Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-19
IN A RUSSIAN PRISON,
A SUSPECTS ACCOUNT OF HIS
FIRST DAY IN A FILTHY CELL.


Passed in the Jails of Russia.
l was taken into one of the little courts,
in which Wee four cells, each with room
! for ten persons. The sleeping berths were
| for ten persons, but the space between these
| berthS and the wall was so narrow as to
make it difficult for all the ten to walk at
once. Several of them generally sit or lie
on the berths. All the cells were open,
and the prisoners were in the court: some
were mendiLg their ragged clothing. some
| knitting stockings some merely lying or
sitting in the sun; most Of them, however,
were employed in destroying parasites in
their hair or clothing.
Several persons surrounded me and asked
who | was, how long [ was to stay, and
where I was going. No one inquired why l
was in prison; that question is considered
impolte in prison society. After having
satisfied the curiosity of the questioners,
most of whom were in chains and were to
be transported to Siberia, I was taken
into cell, where vacant place was shown
me on a sleeping berth an ell wide, with a
| dirty pillow stuffed with straw and no
mattress or blanket, for both of which the
| prisoners cloak serves.
| The prisoner who showed me nv place
| was the elder of the ward" (starosta): he
was very amiable to me, and recommended
! one berth, remarklng that. There's plenty
OF room here, there are only ten of US; in
| all the other cells there are fifteen; that's
why put you here" The fact is, that the
/ elder was building hopes on me; he had
noticed that | wore spectacles, and had
therefore concluded that must be ''gent-
| leman." and, of course must know how to
| write, and he was just then very anxious
to write petition.
| |, of course consented, and asked him to
explain to me his business He began an
| account, from which my attention was dis
tracted by a sudden sensation OF burning
all over. cob! Is it they?" he asked,
breaking off. 'They?" repeated, wonder
ing. He nodded; my experience was fami-
liar to him. 'Never mind" he said con-
solingly; they only bite so furiously just
at first you won't feel them after Bit"
ALIVE WITH YERMIN.
tore off my cloak; my shirt was liter
ally covered with vermin. They were in
| such swarms that l stood horror stricken;
it seemed to me that must die from them.
My new friend, still trying to console me,
helped me off with my shirt, and we went
out into the court Laying down the cloak
in the hot sunshine to get warm, we en-
ployed ourselves in clearing the shirt of
yermin. Before laying the cloak on the
ground the elder held it up for me to look
at, and it seemed to me to be almost free
from insects. But after few minutes he
called my attention to it again.
The vermin hidden in the coarse canvas
texture had come out to the heat. 1t was
only then that | understood in what con-
dition the clothing was that had been given
me. | drew back with the bitter convic-
ton that it was useless to struggle against
such endless legions. But my instructor
assured that there was no need to despair,
that | must have patience, and that, by
working at it eighteen hours a day. one
could get rid of great many in two days.
/ There was nothing for it but to follow his
advice; not that | had any hope of success,
but rather from sheer desperation. But
we had not long to sit in the court. At Z
p. m. our names were called over, and we
were locked up in the cell. We lighted
some tiny lamps. filed with grease, and
went on with our work.
Some had contrived to get hold of a pack
of cards, and spent the time in playing,
though with frequent Interruptions, as at
any moment the sentinel might look in
and catch the gamblers in the act, which
would have resulted in a search and the
confiscation of the cards. One of the pris-
OnerS, therefore, stood admiring the beau
ties of the darkness, acting meanwhile as
scout, and gave notice with Il movement of
his foot every time the sentinel approached
Then instantly all the gamblers would put
on the most innocent air and occupy them
selves in some other way. At 5 a. m. we
were let out. l had not slept at all nor OBJ
tanned one moments relief from the tor
ment of the vermin.
REPULSIVE GARMENT
The prisoners crowded round the well
and drank. Some took off their clothing
and washed it, remaining naked while
they did so. The morning chilliness was
still in the air. 1 and my new friend re-
sumed our toll of the day before. He was
evidently well accustomed to the work,
and looked compassionately upon my ig-
norance and clumsiness. ''You don't bit
know how to manage; you look half afraid
OF them. You shouldn't go at it SO gin
gerlyl know whose cloak that is" he
went on. GA fortnight ago there was
fellow here, Jack FOOL we used to call
him; quite a natural one, you know.
'He was always soft IN his head; and then
he was i'll, too; just all over wounds and
sores from head to foot. Well, there he'd
lie, and of course he got all over these
creatures; he never tried to get rid of them
Of course decent fellow wouldn't let his
cloak get into that state, but the fool didn't
care-not he: he didn't seem to have any
feeling, somehow"
On learning the biography of my cloak
appealed to him in horror to know whether
l could not possibly get it changed for an
other. He at first maintained that it was
quite needless, that he could get rid of the
vermin, that one could not catch diseases
from clothes. etc, but he failed to convince
me. "Of course" he remarked at last,
zone can get it changed; it'll cost a lot, but
it can be done; here sir, anything can be
got for money. Why, not only clean things,
you can have spirits, playing cards, paper,
pens and ink-anything you like"
My cloak was changed that day. Pris-
oners are not allowed to have money in
their possession, but prisoner who has
! money to his account in the Office can buy
things in the prison shop by order.
The dealer, like banker, cashes your
order, though in goods instead of money,
and takes 20 per cent. himself for trouble
and risk.
That evening felt far less miserable, in
consequence of clean cloak.-Free Russia
a QUEER CASE OF CATALEPSY.