Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-08
THE CRUEL RUSSIAN.
George Kennan's Awful Arrangement
of the Cars officers.
A MASSACRE OF POOR EXTLES
Who Simply Asked for Mercy at the Hands
Of Heartless Governor.
PlTIFUL NARRATIVES OF SURVIVORS


nan, now lecturing here on Siberia, fur
nishes the Associated Press with numerous
letters, the truth in detail Of which he
vouches for, giving an account Of the mas
sacre of Russian exiles on April last at
Yakutsk. Mr.. Kennan declares all the
statements impartial and truthful.
''It appears" said Mr.. KEENAN,, "that
toward the latter part of February last, SO
| political exiles on their way to Verkhoyansk
and Stredni-Kolymsk were quartered ten-
porarily at Yakutsk, the first named places
being distant from St. Petersburg 6,39S and
1913 miles respectively, in part of Siberia
so remote from civilization that it is seldom,
| if ever, visited by human beings. Verk-
hoyansk is the first village to which the
survivors of the Jeanette came after they
left Lena delta. Both places lay close to
the Arctic circle. Communication is main
! tanned between these two villages by means
of reindeer sledges." The StOry OF Mr..
Kennan's correspondents gives many de-
tails hitherto unknown, and the language
of the writers is at times most graphic. The
Governor of Yakutsk, General Ostashkin, by
CRUEL AND ARBITRARY RULES,
preventing the exiles from carrying a
Withholding their two months subsistence
money, intensified their suferings very
greatly, as their march led through Sec
tion in which no supplies could be pur-
chased.
Under the Russian penal code it is
criminal offense for political exiles to unite
in a petition for redress of grievances. Each
exile, therefore, prepared separate petition
and presented it at the Office of the Pro-
vlncial Administration. The letters then 60
on to tell how they were directed to assem-
BILE in the house of one of the exiles, and
when there were told that the Governor re-
garded their individual petitions as merely
an evasion 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,
eve numbered 33. Among us was Sergius
Kapger and his betrothed. Anna Zosrvas-
troVa, the latter quite young girl, and
man who had come in from one of the
Yakutsk settlements to make some pur-
chases. These came to the house to see
their fellow exiles. At half-past 10 the po-
lice overseeE, Olesof, brought a verbal order
that all exiles present were to come to the
police station.
"a company of Cossacks, numbering over
100 men, under command Of an ofhcer
named Karamzin, then appeared, battered
down the gates of the courtyard and Is or
20 OF them entered the house, while the
others surrounded it. We tried to explain
our side of the case, and said that we had
not assembled there for any other purpose
than to receive the Governors reply, but
that we would go to the police station. only
IL Al. L.
The CHIEF of Police then said to Command
er Karamzin: What is the use of your talk
ing with them? Do what you were ordered
to- Karamzin then cried out to the Cos
sacks. take them
THE ExILES MAsSACRED.
'Fwe were assembled in room about 20
feet square, and had gathered in one corner,
from which position the Cossacks endeav-
ored to oust us by striking US with their
clubbed rifles and pricking US with their
bayonets. Some women, being wounded
suite severely, began to scream. Cartridges
had been served out to the soldiers the night
before, and they fired point blank into tie
miscellaneous crowd of men and women.
Five exiles had revolvers which they had
bought as a means Of protection on their
Journey, and not for the purpose of resisting
the authorities. Nicolai Zolof drew his re-
volver, sprang upon the divan and shouted:
"Stop! Stopp The firing then became gen.
eral on both sides. After one or two volleys
the soldiers withdrew from the house and
the whole Cossack force outside then
poured in their fire through doors and
Eschur, one of our number, rushed
into the courtyard crying: we surrender
but was shot dead short distance from the
steps, Podbetski, who heard the firing and
ran to the house to see what was the matter,
was shot dead at the courtyard gate. He
was not implicated in the affair in any way,
and was within two months of the termina-
ton of his exile. Joseph Estrovich, already
wounded, rushed into the courtyard, fell
and was repeatedly bayoneted as he lay on
the ground.
GAS a result of this ARRAY, six of US, in
cluding one woman, were killed outright
The woman's stomach was all torn open by
bayonet; all the rest of us were more or
less injured. The Government casualties
were one soldier killed and the Governor
and a soldier slightly wounded. The exiles
killed were Sergius Pix, Sophie GureVith,
Paui, Potbetski, Peter Mokhanof, Gregory
Shura and Jacob Notkin. Twelve others
were severely wounded"
A SAMPLE OF RUSSIAN JUSTICE.
Three months later the survivors were
tried bv court martial on the charge of
armed resistance. This court martial was
composed as follows: President, Lieutenant
Colonel Savitski, Captain Korsakof, Cap
tain Tiagunof, sub-Captain Yermakof and
one Fedorsf. The trial began on the 9th of
June. The following questions we're put to
each of the prisoners at the trial by the pre-
siding officer:
"What is your name, age and religion?' and
the prisoner replies.
do you observe the ceremonies of religlon?'
"Since the day of our arrest, no."
"Do YOU adhere to your statements made at
the preliminary eXaminationP' (the statements
were read over again to the prisoner). He re.
plies, "Ies."
"You are accused Of armed resistance to the
authorities. What have you to say"
upon what is this accusation fOundedP'
1.-THE Court is not obliged to inform you"
The Prisoner-Presence in the house is not
proof of the accusation. was there, but did
not make any armed resistance. l do not know
why have been implicated IN this affair
The Cours-It is out of place to teach the
Court. Speak more briefly. Have you any
thing more to say? A. think not
The Officer-YOu can 60.
beyond this" says one OF Mr.. Kennan's cor
respondents, "the prisoners were allowed to say
nothing in their own behalf"
Three of the prisoners were hanged. Kohan
Bersnstein, who had been severely wounded
and was unable to stand, was taken to the
Scafold on a bed from the hospital, the moose
put around his neck and the bed taken from
under him He was choked to death. Four
teen others, including four women, were SEN
fenced for different terms ranging from 10 to
Is years.
The matter will probably be brought be-
fore the International Prison Congress. Mr..
Kennan promises to furnish complete proof,
and will bring witnesses from Siberia. He
does not think that Russia will accept his
challenge.