her to
remove the bodice Of her dress in order to enable
him 10 examine her chest She at once refused
to comply with his wishes. and added that all the
physicians that had attended her until then
bad nreecriIcd for ber without reouirino anv