The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-12-29
BRIDES FORCED FROM THE NEEDY,
Exception Among the Ofiicial' of the
Cars Domain-wre;ched Apollo
giles for Food Sent to the Starv-
ins-Poor wretches Horr;-
big Maitre atcd.

LONDON, Dec. 2f-Reports of the merci-
less reprcssion Of ouJlawrE IN the kCssiau
famine district are continually being re-
ceived a st. Petersburg, according 10 the
Telegraph. The civil aut .oT!tIeS do not
depend upon themselves alone to put down
brigandage and other lawicSs acts, but
upon the mereSt preteXt they call upon
the military with the intention OF over
awning the people.
Three men were convicted OF robbery at
Simbersk, capital OF the government Of
that name, and condemned to the knOut.
So well did the official ply his dreadful
weapon that the poor wrciches who had
probably stolen only to keep life died IN
der the lash. a man who was detected
stealing few turnips was sentenced 10
penal scrvitude for life.
The officers of many regiments have
foregonc their usual regimental banquetS
in order to devote the money to relief and
the members of the order OF st. George
upon the occasion of that saints day did
the same, while other large sums have
been turned over 20 the relief committee,
but the distress has not touched tie hearts
Of the rich merchants of st. Pete burg
aud they refuse TO subscribe anything Tor
relief The collection boxes about .he
corn exchange were found when removed
10 be filed with bits of tin and pieces OF
paper.
In numerous cases dealers after receiv-
ing exhorbitant prices for their gram sent
20 the famine stricken provinces bags, the
contents of which were mostly grass, sand
and bran. A limited quantity OF Inaize
was placed in each after il had been thor
oughly soaked in water TO increase its
bulk These bags caught fire through
spoutaneous combustion While er:cute TO
their destination and most OF them were
DESTROYED. Enough were left, however,
10 reveal the swindle the dealers intended
10 perpetrate on the buyers of the grain
The correspondent says that corruption
IS widespread among the officials and that
they are little affected by the sights OF
. distress, sickness and death which are
visible on every hand. Many town OH
eials. he says, refuse to enroll the starving
peasants on the relief list unless they first
pay bride to them at the rate OF ter
copecks for every pood of rye given.
Petitions to the provincial assemblies
and the government asking that the dram
sbops be closed and that the sale of vodka
the national drink, be forbidden, have
ayailed nothing During the fiscal yea
of 1891 the taxes on spirits in Russi'
amounted to 259, Al, 500 roubles. A grea
portion OF this revenue was derived from
vodka, enormous quantities OF which an
drunk throughout the country, and tn
granting Of the petition above mentioned
was refused on the ground that by closinI
the dramshops aad forbidding the sale o
vodka the revenue accruisg from thi
source would be reduced to too great ez
tent
fbArs has been an enormous falling OF
in the government revenues from tn
famine stricken provinces In the prov
ince of veroneh alone the deficit t9r oel
TENDER was 5000 roubles, for October
was SOC. 900 roubles and for November
was l, OO0, 900 roubles. 1t is calculated tha
BY the end of December the arrears wi
reach 3, O. o 600 roubles. Similar condition
prevail in the other provinces affected an
the prospects are just as gloomy In
passport, labor and other restricting law
have been removed so as to enable tn
peasants to migrate.