The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-19

I
IN the sides OF the mines, aud closed by
barred doors. where eight or ten prisoners
slept on the bare, icy cold floor. They were
not even able 70 keep each other warm, as
the wheeloarrows. which were chained to
| them night and day, prevented them.
The only thing that the prison granted
the condemned men was the compassion OF
the women. Now saw what self-sacrifice
woman Is capable of. One woman shared
the weight Of comrades heavy wheslbar-
row. She chung to the weak, forsaken man.
embraced him with her numbed arms and
warmed the poor wresrh with her kisses
! and tears. A few hours ago she had been a
pitiable beRgar; now she was a generous
souled prin cess. "
Once some of the prisoners tried to es-
caps. Jaksskoff writes.
"BaikalJetf informed me that several
were preparing to fly, and that he would 90
with them. did not feel strong enough for
the journey, and decided, with unspeaksble
agony OF mind to remain. Baiksljeff took
my memoirs, which we're hidden in a hol-
low cave. and swore that IL he got free he
would see that they reached the hands of
my wlte or my parents, but il this were not
possible that he would try to get them pub
lished.
The troop Of fugitives intended to set out
In the night OF May 3, 1884. On this day
the guards Of the mine had every year a
great cArouse, which lasted all night. Pris-
oners who have lived many years in the
mines relate that on such occasion the
guards got completely dru NIX, and that the
mine Is then generally unguarded.
The plan was for the fugitives not to
leave the mine by che opening by which we
entered, but by the lower cave of the third
gallery, where the water which flowed out
into the open reached to the hips, and where
OF late nobody went, and nobody was on
guard. left Baikaljetf, agreeing that at a
given signal l would get up and with two
OF the men in my cell accompany the flu
gltlves as far as the cave.
wi hen the hour for rest had arrived the
only member of the guard who remained
behind was surprised in his sleep, bound
gagged and locked in an untenanted cave
wnereupon the prisoners crept cautiously TO
the lower shaft In stiffness like that Of
the grave was heard only the cautious slid
ing OF feet, the creaking of one or two
wheelbarrows which could not be loosened
and the rattling Of chains. l sought Bal
kalJef among the tugItives, but could not
md him. Meanwhile we had gained the
lower opening.
From the star-spangled heavens two sill,
YER rays of the moon pierced the cave. and
trembled on the dirty water flowing out
therefrom. We softly whispered our fare
wells, and they went into the water. For
short time | could see their bodies above its
and at last vanished altogether. rerraced
my steps. OF my two companions only one
remained the other, evidently overcome by
longing for freedom, had gone with the
tugitlves. With heavy heart we returned
to our cave.
deep stiffness reigned throughout the
lower gallery, as if nothing bad happened
and when l returned to my resting place
felt as II were surrounded by death. Be-
sides us two there was not a soul in our cave
All had fled. prayed and sobbed, but at
last was overcome by sleep. / awoke on
bearing the shout Of a harsh, rude voice cry
ing out to us.
II staggered to my feet and saluted but
the guard received me with blows. The
other prisoners were also dragged forth
from their caves and logged. On bending
down saw Baikeljeff, who, as he told me
atterWard. had oversight himself and re-
manned. A little further off lay the dead
body OF the night guard. The unfortunate
man had died of suffocation from the gag.
For three days we were made to suffer
cruel fortunes because we had not prevented
the fight. On the fourth day an unusual noise
was heard in the gallery. And then we
saw q number of guards driving before
them the fugltives, who had been recaptured
and logged until they bled. A fearful fate
awaited them. Even the women had all
the clothes torn off their backs.
EdCn one was pound 10 a thick board so
that they could not move, and thrashed
with leaden weighted knouts till the blood
spurted, and they were incapable of utter-
ance. This scene was enacted every day
for several days, and we were OBJ iged to
stand by and see it done, the guards shout
ing to US: Only try to escape and tue same
thing will happen TO YOU
"Of those who fed not one is living. Not
one was able to endure the torture longer
than five days. Many died at the first lew
strokes and to-day the last four have been
released from their agonies"
The c0nvicts always lived under ground
they we're never led into the air. Those
who died we're pushed into some unused
gallery. A decree of the summer of 1884
ordered that the prisoners should be taken
out for an airing from time to time, aud
that only the worst cases were to be
kept in the mine at night. The others were
to live in a prison built outside.
But even after this the condition Of the con
victs was not much better. The heavy work
and brutal treatment remained. The women
who had followed their husbands into exile
were not safe from the persecution of the
mining officials. Suicides Of every descrip-
ton released many of the unfortunate peo-
pie from their sufferings.
And Jeksakoff-who, although only 80.
had meanwhile become gray-says in his
last letter that it is better to be placed on
the rack than to share such fate When
Jsksakoff was arrested he was not nihilist,
but that he became one by what he saw and
suffered is clearly seen in the numerous re-
| Elections scattered through his letter.