Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-14
coURlERs TO THE GAR.
Results Attending Such an Appointment ot
 Three Americans In Siberia

clate the autocratic power of the czar of Russia" a young United States naval officer said recently. "His word must
 be obeyedl His name commands re. spect in his dominion. He is never mentioned but in reverence by the faith. ful, or in whisper by those who would oppose him. There is no open denun- citation of him. His acts are never crit icised, or if so, no one is aware of it ex- cept as it results in Siberian excur- sion. His most insignificant desire is never controverted by the officials of his country"
 The speaker was one of three lieuten. ants of the United States navy who few years ago returned to America from the Japan station overland through Si- beria and thence by regular avenues of travel to New York.
 ''We had unusual facilities for making the journey" continued the officer Our government communicated with the Russian minister at Washington, he with his home office, and eventually Baron Struvi, then Russian minister to Japan, was notified. Our passports were inspected and countersigned by the baron, who in addition gave us sev- eral personal and open letters to be used 1 along the route. As we were leaving 1 the baron's office he called us back. He scented to deliberate for a moment, and then said: 'Gentlenen, there is one more document 1 can give you. You
 must treat it with respect. Never use
 it but in case of absolute necessity. If l possible don't use it at all. Never pre-
 sent it but as a last resort, and then, if 1 possible, to the highest official of the
 Russian government that is at hand
 "The baron left the room. Presently
 he returned and handed us sealed doe
 ument It bore no superscription. As
 he gave it to us he said: I am not at
 liberty to disclose the nature of this
 document. You may never use it. So far
 as am aware no foreigner has ever | possessed the like. You are Americans:
 our governments have always been l friendly; you are granted an unusual | privilege; respect my injunctions.'
 ''We thanked the baron, promised to | follow out his instructions and retired.
 As we proceeded on our trip we often 1 discussed the nature of the document.
 Sometimes we jolled about it. We had
 no occasion to use it early in our trip,
 for our passports and letters were
 everywhere treated with the greatest
 respect. Our journey was about three I
 we arrived at a post station, all of which
 in Siberia are under military control.
 On calling for change of horses we
 were informed that we could secure
 none that evening; moreover, we were
 told that it might be several days or a
 week before we could leave the post
 We inquired the reason and received an
 evasive answer. There was horse
 disease or something of that sort, they
 said. We knew it to be false, for the
 horses were all in good condition. We
 protested-the conversation was in
 French-but we could gain no satisfac-
 tion. The official smiled in a provoking
 manner. We finally bethought our
 selves of our mysterious document and
 resolved to present it to the military
 governor of the post, whose residence
 had been pointed out to us.
 "We called for our luggage and ar rayed ourselves in the showy full dress
 of q United States naval officcr-cocked hat, dress coat, gold lace and epaulets and sword. We took our credentials and the mysterious document and filed
 up to the governors house. We re- solved to try the ordinary means first,
 so as to learn the full efficacy of the : missive we carried. I confess I was curious about the thing. The governor
 treated us with the marked courtesy o1 a Russian military officer. He, too
 conversed in French. He told us it was , impossible to leave the post, but he gave us no reason for the detention , We had arranged beforehand a plan ot , procedure. So we put our heads to
 gether and talked and gesticulated 1T , English, of which the Russian was ig r norant. Finally, in dramatic manner a I pulled out the unknown document and handed it to him. He broke tho
 seal and glanced at the contents.
 The poor man turned pale, his leg. a trcmbled. He was so agitated he could v scarcely speak. Why did you not pre- sent that before? he said. You would a have experienced no difficulty then l. Now I am liable to severe punishment. : ''Wo had seen many strange sight! a and had passed through many strange a adventures on that Siberian trip" con n tinucd the speaker, "but the consterna V frightened me.
 1 "'Do you know the nature of thi. d document?' he said to us. He had evi ,- dcntly noticed our wonderment at tn, !, dcnoucment.
 We confessed that we were ignor l. mt. Why, gentlemen he said, 'tha IF document isyour appointment as specia if couricrs to the czar. Armed with sucl , document the Russian who detain "a you, who refuses to succor you in tim l. of need or who places any obstacles il , your way, is liable to the severes . punishment-trial before @ militar. ., tribunal-and death if found guilty :4 "The governor then explained tn ~ reason for our detention. Some exile
 political convicts had just escaped fror ts the neighboring settlement and wer Is ranging over the territory beyond us le The governor feared that traveller D, might be murdered, and that with pass f. ports and different clothing the convict ,a might escape. He accompanied us