The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-06
SIBERIAN CONVICT LIFE.
George KEENAN, Lectures on the
Horrors Of a Russian Penal
Settlement.
Mon and Women Who Rieked
Everything for q Breath OF
Liberty.
The Political Csnvicts In Penal servitude
on the Banks OF the Ust
Kara.

Mr.. George KEENAN, spoke for two hours
at Ming's opera house last night TO q large
audience. There was no lack OF interest IN
his words. In a sim pie narrative, without
rhetorical effect, he told OF the crueltiss,
wrongs and sufferings OF the exiles IN the
mines OF Kara in Eastern Siberia. When
he spoka OF the sufferings and death OF
beautiful and accomplished women who
once praced ths highest circles of Russian
society, and OF men who had risked every
thing they held dear for a taste Of liberty,
he aroused the feelings of everyone IN the
audience. This we'll known traveller and
writer is gifted with great descriptive pow
ers which enable him to picture incidents
of his travels which linger in the memory.
He briefly described at first the hard winter
Journey on horseback which he and Mr..
George A. Frost, Of Boston, made over the
mountaine for 600 miles to the convict mines
at Kara, 1900 miles east of 81.
Petersburg and about 1000 miles from the
Pac to. At times during the lecture the
intensity of his recollections seemed TO
overcome him. He described the Kara
penal establishment, and told under Wnac
great difficulties the acquaintance
was made of the free command. he re-
lated many incidents OF his stay at Kara,
where he was the guest OF the governor OF
the mines. Here lie was under a surveillance
| ma strict ss that maintained over the COLI
victs. His interview with Capt. Nikolm, in
| charge OF the political prisoners, and his
strategy in throwing that knowing officer
off his guard WAS an interesting picture.
But the most pathetic incident OF hls
stav at Kara was related when
he told of his visit at night to Miss Natalie
Armfsld, a political prisoner of beauty and
refinement who wore her life away in that
dreary penal colony on the banks OF the
Ust Kara. Mr.. KEENAN, came away from a
meeting of political ~convicts bearing letters
to relatives and friends. TO avoid a sus'
pected search at the hands of the prison
governor, whose guest he was, Mr.. kennan
was obliged to burn these misslves IN ordel
to save his friends in Russian governmental
circles, Possession of these letters 10 g
penal otfense. Much Of the information nc
had gained az to the plans of the prison
buildings and other details had been given
to him by prominent Russian officers
If the letters and papers ma
been found Kennan would nave bes1
banished from the empire, If not meeting
with a worse fate, and Russian friend
would have been sent to the mines for life
1t was q critical period, and had not Ken
nan taken the step he did it might hay
happened that his story, SO familiar TO TN
world, would never have been told.
After giving his interview with Capt
Nikolm, M. Kennan left the stage for
few minutes and returned dressed in tn
costume of one of the political conv1cts
which he had managed with great difficult
to smuggle across the Russian iron
tier. Iron leg letters ana nana'
the costume, He described the fortunes 81
perienced by the convicts. and said tina
leather guards have recently been supplle'
to prevent the excessive suffering cause
Il by the iron wearing INTO the flesh while O
the long march to Siberia.
At the close Mr.. KEENAN, spoke with grea
feeling as he described the celebration Q
American Independence on July 4, 1876, b
the political prisoners in the fortress at y
Petersburg. whom by most ingenious metn
DDS they had collected materials to max
small American flags which were hunR o.
the iron bars of their cell windows; whe
candles were illuninated in every cell AS a
illumination in honor Of American libert.
Mr., Kennan has received many tribute
but perhaps none are finer than this frol
the pen of one Of his friends: "Ihe anna
of the worlds history will scarce turnls
another instance where q man, sing
handed and alone, has so fearlesaly an
> faithfully exposed a gigantic wrong an
cruelty to the eyes of the whole work
Such work must bear fruition,. and
those now suffering uuder the CALLING an
> > deadly yoke OF Russian despotism reap :
. other benefit thar that already derive
from the sympathy and tenderness b
. slowed upon them by Mr.. KEENAN,. and b
8 faithful bearing of letters and messages
their loved ones at the risk of his own llf
others. perhaps, may be save
ful and, im~pregnable in her pri!
though she be, shall at length feel tt
weight Of indignation. scorn and contume
which the whole civilized world heaps ups
her for this crying shame and evil. 4
: = honor, then, to Mr.. KEENAN,, who, by, !
: untiring effort. has revealed the hldat
horrors Of Siberian exile. and who possess
not only the brave spirit and physical 81
:. durance which carried him successful
through an enterprise 30 environed WI
peril, together with Il heart which cou
suffer for and with the victims OF kusslf
tyranny, but who adds to these the pow
= to WELD a burning pen in their behalf, al
= the force and grace of an orator VINO @
f. hold a mighty audience %spsllbouni by b
words and bring ready tears to "eyes all u
j. used to weep.
''Small wonder that he won the hearts
those Sol rowing exiles. when MS poweriI
/. personal magnetism can thus sway /
hearers.
The secret lies in the fact that his who
soul is devoted to his work. and that t
!. feeling displayed by him is no weak sen
= mentality, but n strong mans strong en-
ton. wrong from the depths of his o'
heart. and finding ready response to tho
before him. No crusader of old, thou
d welding far different weapons, ever hat
more noble object, or fought With mt
knightly courage. and Boston to-day,
"a nroud to honor George Kenhan, end
him God speed in his glorious work"
q Mineral baths at Mineral Springs Ho