Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-03-14
Siberian Horrors.

CHICAGO, Mateh S.-A private letter TO
George Keenan, gives details Of the tragedy
ut the Siberian prison of Hasa last Au-
tumI which are probably perfectly relia-
BILE. 1t appears that when the orders 10
turn the political convict women over to
Commandant Tomilin, the director OF the
common criminal prisons, and TO have them
smut up in the cells occupied by female
convicts OF the common criminal class be-
came known, the men gave notice that
they would kill themselves at the first at.
tempt TO carry the order into execution.
About the same time seventies began in
the women's political prison. Baron Kortf
PAID visit OF inspection to the women's
political prison. 1t is a strictly enforced
rule IN ali prisons that when an officer en-
ters u cell every prisoner shall rise and
stand in the attitude OF attention.
Madame hayalskaya, who was in an ad.
Vanced stage OF prison consumption,
neither rose from her bed nor noticed in
any way the governor generals entrance
TO her CELL Baron kortf asked her rough
ly why she did not get up. Nine Kaval-
skaya replied wearily:
lit makes no difference to me now
whether you are the governor general or
only n turnkey, am unable to get up"
Baron korff, irritated apparently, order
ed that Madame Kavalskaya be taken to
Verkhni Udinsk prison and there be put
into solitary confinement. This order was
executed by Masiukof, the commanding Of
tfcer, with great brutality. Madame kav-
alskaya declared herself unable TO walk
and she was thereupon taken out OF her bed
by two soldiers carried down TO the bank Of
the Shilka river in a sheet. and put into a
small boat for transportation. Her COM
panions appealed TO the higher authorities
for Masiukofs removal. When their ap-
peal was disregarded they proceeded
TO enforce II by means OF hunger strike
voluntary self starvation) and hunger
' strike OF unheard s OF DUR, duration n
days, when, ut last, Commandant Masiu-
kof rendered his resignation. The higher
authorities refused TO accept ii, and the
hunger strike was renewed Tor eight days
more, at the expiration OF which time the
women were notified that the obnoxious
Commandant Masiukof would be removed
10 another post. The promised removal,
however, did not take place and again the
hunger strike was renewed. This time it
continued 22 days, but most Of the women
were kept alive, in spite OF their refusal to
eat, By the administration OF food artifici-
ally. AT the end Of this terrible hunger
strike only Nine. Sigida and Mime. Salova
were able to stand on their feet.
Madame Sigida asked for an interview
with the commandant and in the course of
IL struck him In the face.
The result Of the blow given by Madame
Sigda TO Commandant Masiukof was "a
lIOul SONCIuOI NOIu III
recting that she be fogged. The prison
surgeon made the customary examination
of her and reported that she was
not in condition TO endure the
punishment Baron korff was notified of
the surgeons decision and of his refusal TO
be present at the ftogging. He thereupon
telegraphed Garry the order into execu-
ton without the presence OF the DOCTOR"
Nine. Sigida was then logged under the
the supervision of the assistant director OF
the committee on criminal prisons-an OIL
Ger named Verbofski, She died two days
later from heart failure, and almost i'm
mediataly afterwards Mesdames Smir
nitskaya, Kaluzhnaya and Kav-
askaya poisoned themselves. The other
women were so insulated that they did not
know what happened, but news of the ter
rible tragedy reached the men prison, and
80 of the male political convicts took poison
Only two of them, however-Kaluzhno
and Bobykhof died.