The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-01-24
A DESPERATE PROTEST
account of q Hunger Strfk
In u Siberian prtson


In Siberian Prison.
"A lew days later-about the miadls
OF July-all the rest of the state crin;,
'ials were brought back to the political
prison at the Lower Dlggings. where
they were put into new and much
smaller cells that had been made nv
erecting partitions ia the original
kameras in such a manner as to divide
each OF them into thirds. The etfec,
OF this change was to crowd every
group OF seven or eight men into a
cen 0iiat was so nearly filled by the
sieeplng-platform as to leave no room
Tor locomotion. Two men could not
stand side by side in the narrow space
between the edge of the platform and
the WALL and the occupants of the cell
were therefore compelled to sit or lie
all DAY on the plank mares without oc-
cupatlon for either minds or bodies.
No other reply was made to their be-
titions ana remonstrances than a threat
rom Ahaiturin that if they did not
Keep quiet they would be fogged.
W LIN a view to intimidating them
Ahalturln even sent surgeon
10 make physical examina-
ZION OF one political. for the avowed
purpose OF ascertaining whether
his stage of health was such that he
could be logged without endangerino
his life. This was the last straw
Ihe wretched state criminals. de.
prlved of exercise living under ..dun-
geon conditions" poisoned by air
laden with the stencil of excremen f.
buckets. and finally threatened with
the whip when they complained,
could endure no more. They re-
solved 10 make that last desperate
protest against cruelty which is known
In Russian prisons as a -"godlodoflsa ~
Or 'hunger-strike". They sent no.
LITIGATION to Major Khalturin that
their life had finally become unen-
durable, that they preferred death to
such an existence, and that thew
should refuse to take food until thew
either persisted or forced the govern
ment to treat them with more humani-
ty. No attention was paid to their no
tlhcatlon. out from that m oment not a
mouthful Of the food that was sent into
their cells was touched. AS dav after
lay passed the stiffness of death
gradually settled down upon the
prison. The sta wing convicts, too
weak and apathetic even to talk to one
another, lay in rows, like dead mon.
upon the plank sleeping-platforms. and
the only sounds to be heard in the
building were the footsteps of the
sentries, and now and then the in
coherent mutterings of The insane. On
the fifth day of the ''golodofka" Major
khalturin, convinced that the hunger
strike was serious, came to the prison
Ind asked the cOnvicts to state definite
iy upon what terms they would discon-
tlnue their protest They replied that
the conditions of their life were I'M
bearable. and that they should con-
tinue their self-starvation until the
excrement- buckets were taken out of
their cells, until they were permitted
to have books and to exercise daily in
the open air, un il they were allowed
10 direct the expenditure of their
money for better food and better cloth
ing than were furnished by the Gov
ernment, and until he [Khalturin) gave
them solemn assurance that none of
them should De logged. The com
nandant told them that the
talk about fiogging was nom
sense; that there had never been any
serious intention of resorting to the
whip, and that. if they would end their
strike, he would see what could be
lone to improve the material condi-
lions of life. Not being able to get
any positive assurances that their de-
demands would be complied with, the
prisoners continued the ''golodofxa.
On the tenth day the state of affairs
become alarming. All of the starving
men were in the last stages of phys
ical prostration. and some of them
seemed to be near death. Count
Dmitri Tolstoi, the Minister of the In
terror, who had been apprised of the
situation. telegraphed the command
ant to keep a ''skorbnoi leest." or
"hospital sheet" setting forth the
symptoms and conditions of the strik-
ers, and to inform him promptly of
any marked change. Every day
thereafter feldsher. Or hospital stew
ard, went through the cells taking the
pulse and the temperature of the starry
ing men. On the thirteenth day of the
'.golodofka" Major Khalturin sent
word to the wives of all political con-
victs living at the Lower Diggings that
they might have an interview with
their husbands-the first in more than
two months-if they would try to per-
suade them to begin taking food. They
gladly assented, of course, to this con-
dition. and were admitted to the prison.
At the same time Khalturin went him
self to the starving men and assured
them. on his honor. that if they would
end the hunger-strike he would do ev-
cry thing in his power to satisfy their
demands. The entreaties of the
heart-brOken women and
the promises of the commandant final
" broke down the resolution of the
pOliticals, and on the thirteenth day
the first and most obstinate hunger
strike in the history of the Kara po-
itical prison came to an end. George
KEENAN, in Century.
Charity is paradox to the covet-
BUS. The doctrine that teaches aims,
Ind the person that needs them, are
oy such equally set at naught. Tell