The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-07

intended to set out on the night of
March 8, 1884. On this day the guards
of the mine had every year great
carouse, which lasted all night. Prison
ers who had lived many years in the
mines relate that on such occasions all
the guards get completely drunk, and
that the mine is then generally IN
guarded. The plan was for the fugi-
tives not TO leave the mine by the open
ing by which we entered. but By the
lower cave OF the third gallery, where
the water which flowed out into the
ocean reached to the hips, and where
OF late nobody went and nobody was
on guard.
81 left Bailaljef, agreeing that at
q given signal would get up and with
two Of the mon in my cell accompany
the fugitives as far as the cave When
the hour of 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, whereupon the
prisoners crept cautiously to the lower
shaft. La stiffness like that Of the
grave was heard only the cautious
sliding of feet, the creaking of one or
two wheelbarrows which could not pc
loosened and the rafting of chaiRs I
sought Baikaljef among the fugitives.
but could not find him Meanwhile we
had gained the lower opening. From
the star-spangled heavens two silver
rays Of the moon pierced the cave and
trembled on the dirty water flowing
out therefrom. We softly whispered our
farcwells and they went into the
water. For short time I could see
their bodies above its level, but they
became darker and darker, and at last
vanished altogether. ] retraced my
steps. OF my two companions only
one remained, the other, evidently
overcome by a longing for freedom,
had gone with the fugitives. With
heavy heart we returned to cur cave.
Deep stiffness reiGnod throughout
the lower gallery, as if nothing had
happened, and when l returned to my
resting place 1 felt 80 if were sur
rounded by death. Besides us two
there was not soul in our cave. All
had fed. / prayed and sobbed, but at
last was overcome by sleep. I awoko
on hearing the shout Of harsh, rude
voice crying out TO US. / staggered to
my feet and saluted, bat the guard re
ceived Rae with blows. The other
prisoners were also dragged forth
from their caves and fogged. On
bending down l saw Baikalteff, who,
as he told me afterw2rd, had oversight
himself and remained. A little further
off lay the dead body OF the night
guard. The unfortunate man had died
of suf7ocation from the gag. For three
days we were made to suffer cruel
torture because we had not prevented
the fight On the fourth day an I'M
usual noise was heard in the gallery.
And then we saw number of
guards driving before them the fug-
itivcs, who had been captured and
logged till they bled. A fearful fate
awaited them Even the women had
all their clothes torn off their backs.
Each one was bound to thick board,
SO that they could not move. and
thrashed with leaden-weighted knots
till the blood spurted and they were in
capable of utterallce. This scene was
enacted every day for some days, and
we were obliged to stand by and see it
done, the guards shouting to Us: Only
try to escape and the same thing will
happen to you Of those who fed not
one is living. Not ono was able to en-
dure the torture longer than FIVE days.
Many died at the FIRST few strokes, and
to-day the last four have been released
from their agenies."
The convicts always lived under
ground; they were never led into the
air. Those who died were pushed into
some unused gallery. A decree of the
summer Of 1884 ordered that the pris-
onerS should be taken out for an airing
from to time and that only the worst
cases were to be kept in the mine At
night. The others were to live in
prison built outside. But even after
this the condition of the convicts was
not much better. The heavy work and
brutal treatment remained The wom-
en- who had followed their husbands
into exile were not sate from the per-
secution Of the mining officials. Sui
cides OF every description released
many OF the unfortunate people from
their sufferings. And Jaksakotf-who,
only thirty-two, had in the meanwhile
become grey-says IN his last better
that it is better to be placed on the
rack than 80 share such fate. When
JaksahoR was arrested he was not
nihiliSt, but that he becanoe one by
what he saw and suffered IS clearly
seen in the numerous reflections scat
tered through his letters. - London
Daily News.