The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-10
UNDER GRAVE SUSPICION.
ReDorted Murder of Their Prison
Guards.
ONE OF THE LOT A NIHILIST.
Confederation of the Story of Cruel
ties Inflicted Upon the Convicts
at Saghalien Island.

Sympathy may or may not be wasted on
the ten escapes from Saghalien Island
prison. The more their case is investi-
gated the more it looks as if number of
pretty desperate criminals had been
dumped on our shores.
Whether or not the story that came to
the ears Of CALL reporter is true re-
mains to be proved by advices from the
Russian authorities which must come in
the usually roundabout way, but the
latest report is that human lives were
sacrificed to enable them to effect their
escape.
The whaling bark Cape Horn Pigeon ar
rived yesterday afternoon with the five re-
naming fugitiyes. Not one of the men
speaks a word of English and when adj
dressed by Russian Interpreter they all
professed Ignorance of his words. After
a great deal of parleying and negative
shakes of the head Yusef JaeObsibsky. a
Russian Pole, managed to tell bis name.
This man was serving a sentence Of I'M
prisonment for smuggling, while his more
intelligent companion, Arnam Psherer, of
Tended against the Gar by becoming q
nihilist The remaining three cOnvcts are
Tartars.
The Tartars were convicted and imprs-
oned for a number of crimes, including
murder, as nearly as could be learned.
1t was rumored that the men had con-
fessed to the crime of having murdered
three of their guards, and several of the
crew of the Cape Horn Pigeon said that
some one of the bark's crew who spoke
German or Russian had wormed from one
of the convlcts the story of the gangs
escape.
The convicts were, as reported, engaged
in logging in the woods. and during off
times managed to construct the rude boat
In which they we're found drifting on the
ocean.
:. The guards are supposed to lave been in
constant attendance upon the prison gang,
which consisted of the ten men now in
San Francisco.
As is often the case, the private soldiers
of the Russian prison sometimes treat the
prisoners with more consideration than
the officers. The guards are said to have
been lenient with this particular crowd of
convicts, and their lives paid the penalty
of their kindness. All three were killed
either with knives or clubs at a given
signal.
The convicts then rushed for their boats
and put out to sea. they knew not where,
rowing and padding until the Morgan
was sighted.
The fourth mate of the Cape Horn
Pigeon, who was on board the vessel
when CALL reporter boarded her, said
however. that he did not think it likely
that the convicts were imprisoned for
crimes such as murder or enlightenment.
This class of criminals is very closely
watched at Saghalien Island and are not
allowed to go out on parole. l have been
all through the prison at Saghalien and
have seen some OF these fellows there my
self. This fellow Ynsef. be is counter
feiter, and was at the prison when l Wis
tied it, long time ago.
''NOne Of the five would talk of the
crimes for which they were imprisoned.
l don't think, however, that this fellow
here pointing to the nihilist was SEN
fenced for any crime greater than con-
spiTacy against the Government. He has
written a book and is man of intelli-
gence."
In substantiation of the stories of the
cruelties praeticed upon prisoners at
Saghalen the fourth mate was particularly
emphatic.
% THE CALL has not in the least misrep-
rented the condition of affairs at the
prison. The treatment of prisoners by the
Russian prison governors and Russian
officers Is simply atrOcious.
AT first one feels inclined to shun these
Door fellows; then again. when think of
the horrors of the island. | cannot help
from thinking that they were justified in
using almost any means of securing their
freedom.
Il know the woods well where the con-
vcts went TO cut logs. This logging could
be easily accomplished by machinery, but
1t offers an excuse to compel the prisoners
TO work like animals. L have watched
them dragging in logs from early morning
until late at night, with no other nOurlsh-
ing food TO sustain them than few bites
OF coarse rye bread and few beans.
THE most trlf1ing offense is sufficient
excuse for the prisoner to be ordered to be
fiogged. Neglect 20 tip the hat to an Off
Ger. inability TO work rapidly or an I'M
civilsanswer are crimes in the eyes of the
Russian authorities punishable by severe
beatings and the most degrading of manual
labor.
''All the way to port those men who are
with us have showed the greatest fear of
being sent back. Every man who ap-
proaches the ship is looked upon as an
emissary of the Russian Government, who
has come to try to make them confess
their crimes. That is why they pretend
that they cannot talk with the inter-
prefer. Through one of our crew who
speaks Russian, the sailors have told them
that they can be sent back for any crime
as long as they are escaped convicts. This
has frightened them so much that they
From one of the whaler's men ashore
who had learned something about the his
tory of the coDvicts some light was thrown
on the escape from the island. He said
that Russian sailor had told him that it
was improbable for the men TO have got
away without numbering their guards. as
an alarm would have been given which
would have brought the garrison CT the
island TO the spot Immediately.
The Commissioner of immigration, Wal
ter P. Stradley. is in quandary regarding
the Siberian convicts.
E.To fortify himself for any subsequent
action he telegrsphed to the Superinten-
dent of immigration at Washington asking
il he had Jurisdiction in the matter and re-
ouesting instructions. In reply this supe-
rior officer telegraphed back asking for a
detailed statement before making an
authoritative reply. Mr.. StTadley has as
vet received 20 answer TO his second tele.
graphic communication.
81 don't see that l can do anything in the
premises" said Commissioner SiIadley
last night. "My duty Is to prevent from