Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-01-18
KEENAN, ENTHRTAINS
BY HIS INTERESTING TALK on TaE CONVICT
LIFE OF SIBERIA.
Graphic Descriptions of The Wild and Picturesque
COunry-Scenss in Some Of the Jails-Ths
Torturas They Undergo Some
Things he Saw and Heard.

Inc WeaLneF Ol ldSb cNeuluB eVouOu
particularly appropriate for lecture
on "Siberia," as one instinctively asso-
ciates the name with almost the foun-
tain head of GOODNESS. 1t still further
seemed appropriate by reason OF GER
tain chilliness that pervaded the at
mosphere in the interior of the Opera
House, and as one lady remarked, 81
guess Mr.. Kennan must have brought
some Siberian weather along with him
to illustrate the lecture"
Certain it was quite uncom-
Portable in the Opera House last
night, but the reporter was informed
that all the machinery was running full
blast, but that the facilities were simply
inadequate TO cope with such unusually
cold weather. IL was quite cold at the
Opera House the night before, and many
people of inQuiring minds have been
exercising them.
An audience Of some three hundred
people listened attentively for over two
hours last night to that celebrated lee
turer, George KEENAN,. Unfortunately
the train upon which he came from
Washington, d. c., was some two hours
late, and he arrived in town just in time
to arrange for the stage, lecturing with
out any supper 1t was distiuctively
literary audience, and included in the
assemblage were many Of the most
prominent people in the city. The lect-
ure was given under the auspices Of
the Wheeling Press Club. The lecturer
was introduced to the audience by Rev.
w. h. Cooke, d. d., pastor OF the Sec
ond Presbyterian church.
Mr.. KEENAN, started out by giving q
graphic description of that country,
picturing the wild and picturesque
scenes, the bride paths through which
one must traverse and the scenes Of
desolation on all sides, as well as the
pecuiaritles OF the climate. He spoke
particularly of the sinuous paths along
the mountains, icy, slippery and
treacherous. at the mining settlement
where he stopped it was 1000 miles
from ST.. Petersburg, and such a des-
oate scene! 1t resembled somewhat
an abandoned gold plaza in the most
desolate part of the Black Hills Here
it was that we found a brave band of
convicts working. We started TO find
shelter for ourselves, but we learned
that there were no boarding houses
there. Our only alternative was 10 take
shelter along with burglars, counter
letters and murderers, all under the
same roof, and under police surveillance.
My friend, who by the way was an
/ artist from Boston, and myself accepted
even this hospitality, that we might
better gain an insight into the work
ings of the convict system.
Mr.. KEENAN, then gave picture OF a
Siberian convict prison. He said they
were built on low, marshy ground, and
the one I have in mind was erected
nearly q century ago. II has the ap-
pearance of long, low, horse-car stable
two sides being formed by walks, ana
the ends by stockades. One has little
conception of the filth that prevails in
these places. The corridors are long
and low, and the floor is so encrusted
with filth that broom would have lit
tie effect upon it. The air inside is
damp, and saturated with foul odors.
| looked into one OF the cells. 1t was
20 feet square, and about.7 feet high,
and huddled together in this COM
partment were twenty-nine prisoners.
| They slept on rough boards, and
there was absolutely no furniture in
the room. There were two windows
that could not be opened, as they were
stationary, and there was no way to
get any fresh air. With all these con-
| victs tucked away In this place ca =
| man had about as much air as would be
| contained i'm d dry goods box five feet
| square and five feet high. The air was
unbearably foul, and ! well recall what
a sigh Of relief l gave when / stepped
back into the corridor, foul and vitiated
as that seemed when l first entered
| the prison. In the matter
| of placing the criminals in
the jail there seems to be no distinction
Murderers, burglars and just merely
| political convictS all get the same ac-
commodatons, except perhaps there
are not so many of the political con-
| victS in one room.
Mr.. KEENAN,, In seeking information,
/ told now cautious he had to be, as
| ofIentimes he had in his pockets papers
and other articles that would incrlmi-
nUte him If found, suu on one occasion
while alone in a room be had to burn a
| bundle of letters 10 IA oven for
fear they would be detected. The lee
ture was bound together by series Of
incidents and stories, which to be ap-
Lreciated should be heard.
During his lecture Mr.. KEENAN, left
the stage once, removed his full dress
suit, and came back sttired in convict
GARD, with long, light gray ulster, Tam
O'Shanter cap of gray, sort Of bag-like
trousers, slippers, or sandals, and leg
chains. As ne stood there 10 this garb
Mr.. KEENAN, looked like typical Slber-
ian convict. Mr.. Kennan is fluent,
easy talker, and ne held the closest at
tention of the large audience through
out.