The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-24


er native town, Taganrog. When her ex-
mination had been successfully passed she
became school teacher, and exercised her
Profession in the same town. In appear
nee she was brunette of medium size.
Her features were of very pronounced
haracter, though her nose was of the genus
ttip-tilted;'' but her large. black eyes
lever failed to attract all whom she met by
her manners she was extremely quick
nd lively. Easily roused, easily agitated,
Ter friends were won't to describe her as "a
bundle of nerves." She dressed very
imply, but with much neatness and good
aste. Her general appearance did not
ellie her remarkable character. Even in
Russia it would be difficult to find a more
xtreme idealist than Madame Sihidi. She
insisted on the most implicit fidelity to
principles, and could tolerate no compro-
Mise; not even in the minute details OF
ally life. For these trifles she demanded
he same courageous consistency as IN the
most important moments of trial. II once
friend rendered himself culpable, in pri-
ate life, Of some little action, however
rifling. not in harmony with his princi-
lies, he was at once lost in her estimation,
md this in spite of q very great merit
displayed in public life and in grayer cir
umstances.
Ust-Kara. where Nine. Shidi was i'm
Prisoned, is the first of the villages which,
aiken together, constitute the gold mining
istrict of Kara 1t is large village, boast
hg of three shops, and inhabited princi-
|ally by Russians, who live either by agri-
cultural pursuits or by trade. Here is the
emale political prison. It is large square
building. situated in the middle Of fields,
nd, therefore, cannot pc approacned VIII IN.
|ut attracting attention. AS usual, the
Prison is surrounded by high stockade,
ihich forms a spacious yard. The cells
ire small and give on to passage. TINS
passage 10 carefully closed and watched,
tut the doors are left open, SO that the
prisoners are free to visit the various
oo,ns, and make the most of each other
ociety. The rooms are very damp and
hnwhulesome. The prisoners complain
That there is no ambulance chest provided,
though 1t exists in the convict gaols.
Pho service is done by gendarmes, which
5, OF course, very unpleasant for the prls.
bners. 1t was in this prison that Nine. sol.
hzeff- Kovalsky was dragged from her bed
IN her night dress ana made to walk the
passage to the officers room. Here even
Ter slender night garment was torn from
Ter and convict's robes substituted, amid
he jeers of brutal gaolers. Three times
he women organized hunger strike to
ector of the prison, who had caused this
utrage to be committed. The last of these
trikes lasted twenty-five days. The wom-
n were only kept alive by food mechanical
forced upon them. Then, at last. Nine.
ihidi contrived to box MasukOff's ears;
nd, instead of being hung as she had
oped, was logged to death. The Russian
overnment boasts that it has abolished
he knout, but it has established in its
tead the plet, a sort of birch. which. ao-
ording to the testimony of Russian OIL
ers. quoted by George Kennan. can be
,ade to cause death in 100 blows. It was
recisely to 100 blows that Mime. Sihidi was
EST of the prison doctor, who refused to be
resent. The execution there is good
eason to believe. was illegal, since. &C
ording to law, corporal punishment
hould only be administered after
Judgment pronounced by q tribunal, and at:
pr examination and approval by medical
nan. Both conditions were wanting in the
le command of the chief director of con-
let prisons in Eastern Siberia, Nine.
ihidi was logged. This dreadful and de.
rading punishment is generally admins.
red in a manner as simple as it was bru'
ii. The victim is stripped and thrown
own on bench, some soldiers hold the
rms, others hold or sit on the legs, while the
kecutioner fogs the naked back from the
eek down to the hips. No wonder 80 sen
tive, nervous and high-strunR woman az
lime. Sihidi died from the shock of such
lhuman treatment. Nor is it surprising
lat all the political prisoners who had
card of this atrocious brutality joined in
lch protests as would impress even the Rus.
an authorities. Nine. Sihidis prison
,mpanions, Mines. Kolalcoskaia, Smirni-
Il and Kalnujy, poisoned themselves: The
lirty male prisoners at Lower Kara also, 1t
known, took poison, though only two
ed, the authorities being able to admin
ter emetics in time to save the rest.