Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-09
Observation-Disclosures
Ten Picked Up in the Sea Of
Okhotsk.
ALL LANDED AT SAN rRAHC1s0o

And . Case Under the Recently Negotiated
Russo American Eatradition Treaty
looming Up-rhe Fusitives Nearly
Starved When Found and Ready -
starve Further Rather Than Go Bach
to Russian Jussice.
SAN FRANCISCO. Nov 8.-The Russo
American extradition treaty is to have .
test here probably if certain Russian refu-
gees do not get away SO that Uncle Same
officers cannot find them. Tho whaling
bark Charles w. Morgan has arrived In
port from Fox island and the captain 70.
ports that on Sept. 5. in the Sea Of Ok
hotsk ,lhe picked up an open boat contain
sea to escape the Siberian guards. The
men had been at sea ten days, and three
days without food or water. They Wero
in . pitiable condition. To . reporter,
with the help of Russian sailor to in>
terpret, the refugees told their story -
follows:
Pseparations for the Escape.
The ten men were working under guard
as woodsmen in penal settlement on the
island named Saghalien and weeks pre-
vious to the final break the men stole IN
iron kettle and tin pan and hid them In
the woods. They had resolved to escape
to sea in an open boat moored near the
camp Of the guards. The guards. how.
ever. kept the oars under lock, and the
men were compelled to secretly hew oars
out of rough timber. During weeks OF
preparation each man daily stole a pocket
full of rice from supplies and carried it to
the hiding place in the timber; also small
keg which was filled with water.
Probably Killed Couple Of Guards.
These supplies were carried to the boat
when the escape was made. How the cap.
ture of the boat and final escape from
the guards was made the men will not
say. One significantly remarked. how
ever, that he would not be surpriaed to
hear that q couple of guards had turned
up missing. The suherings Of the escaped
men at sea were terrible to endure, but
even after they had been ten days at sea
and three days after all food and water
| had been exhausted the men were 20 de-
nGNined not to fall into the
5Skds of the Russians that they royed
1 from the whalers when the latter 0fst
sighted them, believing the whalers 70 b
pursuing Russians.
| Reoo6ufe0 ~ ''O1o GIoTy.
When the Morgan ran mp the stars and
stripes the refugees gave feeble cheer
and changed the course and roWed toward
| the Americans. When the Morgan 1rs1
arrived in port, before any news oe the
presence Of the refugees on board got out
sailor quietly slipped ashore with
papers from the exiles TO certain RussiaQs
in this city. The sailor returned with tie
information that the refugees once ashore,
even though in convict garb, will b -
creted and helped to escape the Russian
consul here.
where the Trouble May Arise.
It is quite probable-more than prob
able-that the Russian authorities win At
tempt to extradite these men, and the
men already claim that they are political
offenders. Russia does not reserve Siberia
for political offenders alone, however, buf
sends all sorts Of culprits there. II thsoe
men are mere criminals they are extrAdft.
able, but SO bad name has Russian tue.
tice on this side Of the water that there
will be no hesitation in assisting The
fugitives to escape. II the Ruasdan
authorities push the case there = likoly
to be considerable friction.
Later information 10 to the effect tAoi
abe fugitives are not political o6sa69s
One Of them, It h alleged was eontencod
for passing counterfeit money; oae Sol
striking Russian army officer; two 9th
ers murdered soldiers and . 0fth killed Z
citizen. One OF the exiles - Russian
another Pole and three othets Tartass
The refugees have landed and 20 fas hav,
not been taken into custody.
Young Girls Arrested q Nihilisss.