The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-02
LIBERTY OR DEATH
The Struggle Of the Poles For Ma
tional Freedom.
MR.. MEYENDORFF'S LECTURE
A Thrilling Narration of His Terri
BILE Experiences in Russian
Prisons and the Wild
Wastes of Siberia.

A small audience met in the Montana
dining room last evening to hear Mey-,
endorff's lecture on Russian Prisons
and Life in Siberia" The speaker
spoke of his personal observation of
those institutions and of the events
which occurred just previous to his
acquaintance with them, in the strug-
gle Of Poland for freedom. The lecture
was very entertaining and instructive
and was pleasingly delivered.
2 1t was a little more than 100 years
ago that the once great and glorious
kingdom of Poland was obliterated
from the map of Europe and the brave
that time until 1880, when the great
uprising occurred, occupies promi-
nent place in the history OF the old
world.
Mr.. Meyendorff's story is that of the
last instruction, that of 1868. The EN-
peror Nicholas died in 1856, and soon
after the succession of his son Alexan-
der II. to the throne Mr.. Meyendorff's
father, Baron Adolph Meyendorff, was
government revenue Inspector for the
province of Lilthuania, and he re-
moved to his wife's estates near the
City of Minsk. In 1862 the spirit of
patriotism began to manifest itself,
and soon afterwards martial law was
declared in Poland and Russian troops
patrolled the country. The use of the
Polish language and gathering Poles
for any purpose were prohibited. For
the most trivial excuses and often
without a pretext of excuse, in the
dead hours of the night, men were
taken from their beds and transported
to Siberia. Even the sanctity of the
churches did not protect them, and
frequently the houses of worship were
invaded by armed forces and women
and children ruthlessly butchered.
These outrages FASTENED the revolu-
tion. In speaking of his school boy
days Mr.. Meyendorff said: I'm 1859
the car OF Russia visited Minsk and
the gymnasium, a government institu-
ton in which I was a. pupil. / was
member of the choir, and at the con-
clusion of the hymn God Save the
Emperor his majesty kindly patted
me on the head. Four years after
wards that same imperial hand signed
a decree which condemned me to BAN
ismsnent to Siberia for life, although
1 was only IA years old"
The students of the gymnasium play
ed a prominent part in the revolution
and Mr.. Meyendorff was one of its
most daring spirits. He was one OF
three who were selected for the duty
of distributing circulars, in which the
Polish mobiles were asked to unite in a
petition to the Russian government for
IL
eminent for Poland. The duty was
very dangerous, as IL discovered it
would be deemed treason and be pun
ished by Punishment, but it was sue
cessfully carried out. b.
Speaking of the revolution and his
connection with it Mr.. Meyendorff said
1.-THE outbreak of the revolution was
precipitated q few months in advance
of the appointed time. BY a provision
of the Russian law every nobleman,
as well as peasant, was obliged to serve
I'm the army. To weaken our prospec-
tive forces a 'ukase' was issued or
dering $4,000 young noblemen to report
for military duty. In one locality 1880
of them drafted refused to obey and
fed into forests. Pursued by the i'm
perial troops, they offered resistance.
A fierce hand-to-hand battle enSued,
and, although only a few of the insur-
gents were armed, the Russian troops
were vanquished. Thus the insurrec-
ton was inaugurated. Previous to this
date all students of colleges and gym
nasiums, as well as the young noble
men in the Russian army who could
obtain leave of absence, returned to
their homes and had been busy in the
work of the revolution. Among them
were three of my brothers. Alexander.
the eldest of the four. had been as
signed to the command of revolution
airy forces. under Laskowslxi, and the
others were on their way to join 1T.
followed their footsteps. Tears and
prayers of my mother and sisters
would not prevail Nor did the threats
and commands of my father and at
the age of IA left home without faith
er's blessing. Seeing this. and seeing
that nothing but forcible detention
would check my purpose, he overlook
me before l reached the nearest town
and gave me his blessing, and thus.
with renewed strength of spirit, sped
N hrnfhnr'ez
mand."
The lecturers story of the stubborn
and desperate struggle that was waged
against the imperial troops in the
mountain Businesses and of the priva-
tionS and sufferings that were under
gone by the insurgents was of thrill
ing interest. The revolutionists fought
as only men can fight who were bat
Ting for their liberty and they came off
victorious in so many hard fought con-
tests that the imperial troops were
. finally compelled to retire and cut off
their supplies, which their immense
number enabled them to do and thus
literally starved them into subsection.
Mr.. Meyendorff's brother Alexander
became i'll and was taken to the house
of friend, where he was murdered by
the Russians. He himself was taken
prisoner in making a desperate fight
with his company in the hope of get
ting supplies. He was finally banished
for life to Siberia and this sentence
was confirmed by the emperor in spite
of the efforts of his father and influ-
entail friends. Mr.. Meyendorff's story
of his journey to Siberia and his expe-
rience there is graphically told. In
1866 President Lincoln interceded for
him with the emperor and secured his
release. This was brought about
through a half brother. Julien Allen
ski. who entered the service of this
government in the civil war and gained
the friendship of President Lincoln,
William II. Seward, James @. Blaine
nd Of hara