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

| have read MIR. henuan's admirable article
will know at once what it was, but did no
guess the cause for some time. Finally
| guessed that it was some plan of communi
cation from another prisoner, and such i
proved to be. need not repeat here wha
has been told so we'll elsewhere OF the mod
of talking BY taps There is in nearly ever,
cell in some obscure corner, observable onl,
| by the ewes of men who, like bats, hav
grown used to the darkness, a little plaI
scratched in the stone, if by nothing els
sometimes by broken tooth of prisoner
A PERFECT SIGNAL CODE.
In this plan the letters are so arranged
that by a combination of taps it is unneces
sary to tap % times for the twenty-thirC
letter. OF course, at first, before L discov
cred the compound method, my next-dool
neighbor tapped once for A, twice for B, anc
so oD. When once 1 had mastered thi.
method OF communication felt no Longer
alone. Tapping is forbidden, and the Gov
ernment knows that it exists, but the KEY o.
the tapping alphabet they have not yet dis.
covered, even through their spies. The wall
separating me from the next cell was the
wall behind my bed, so that, when lying on
the bed. could tap the wall away from the
door without being noticed by the gen.
darme.
One unhappy evening was discovered,
and the next day was sentenced for punish
ishment to confinement in one of the towers
In the four corners of the enclosure that
walled in the prison buildings. These tow
ers were designed not by men, but by devils.
Iron stairways surround them, on which
the sentries stand day and night. The tow
ers are circular and stand about so feet in
height. They contain from eight to ten
rooms. one on top OF the other. was led
out of my cell through the corridor, and
thence across the open courtyard. The
glare OF light was torment to my
darkness-dulled eyes, and I had to
close them. If the light was a torment,
however, the air was q cordial, and gave
me strength for what was to follow. 1
was conducted up the iron stairway to the
fourth cell from the ground. There was air
enough there, but if my first cell was small
this was a pill box. The heigh: was but
tour and a half feet, and it was not long
enough for me to lie at full length, and
am short man. The diet was bread and
water twice day. In this torturing den I
was kept three or four weeks, till lost my
senses from exhaustion. Some time previous
to this 1 had begun to spit blood from my
lungs. In spite of the pain of this place of
confinement, it was preferable to the mental
which had been confined. The window
was grated and painted white, but it did
admit light, and there was plenty of fresh
air.
TAKEN TO THE INFIRMARY.
From the tower 1 was taken, like corpse,
to the infrmary. The beds here were sepa-
rate and there was at least fresh air and bet
ter food. For breakfast there was white
bread and oatmeal, for dinner beef or some
other good meat. and for supper white
bread and tea. Sometimes articles were
sent to the sick prisoners by the charitable.
l fell heir to handkerchief with a coronet
sent by some noble woman who sympathized
with us. Of course it was taken from me
when left the prison, and there was some
excitement i'll guessing who the donor was
The physician who inspected us was per-
sonal acquaintance OF my fathers, and 1
saw the tears in his eyes when he came to
me. But he could do nothing for me, for
the physicians themselves are watched every
by the gendarmes. After two
weeks of hospital life L was sufficiently re-
covered to be taken before the authorities
for the 'olopros," or official examination,
and then for the first time learned the ma
ture of my crime.
was too weak to walk, and was carried
to the examination room. 1t was hung with
black, like the ball of the inquisition. Be-
hind the table covered with black sat the
General Of Police, the Minister of Justice,
he State Attorney and a secretary, with the
'protokols. I was carried to the prisoners
,age and made to stand while the charge
against me was read, though was merci-
ully allowed to sit when the questions were
asked. Two gendarmes, with revolvers
oaded, stood one on each side of me, and
'wo more guarded the entrance. Tine Gen.
,ral of Police asked the questions and the
attorney wrote down the answers.
FALSE TESTIMONY TO ESCAPE.
At first declaimed against the car and
lis government, but the pistol barrels
topped that. 1 was asked if belonged to
ny society, and the names of my friends
nd what they had IN view. 1 answered |
hat did belong to such society, and that |
IS intention was to kill the car and destroy |
he government. The names of my friends |
declined to disclose in St. Petersburg, but |
promised to 30 so at Odessa, where, said, |
need not fear assassination. All the Of |
icers rose when l told these lies, and prom |
sed me everything under heaven il would |
isclose then and there; but 1 stuck to my |
purpose. AT first they tried to make me |
Ign my testimony without reading it, but l |
eclined to sign till was shown all that /
lad been written, and then with great diff |
ulty, so weak was I, 1 signed my name.
This false testimony was part of a plan of |
Scape. In spite of constant watching, soli-
ary confinement and stone walls, l had |
Tord from nv friends, and my escape in all
is details was planned before had lett the
rison. Alter my examination, was taken
ack to the infrmary, and as it was sup
hat T 20 o5l u
government by betraying my friends was
ed ON the best of fare Roasted fowls and
ood wine came to my table instead of sour
CUP and black bread. 1 kept up an exhi-
ition OF sickness as long as possible in order
D receive the life-giving regimen, but at the
nd of three weeks was unable to sham any
0nger, and was pronounced we'll enough to
love. Since my examination had got back
~ own clothes, and it was in them without
ny chains that [ was put in a covered
rosky and taken to the railroad station.
DRUGGED THE GENDARMEs.
A squad OF cavalry surrounded the vehicle.
he station was cleared of people, and a
rowd collected on the outside, believing
nat had attempted to assassinate the car.
through a double file of gendarmes 1 was
to a special car on the express
ain. People in the crowd threw me
lgarettes but most of these were kept by my
yards. At last the train started and we
ere fairly on our way, the guards to Odessa
nd l to freedom.
In the carriage in the rear were two friends
mine. The escape had been arranged to
Ike place after leaving certain station. 1
as to be warned which by hearing at the
alton previous the name of the station
alled loudly, as II to some tourist, three
mes under my window. Finally the
gnal came, and at the next stopping
lace I was in tingle of excitement
he train stopped, and as usual at the
Irge stopping places one of my three