Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-05-17
sAReARous SLAUGHTER.


weiI-Aatlssntieated Particulars Of the Hs.
cent Massacre OF Russian Exile.-
George kennan. of Siberian fame. has \
received letter from Siberian exile |
which was covered with postmarks and I
addresses, and which had evidently 4
travelled eircuitous route TO reach him. I
IL comprised eighty-six pages OF micro
~copic chirography. only part of which
he has vet deciphered. but enough to
prove Ia his satisfaction that the rumorcd
massacre of exiles by Russian soldiers
at lakutsk Is an indisputable fact
They had arrived at Yakutsk and were
preparing for the last and most terrible
stage of their journey Time and a Ger
tain amount OF official clemcncy had.
however, softened the rignrs OF the way
In some degree, when suddenly decree
of the new Nice-tiovernor Ostashine.
was issued. increasing the difficulties
and the hariships of the journey to an
intolerable extent The essence OF the
decree was that II made II almost inn
possible for the exiles to buy beforehand
sufficient provisions and comfort for the
journey, in the course of which no inns
or other human habitaiions are met
with, nor any means OF replenishing the
travellers store Consequently, the ex-
lies sent a joint petition requesting tho
Nice-tioyernor to return to the old sys-
tenn. But in order To present their Pc
tition. the exiies had been in a body TO
the provincial administration. and this
alarmed the Nice-tioyernOr, who ordered
them to repair next day TO the house OF
Nj. Notkine, a brother exile. where they
would receive their answer Then
followed the almost incredible part
of the story. An officer Of police, ono
olessoff. went To Notkine's house and
hade the exiles follow him TO the ad.
ministration. They cried out that that
was what they had been forbidden &c
10; on which he departed in a rage, to
return in a few minutes with detach.
ment Of some seventy soldiers and DO
I Ice. As though expecting resistance.
the soldiers broke down the door. sur
/ rounded the house and roughly ordered
the prisoners TO go with them to the po.
lice bureau. When the exiles protested
z that they would go OF their own free
will. the soldiers struck them with the
butt end of their rifles. What followed
~ somewhat obscure: but from one side
or the other some shots were fired II
IL possible that these may have comt
from the exilcs, many OF whom. when
IN these parts OF Siberia. are allowed to
carry revolvers as protection against
wolves At all events, the first dis
charge was the signal for fearful re-
prisals. Many Of the exiles were shot
down. Sophie Gourewitz was ''ripped
anon hr hu Tho "A
Nagcif tried to stop the massacre. but
the Nice-t'oycrnor. coming up at the
time, fired twice at one OF the exiles.
and the soldiers encouraged by this ex-
ample went on with their bloody work
The exile Rotoif. wounded by this man
returned his shot and wounded the Vice
Governor. In the end. when the mas
sacre ceased, IL was found that six eN-
lies had been killed and nine wounded
that one policeman had been killed and
three officials wounded. More. how
ever, was 10 follow. Not satisfied with
the butchery the higher authorities de.
termined that something more must be
done TO yindicate themselves. osta-
thime, whose wound seems to have in
furiated him, demanded "a court.martial.
on the ground that the presentation Of
thirty petitions at one time constituted
an act of insuYrection; and the Governor
II Eastern Siberia General Igaatieff,
brother OF the famous diplomatist. or
dered the canrt-martial to be held II
was asserted and sworn that several of
the prisoners had resisted the authori-
ties: that some of them had fired. and
that was enough. The court, presided
over by a sub-lieutenant, found every
body. except one person, guilty. Three
were sentenced to death and many 9TH
ers To long terms of penal servitnde.
The three men were hanged soon after
ward, one of -Bernstein-who
had been wounded by four bullets, be.
ing carried to the gallows in his bed