Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18
CHAINED WITH CONvICTs.
A Newspaper Correspondent Describes Il
Flight of Jewish Exiles.

A Newspaper Correspondent Describes the
Flight of Jewish Exiles-
Moscow Correspondence London Daily News
telegraphed the fact Of my having seen
jews being expelled from Moscow in chains
but as the censorship has become SO strict
could not enter into details. / received in
formation that a convoy Of prisoners was
about to be dispatched at certain time from
the prison (peresceluya), and 1 accordingly
proceeded to the spot at the time indicated.
arrived at the small western door of the prison
az the invalids of the convoy were being
brought out and placed on three springless
carts. There were about eight or ten in each
cart (not Jews old men, old women and others
OF various ages, plainly in extreme debility.
They seemed utterly helpless and careless
and presented very sad sight. A few women
we're present. evidently interested in the fate OF
the prisoners. They carried bags and tins,
which saw at once were meant to be given to
some loved one in the convoy. noticed two
oflthese women particularly, the one u very
ladylike person Of middle age, with regular
features, telling that she was not Russian.
Her companion was mere girl of perhaps six
teen or seventeen, with an undout teddy Jewish
countenance.
My information was that there would be
either two or four Jews in tho convoy. for very
few now remain in the prison, the rest having
bearing and dress I should recognize them.
While was thus observing things around me
the procession OF prisoners began to defile from
the small door mentioned. They came two by
two, chained together by handouts. and closely
guarded by prison wardens. The prisoners
were Of both sexes, and varied in age appear
ance and dress. Some wore prison garments,
some wore their own clothes aud some the
convicts dress with the yellow diamond on the
back.
.. As the convoy passed the group of women
ton among them. The Russians calculated
prayers after their wont, the elderly lady and
girl became excited. Iscrutinized the prison
ers closely, being well stared at by them and
scowled at by the guard, but could detect no
jew. Features upon which vice and crime
and misfortune and misery were stamped in in
delible stains there were in plenty, but among
these l noticed no Jewish face. Just as the
rear was coming up, and in the
fifth row from the last, I noticed two
handsome open countenances. These were
what was in search of. There could not be a
moments hesitation. Here we're two Jews. The
one was a stalwart. elderly man, with beard
and ruddy tree, on whom prison life had been
able to do little hurt. The other was likewise
tall, with short black beard whiskers, and more
pronounced Jewish features. The two Jews
were chained together. Probably they are to
be sent to the same neighborhood.
As expected, the lady and girl were looking
for these two prisoners, like myself, and at
tempted to pass the bags with the little new
kettles and pannikins to their relatives or
friends. The nearest ,warder, seeing the at
tempt, shouted ''Neelza," or THAT is not
allowed" and raising his drawn sword as
if to strike the girl, who was in front of
her companion. Falling back with a sigh,
the girl seemed not to despair, but to
hope for another chance, with that
indomitable perseverance so characteristic
nf he ftarw ard af no
ton l saw the same pair engaged on the same
merciful errand, but whether they succeeded
or not do not know. l could not help them
but only might hava compromised them with
the authorities by inquiries. After travelling
by railway to one of the western provinces
within the pale the Jewish prisoners
will be marched on, presumably, they
mt the moment l WRITE in chains, to
the destination assigned them. The names
OF these two Jews l could get il it were neces-
sary. and know that they are not charged
with any offense, but are merely being sent
away by the cars ukase, and not having
money enough to pay their railway expenses,
or. more probably, having given over TO their
dear ones the money they possessed, they are
ANONYMOUSLY herded with criminals, and
chained like them.
l once thought Of taking camera to photo
graph them, but do not think the evidence So
obtained would be stronger than that now
given. 1t IL not easy to photograph particular
individuals in a crowd in motion, nor can it
be done without exciting notice. As l was
three times warned by the sentry that it was
not allowed ITO look" as he put it, probably
should have been expelled like Jew il had
been caught photOgraphing what the Russians
consider is a private affair of their own. Hav-
ing seen what l have recorded, no honorable
person can dispute the evidence. l have only
seen two, that Is true. but had l been admitted
into the secret of what was going on earlier
should have seen many.