Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-17
ATALe OF RUSSIAN JUSTICE.
After Forty Years Reformed Convict IL
Hurried to siberia.
cThe London Telegraph

Thirty-eight years ago in peacetui Ut
81. Pussian village. a peasant lad, who
had taken more vodka than was good
for him at a wedding, lost his mehIa'
equilibrium, and while In this irresponsi-
Bile state. entered the church. After
having prayed at the images Tor whiie'
ne nut the wax candles In his pockets
and left. lie was arrested shortly utter
having tn church, and, without superiiuous
formalities. condemned to penal servitude
in the mines of Siberia. After a fatiglinS
march OF several months Rykof deter
mined 10 try his luck. and made dash
for liberty and life. During the nrst week
of his escape he nearly persisted or nun
ger In the Siberian taiga, or jungle; seve-
raj times he was on the point OF falling
into the hands of the police. and more
than once he was tempted to give HIM
self up. After many ups and downs,
however. he finally obtained work from a
compassionate farmer, scraped together Il
little money. and betOok himself to the
city of Tomsk, where he settled down for
good living with a passport which be-
longed to a deceased workman, whose
name he assumed. After this his life
was that OF an ideal citizen, and. If we
industry. and kindness were his cha
sacteristcs.
Isykon roee little by little in the social
scale Of Tomsk. married into a very re-
spectable family, and gave his children a
sound education. Quite recently, at lit
tie festive gathering of his relations. at
which the anniversary OF his wedding-day
was being quiatly celebrated. Rykoff.
overwhelmed by feeling OF gratitude for
his happiness. narrated the interesting
story OF his adventure and escape, or the
second act OF his life's drama. as he
termed it. TO his wife and children. The
third, he added, which Is bound TO be
short, will terminate in the churchyard.
The story moved his hearers to tears. 1t
was meant only for his near relations,
and no strangers were present. But in
Russia the walls have ears and the doors
have eyes.
one morning early, as Rykoff was still
in bed gendarme entered his room and
told him that he might consider himself
arrested on charge of running away
from the mines OF Siberia. The gray
haired man turned pale on hearing the pa
thetic story that had so lately drawn
tears from his eyes repeated by unsym-
pathizing lips which changed its every
incident into a crime. us II true or
falsey' asked the representative of the
law. 1T Is true enough, God be praised"
replied the trembling old man. VERY
well. then, you are my prisoner. Let us
so at once" And Rykoff dressed himself
and went
From prison. by the advice OF his law
yer. he forwarded a petition praying 10 be
released. His pleas produced an impress
sion on the officials, and Rykon was set
at liberty. But only for a few days On
further consideration 1t was decided to
bring him to trial. In court he related
the story OF his life fully and frankly
hiding nothing, and throwing himself on
the mercy OF his judges. Justice. how
ever, was memorable, and the law was
allowed 10 have its course. Rykoff was
condemned TO be taken from his family,
sent back to the mines of Siberia, and
kept in penal servltude there for longer
time than that fixed by the court that
had tried him for the offence when he
was a boy. Before being forwarded to
Siberia, before leaving the prison where
he IL now confined, ne is to receive a
severe hoggiAg-forty or fifty lashes-for
having run away and reformed his life
nearly forty years ago.