Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-04-18
sTEPNIAk,s ADVENTURES.
The Russian Revolutionist Tells q Thrilling
story OF His First Arrest,

The Russian Revolutionist Tells a Thrilling
story of His First Arrest.
Sergius Stepnialx, the Russian revo-
lutionary leader, tells some thrilling
stories OF his experience as q Nihilist.
Among the more interesting of these
was that of his first arrest.
With n companion he was found at
work among the peasants, teaching
them his unlawful ideas, and making
friends as well as converts. Four po-
hcemen took them to a village on the
way to prison set apart for political
Offenders, and stopped there for the
night. Then came friends from among
the peasants bringing many bottles of
Russian brandy to the police, SO that
by midnight each officer was dead drunk
and the prisoners were free TO
run. They did run, hoping to reach
n larger place some distance away,
and there get horses to carry them to a
railroad station. They undertook to
cross swamp to save distance. 1t was
a freezing night, but the ice was in
places too thin to bear their weight, so
that they frequently fell into the water
waist deep, and their clothing became
stiff with ice.
Worse than all they lost their way,
and after two and half hours came out
on highway but half an hours walk
from the place they had escaped from.
1t was now so near daylight that horses
must be procured or capture was
inevitable, and yet they feared that if
they applied for help in this village they
| would find some one who would rec
! ognize them.
There was no help for it, however,
and they at once went to house where
a light was seen. A party enjoying a
dance was found there. They walked
in and the first man they met was a con-
stable from the other village, who had
seen them under arrest. He looked ut
them suspiciously, but Stepniak walked
up and greeted him enthusiastically.
But l saw you under arrest yester-
day" said the constable.
Certainly, but it was all q mistake.
An order came from the government
ordering our release. Here is the order.
We want horses" and Stepniak pulled
out copy of a song he had made, trust
ing that the constable was iliterate,
and SO he was; but he was SHARP
enough to demand that the escaped
prisoners go to the village clerk, who
could read.
AZ ILLS Slcpnldk ana MS 1rlenO De-
termined to fight rather than be re-
captured, but before there was neces-
sity for that girl said the clerk had
gone to wedding. This was good
news, for he was sure to be drunk,
and SO away they went, found
him so, and then, having passed
his stupid scrutiny, they mounted horses
and fed to railroad station much fur
Their away than they needed to have
gone. There, instead of taking train
that would carry them further away,
they took train that carried them back
near the scene of their escape-they
doubled on their track. At one station
| they saw crowd of officers watching
for them, but no search was made in the
cars, and they reached Moscow and
friends in safety.
AS described by Stepnialz, the life Of
a political outlaw is one Of thrilling ex.
element until he is captured; then he
is executed, commits suicide, becomes
insane, or quickly dies of hardships in
prison or exile in Siberia.-Chicagc
Journal.