Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09

ately assumed disguise that might not be
recognized; for within day or two all the
region along the line of the railroad on
which / had travelled was placarded with
offers Of a reward of 1000 roubles for infor-
nation that would lead to my capture.
At that time the unfortunate Hebrews in
Odessa were undergoing that strange perse-
cution that attracted the attention of the
civilized world. Mobs formed in the streets,
largely of students. 1 saw a "Cossack"
strike with his riding whip student who
was protecting some Hebrews, and fired re-
volver at him. A mounted officer, whom
afterward discovered to be the General in
charge of the garrison, a coward who sends
| people to Siberia, only to obtain the title of
Governor of the State saw me fire the shot
and rode his horse at me. Then 1 remem-
| bered what in my excitement had forgot
ten, that 1 had about me the names of peO-
pie who would give me assistance, and con-
siderable correspondence that would in
sure the arrest OF some of my friends, I
| ran like hare down the street, but four feet
are better than two, and, as the feet horse
overlook me, scarcely knowing what was
| about l leaped to one side and leveled
blow at my pursuer. My heavy students
staff fell with a thud on the Generals illus
| trious leg, and at that appropriate moment
his horse slipped and fell. 1 did not wait
to see his fate, but, knowing that now death
within "a hours awaited me. again took to
my heels, and lodging and doubling, es-
capped my pursuers, and at last gained the
open country and the woods, where strug-
gled on till fairly fell from exhaustion.
HELP FROM A sMUGGLER.
Ipassed the night in the open air where
fell, and awoke in the morning racked in
every joint by pain and stiffness. I hob
bled along with my back to the rising sun
till saw smoke issuing from cabin. 1
went boldly to the 'hut" and told the
woodman who came to the door that 1
was an escaped prisoner from "con-
voy" on the way to SiberIa-a pretty sure
passport to the kindness and hospitality of
the ordinary Russian peasant. 1 remained
with him two days. He informed me at
length that he was a smuggler, and offered
to show me secret way across the boundary.
was obliged to swear secrecy on the blade
OF dagger, and to promise that I would
from the other side aid him to secure contra
band goods How 1 was to do this am
sure don't know. On my oath the snug
gler closed his cabin, and We pursued our
way through paths and lonely roads and
across treacherous quicksanGs till we were
fairly across the Austrian frontier. Here
bsde goodby to my friendly guide and
scrambled along to the first railway town,
where 1 used what little money l had to
procure ticket to point as near Vienna az
possible. 1 got no further than Broad.
There l was at my wits end. The town was
full of starving Hebrews, who had fed from
Odessa. Suffering for food 1 went with
them up and down the streets asking for
bread. On the day on which took to pub
lie mendicancy an order had been issued to
arrest these pauper immigrants and to ship
them back to Odessa, another cowardly act
from crowned head, Franz Joseph.
THE DISGUISE DISCOVERED.
was seized with the rest and sent back.
AT the Odessa prison 1 was, with the others,
stripped and put through the bath. My
false beard and assumed complexion was re-
moved in the process. My photograph was
at once forwarded to st. Petersburg, and
was recognized as that of the wicked Nihi-
list who leaped from the train. Ny COM
plicity in the unhappy accident that kept
six months was never suspected, and all the
proofs of my personality as the assailant
were left behind in the bath.
was sent back to st. Petersburg, this |
time not only in a special car, but in |
special train. Surrounded by body of !
cavalry, I was conveyed to the Petro- |
Paulorsky Prison, whose cruelties any per- |
son having read the articles of Mr.. Kennan |
can sufficiently comprehend. I was taken |
at once before the governor of the prison and |
told to name those who had aided my escape. |
Of course / refused. I was then taken to |
my cell. When compared with the first |
cell previously described. this narrow room
was luxurious, The food, however, was the |
same, and the inspection. if possible, more
rigorous.
After six months further imprisonment,
no proof of any conspiracy or Nihilistic
knowledge being found, they read me par
don from the Czar. But what kind of a
pardon? was sentenced to lifelong ban
ishment from all Russian cities, to live in a
small town called Ponievez, in the Govern
ment of Kovno, to be there under constant
police surveillance. II the police demanded
that report to them every half hour during
the day was obliged to do it. All nv po-
litlcal and civil and nearly all my natural
rights, my entire property, or rather that
which 1 should have inherited, had been
confscatej. 1 had no redress for any injury
done to me. And yet my sentence was a
light one in comparison with my brothers.
His fate and my own killed our father with
grief. II had been 18 when arrested moth
ing could have saved me from the terrors of
Siberia.
THE CZAR'S LIBERAL-MINDEDNESs.
This was the mercy OF Alexander Ill,