The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-10
ANOTHER CHAPTER TO KENNARS STORY
Told by Survivors of the Massacre at
Yakutsk Last April.
DefenceIess Exiles Shot Down by a
Company of cossacks.
Six Killed Outright and Three More
Hanged by Russian Law.

nan, now 10 turing mere on OlDerld, mas given
to the Associated Press a resume of a volu-
minous correspondence lately received by
him relating to the massacre of Russian ad-
ministrative exiles at Yakutsk on April
last, the occurrence of which has been hith-
erto strenuously denied by the Russian Gov
ernment.
st appears" said Mr.. Kennan, that
toward the latter part of February last
thirty-three politicals on their way to Yer
knoyausk and Sredne Kolymsk were quar-
tered temporarily at Yakutsk, the first
named places being distant from st. Peters
burg 6,39S and 1913 miles, respectively, in a
part of Siberia so remote from civilization
that it Is seldom, If ever visited by human
beings. Verknoyansk is the first village to
which the survivors Of the Jeanette came
lay close to the arctic circle. Communica-
ti0n Is maintained between these two vii
lagos by means OF reindeer sledges."
The exiles had received orders to reduce
the supplies and clothing with which they
had provided themselves, and certain money
which should have been paid them was with
held. These were deprivations which left
them i'll prepared for their terrible journey.
Under the Russian Penal Code tits GRIM
inal offense for political exiles to unite in a
petition for q redress Of grievances. Each
exile, therefore, prepared separate petit
tion and presented it at the Office Of the pro-
vincial administration. The letters 60 on to
tell how the exiles were directed to assemble
in the house of enc OF the exiles, and when
there were told that the governor regarded
their individual petitions as merely an eva
sion of the law and their action equivalent
to open rebellion.
AT 10 o'clock the next day." writes one of
the actual participants in the dreadful affair,
1--WE met again in Notkin's house, to the
number of thirty-three. Among us was Ser
gius Kapger and his betrothed, Anna ZOar.
vastrOva, the latter quite young girl, and a
mar who had come in from one Of the va,
kutsk settlements to make some purchases.
These people came to the house to see their
fellow exiles. At 10 30 the police overseer,
Olesof, brought verbal order that all exiles
present were to come to the police station,
We thought there must be some misunder-
standing, as we were waiting by the orders
of the chief of police. Olesof turned on his
heel, saying: Then | understand you wont
come We said no such thing, but they
wanted to know from the chief Of police
what he expected them to do.
"a company of Cossacks, numbering over
100 men. under command of an officer named
KaramZin, then appeared, battered down
the gates of the courtyard, and 10 or 20 OF
them entered the house, while the Others
surrounded it. We tried to explain our side
bled there for any other purpose than to re-
ceive the governors reply, but that we would
go to the police station, only asking tina,
Karamzin withdraw his troops. The chief
Of police then said TO Karamzin: What is
the use of your talking with them? Dc
what you were ordered to- Karamzin then
cried out to the Cossacks, Take them.'
"We were assembled in room about e
feet square and had gathered in one corner
from which position the Cossacks endeay-
ored to oust us by striking us with their
dubbed rifles and pricking US with their
bayonets. Some women, being wounded
quite severely, began to scream. Car
tridges had been served out to the soldiers
the night before, and they fired point blank
into the miscellaneous crowd Of men and
Five of the exiles had revolvers, which
they had bought as means of protection OF
their journey, and not for the purpose Of re
sisting the authorities. Nicolas Zolaf drew
shouted: Stop! stopp The firing then be
came general on both sides.
"As result OF this affray, six of us, in
Guiding one woman, were killed outright
This w0man's stomach was all torn open by
a bayonet; all the rest of us were more OF
less injured. At the first lull in the firing
upon the house Zolof ran out into the court
yard. 1t does not appear for what purpose.
There he saw Gov. Ostashkin. who hal ar
rived and whom he doubtless believed to be
responsible Tor the Killing OF MS friends. lie
drew his revolver and fired two shots at him.
But for this there might have been no more
shooting Zolof, however. wounded the Gov
ernOr, and the soldiers recommended firing
mo the house. After two or three voleys
the firing was sttSepped by Capt. Tazhof."
The government casualties were one
soldier killed and the governor and q soiSie Ter
slightly wounded. The exiles killed were
Sergius Pix, Sophie Gurevith, Pani Pothel.
ski, Peter Mukhanor, Gregory Shura and
Jacob Rotkin. Twelve others were severely
wounded. Three months later the survivors
were tried by court martial ON the charge of
armed resistance.
Three of the prisoners were hanged.
Kohan Bernstein, who had been severely
wounded and was unable to stand was taken
to the scaffold on cot from the hospital,
the moose put around his neck, and the cot
taken from under him. He was choked to
death. Fourteen others, including four wo-
men, were sentenced for different terms
ranging from ten to fifteen years.
Il consider that this information received
from Russia" said Mr.. Kennan, $50 minute
and ciroumstantial in every detail, and
knowing the reliability of its source. TO be a
complete and conclusive answer to the re-
cent strenuous denials of the Russian
government.