The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-02-16
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.FLOGGED TILL S,.<>7N,.
The True Story of the Killing Of
male Prisoners in Russia
Coming Out.
Tales of Suffering and Torture by
Officials Almost Too Hor-
rible for Belief
Bismarck and the Emperor Working TO-
gether in the Matter of the Work.
insmen's Congress.

ICopYish New York Associitcd Press 1901
LONDON, Feb. l5-Proyided with cable
dispatches Of introduction from George
KEENAN,. the celebrated Siberian traveller,
the London agent OF the Associated Press
called this morning on Sergius Stepniak,
the well known writer upon Russian poIiti-
cal and social conditions. StepniRk. when
asked whether be could give any inlorma-
tion in regard 10 outrages in the political
prison at Kara, in eastern Siberia, replied
that the reports already published gave
only hint OF the horrible ira
gedy enacted at Kara. Perfectly
trustworthy information, he said, had been
received i'll cipher letters that tell the story
only IN its main outlines. Full details
Of tho dreadful affair cannot be long
now in reaching the western world, coming
soon after the publicity given to the Ya-
ku,sk atrocity.
The facts 80 far received are as follows:
Madame Sigada did not commit suicide, as
the earliest reports stated. She died from
the effects of the cruel hogging TO which
she was subjected. The Aogging took place
Wednesday,, Nov. 6. II was continued un-
til, under the brutal blows the unhappy
victim lost consciousness and lay
MS one dead. The news Of her
shocking murder produced widespread
dismay and anguish among the female fell
low-prisoners, and three Of them, unable
longer TO bear their wretehed fate. COM
mitted suicide by poison. The names of
the women were Marie kaluyhuya, Maria
Paoloona karalefskaya, and Nedezhda
Sminithkaya. Marie kaluyhuya WAS ar
rested in 1884. a girl Of Is. ON the charge of
disloyalty. Every means was tried 20 extort
confession duplicating her friends, but
they were futile, until Col. katanski brought
her forged statement purporting 10 be
the confession of her fellow-cOnspirators.
and promising immunity. Marie fell into
the trap, confessed. and her confession WAS
used against friends, who were sentenced to
ponal servitude. When she learned the de-
ception she procured a revolver and trled TO
kill hatan3ki; for this she WAS sentenced 10
twenty years penal seryltude.
Maria Paoloona karnlefskaya was a young
married lady, about 70 years of age, of good
family. In 1871 she was sentenced 10 thir-
teen years penal seryitude. with exile 10
Siberia for life, for belonging TO the secret
circle. Her husband was sent n thousand
The SCI TarRtior drove her insane, and in
1881 she was allowed to join her husband in
the hope of restoring her reason. She re-
covered, but the government separated them
again. and she was returned 10 the Kara
mines.
Aedezhda Smirnithkaya was 80 years old.
and student IN the woman's college. She
was sentenced TO the Kara mines for fifteen
years, with penal seryitude.
tl.s n L..
women brother of Marie kaluyhuya, al
10 political prisoner, died suddenly. An
other exile named BotOloo committed
suicide, rather than submit 10 the cruel hu-
initiation and suffering of iiogging. The
hoCging of Madam Sigida occurred under
orders issued by Lieut..Gen. Baron koeff,
governor general OF the province of Amour,
IN which the karn prison IL situated. These
orders directed that the secret edict of
March, 1858, signed by GalkineyTaski, di-
rector general of prisons for the empire,
should be unhinchingly enforced. This
edict was TO the effect that political convicts
should be treated by prison officials in pre-
clsely the same manner us criminals con-
demned Tor common law ofeuses.
In what particular way Madame Sigida
tr1nsgressed the prison rules il not clearly
explained but the fogging OF sensitive,
cultured woman 10 death for any lack OF
conformity 10 prison regulations Stepniak
thought would impress the western world
with profound horror. Political prisoners
at Kara, Stopniak said, had in some way
learned that the political exiles imprisoned
at Saghalien had also been subjected to
a cruel logging. They were constantly in
dread OF similar torture to that inflicted
upon Mndame Sigida. Stepniak thought IL
not unlikely the publication OF the facts
would force the superior officials of Russia
to take some notice Of the affair, but hog-
ging and all other brutalitles were entirely
due 90 direct orders from the general gov
eminent at st. Petersburg.