The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-08-08
NRUSSTiN COSSACKS.
AWLESS MEN WHO COMPOSE THE
CIAR'S BODY GUARD.

AsNf 0OFhNGs
Devoted and t,,principied without Dread
or APPreoiatioe Of Danger-Granted I'm
mnnity from Punishment for All Crimes
Except Cold BIoo0ed Murder.
| see here and at st, petersburg only few
soldiers III the streets, am the dashino Cos
sacks riding like mad on horseback are the
life OF the military for the winter The Cos
sacks are the life guards of tie car, and are
the most interesting of the maay characters
IN this strange country.
genuine Cossack has no more Appreciation
or dread of danger than he has of his vodka.
terrible rum, which he drinks ike water
and which makes intoxication at sight He
was the original soldier of Russia, the patron
detective and the prime spirit in making re-
publican institutions what they are He is
devoted to the car, and for his devotion has
been knighted in the highest degree. The
acme of the Russian soldier is to become as
soclated with the service of the crown and to
lbe located about the palace When a soldier
sNs stationed in the vicinity of the palace and
1t becomes known that he has been recognized
by the car, his reputation has reached the
zenith, and he instantly becomes the admira-
ton Of the entire people To get a promo
ton en- suite-that is, into the direct service
of the czar-is to acquire the highest honor a
million Russian soldiers aspire to.
In all the wars Russia has fought from her
organization the Cossacks have figured most
conspicuously They especially did the
bloody work when Napoleon came over from
France in 1912 and attempted to conquer the
empire. The great French general found his
men falling like hail when he was unable to
fpil no f1a IL
shelter. 1t was continuous bushwhacking till
the retreat began, when the Cossacks rode out
10000 on horseback and shot down in cold
blood almost twice their number in Napoleons
ranks. For centuries these people have been
the predominant inhabitants on both sides of
the Volga, and the first to take up arms in all
the Crimea against intruders. Nearly half a
= century ago the car rewarded the tribe by
Rmaking all Cossacks in his service his special
life guard. Altogether the most brutal and
ignorant, the Cossacl1 is thus given the most
conspicuous position in all this great army.
Whenever you see Alexander III YOU see a
swarm of Cossacks about him, riding over
pedestrians, slashing their sabers in the air,
and holding high and arbitrary authority
They have complete privilege and exercise it
to the fullest extent
IMMUNITY AGAINST PUNISHMENT.
Cossack soldier is granted complete inn
munity against punishment for all but the
highest crime, which is murder in cold blood
If he wantonly murders an innocent and un-
offending citizen or companion he is court
martialed and probably imprisoned for three
or six months but it is extremely difficult to
convict him when once arrested. He is fur
nished horse, clothing and rations when
stationed in a city, but he is given no salary,
and rations only when he cannot forage.
About one-fourth of them are supplied by
the hands of the car, while nearly 10000 of
them are privileged to go about the country
and in the name of the car pillage and plum
der They hold up strangers, commit burg
larry sometimes and demand at the hands of
the people the best there is to live upon. 1t
&is useless to make complaints of their depre-
~dations, as they are legalized. The people
have to keep the car and guard his life;
they must protect him and all his interests,
and he holds that they may just as well do
some of their acts for the empires preserva-
ton directly, by maintaining band Of ma
rauders, as to do it indirectly through the
channel of the treasury.
1t does not follow that because a soldier is
life guard he must be at the side of the one
he is employed to protect. His field is i'll any
spot he can locate effort to injure the empire
or it's car. He is a secret or public detec-
tive, or a soldier according to his purposes
OF desires, He goes about, when not under
direct orders, in the uniform of soldier or
the dress of civilian. AT st. Petersburg,
not many days ago, | saw Cossack in pri-
vate citizens dress on the street, walking in
hot haste He wore long ulster, buttoned
up to the chin. He was in the role of a de-
tective In a little group of men he espied
his game-a slender youth. Hastily unbut-
toning his great coat he drew forth bugle.
A single, short call, and at his side We're
three or four of the fiercest looking Cossack
soldiers 1 ever saw. They came i'll twink
ling, wore coats of mail, caps, and at their
sides and in their belts were pistols, knives
and maces sufficient to start band of Texas
highwaymen. The arrest was not resisted,
and the display seemed entirely unnecessary.
Moscow Cor, Kansas City Times.
Cruelty to Children in Iondon