Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-01
THE EXILE SYSTEM.
Stepniak Points Out New
Features of Russian Law.
INCREASE OF PENALTIES.
Imprisonment With Labor BY Ad-
ministrative Process
INCREASE OF PENALTIES.
TEE MAXIMUM TERM NOW DOUBLED



Government, the administrative exile is one
which very rightly has attracted the greatest
attention abroad, and has met with the
most universal condemnation. There is,
indeed, no heavier crime of the Russian
Government against humanity and our
unfortunate country. However shocking
may be the sentences of the Russian political
tribunals, the administrative punishments
are still more shocking. They are inflicted
without any formality of a trial, without
confronting the prisoner with his accusers,
often without informing him of the charges
brought against him, or even giving the
name Of the person who denounces him. 1t
is a punishment inflicted on suspicion,
which does not even pretend 10 be based
upon any concrete proof Of guilt, and has
for its avowed object to strike beforehand
those who some day may become political
offenders.
At the same time by its extensive applica-
ton administrative exile is far more disas-
trous to the country than the exceptional
tribunals. For one man and woman tried,
there are according to our statistical in
formation from % to q persons exiled with
out trial. Nothing can throw so much light
upon the present Russian regime SIS the
study of the exile system. Mr.. George
Kennan has rendered a permanent service
TO the cause OF Russian freedom and hu-
manity by exposing its evils to the eIecra-
tion Of the world. The subject is very e1-
tensive, and cannot be adequately treated
as a whole, except in an extensive work.
What we propose here to do, is to point to
q few recent changes, which, for aught we
know, have not vet been mentioned in the
foreign press.
INCREASE OF SENTENCES.
We will begin by a trifing one-the sg-
gravatIon OF the exile's penalties, not for
their "bad conduct" (read: attempts to pro-
tect themselves against the irresponsible,
brutal administration, as has always been
before, but simply in consequence Of the re-
examination of the old documents, upon
which the administration has already given
q Rdecision-sometimes many years ago. This
is new proceeding, and however trihing,
as compared with the total mass of wrongs
done by administrative exile, it is worth
mentioning. for it characterizes the utter
disrespect of the Russian government to
human sufferings and to the most elemen-
tary principles OF justice-we may say, of
public morality.
But why, the reader will ask, should the
gendarmes burden themselves with ransack-
ing the archives of the state police, when
they have so many fresh cases upon their
hands? We are told that it is done as a good
exercise for the young officers of this re-
Il j. =
admitted into the political branch of the
service, they do not trust him with new
cases, but give him an old one for re-exami-
nation to test his ability. He has then TO give
an opinion upon it, and if he discovers
something which tells against the exile, and
has been overlooked, few years more are
kdded to the latter's original term of banish
ment. We do not vouch for the accuracy of
the explanation. 1t may be that the old
cases are re-examined on some other grounds.
The fact is that they are re-e1amined and
new penalties are inflicted upon the victims
for no other reason, The unexpectedness of
such new visitations appears probably to
the gendarmes in the light of q good prac-
ticsl joke, though for those concerned it is
rarely matter tor joking, and sometimes q
cause of bitter tears.
AN INSTANCE OF ITS WORKINGS.
In November, 1880, Antimas GomeralidIe.
an Armenian by birth, condemned in 1877
by the St. Petersburg tribunal to exile in
Siberia, returned to his country after the ex-
piration of his term. His crime was not par
ticularly grave. In 1856 the police dis
covered in Moscow "secret society,"" COM
posed OF about dozen young rlen and girls,
the Oldest OF whom was %, the youngest 16.
Their object was the propaganda OF Socialist
i1egS apOnu the Nvnrl-p1ap Tbar III
condemned to various punishments, Conner
alidze among the rest. Since that time for
full 16 years, he has been dragged from one
prison to another, from one wretched Siber-
ian hamlet TO another. His health was
ruined, his strength broken. From q bloom
ing youth OF %, as he was at the time of the
trial, he became gray-haired, decrepit old
man.
But he is in his country once again. The
long wears of trial are forgotten. He feels
his strength renewed in his home, where
his old mother had expected him all these
long years. The father had died in the
meantime. He was the only SON, and the
only support of his mothers old age. But
they had not much time to enjoy being to-
gether. Before five months elapsed new
blow tell upon them both. In April, 1889,
q Jorge body of police came, and the officer
U
again sent to Siberia. He was arrested, and
without any explanation taken to the Kutais
prison. The old woman was on the verge OF
losing her reason. She is said to have sat
all day long on the floor, as if stunned by
her grief, repeating, They gave him back
to me, and took him again.
PLEADINGs WERE IN VAIN.
The neighbors, small farmers and peasants
for the most part, moved by the old womau's
despair and helplessness, collected a sum of
money, and sent u man to Kut is to make
inquiries, and intercede if possible with the
Governor in tavor OF Gomeralidze. The
man went, and succeeded in interesting m
the fate OF his client several persons OF good
position in the town. They spoke to the
Governor of the province, and to the local
gendarme officer. who all seemed disposed
in Isvor of the hapless man. Indeed Com
eralidze could not possibly be of any danger
to the throne and the existing instiiu-
tions" in the out-of-the-way corner where
he had settled. The village where his
mother lived was 80 miles away IRON
Kutais, and 90 miles from the postal high
way, SO that he was as much isolated there
as he would be in the Narym marshes,
whittier he was to be re-exiled. The only
difference was that OF a better climate,
which was so necessary to his broken
health. But the local authorities could do
nothing for min. The order for rearresting
and eIlllng him came from st. Petersburg,
and the reason was as follows:
Three years before, while Gomera1idze
was living in Tomsk the pupils OF the
gymnasium grammar SCHOOL, had founded
small library of their own Ior their per-
sonal edltieation. 1t consisted only of books
authorized by the Russian censorship. Not
q single revolutionary pamphlet had been
iouno there, or seen circulated among the
pupils sun the small library contained
works like IhomAs Buckles history Of