The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-25

4 RUSSIAN SURGEONS SToRy ar
CONVICT LIFE IN SA6HAI,x.


Passing along a gloomy passage or the
Alexander prison. whose walls are covered
With black moulainess. and TsGk with The
strong scent OF pine cones stfawn on the
:aeor. We ind at the end Of the corridor
chairs and tables for the authorities wno
witness the infection Of the puaiShmsnts;
among the officials are a lawyer. the chief
of The PRISON, and the surgeon. and a little
way or Is paced The ''hsock' of threat
ezsing aspect. behind which stands the
wselaer Of the knogt, who awaits his VIC
TINS with q curious look. His GARD Is ap-
pssrentiy intended 10 make the situation all
the more impressive; he wears a tan
white head covering. soft felt shoes. a
Blood red shirt win us sleeves turned UP.
and he carries the knout In his hand
victs with smoothly shaved heads. and
facing them Is a long lle or wardsrs
armed with loaded reviewers in the hama.
TIE stiffness as Of the grave. which stamps
all present, is broken from time To Time
by the rafting OF the handouts and the
leg feissrs. and by "a farrive cough or the
ras.ling OF the papers upon the table OF
the prison governor.
Who Will be tn. next-" Is the ques-
ton that Is too clearly 70 be read upon rls
deathlike features of the ''arFestants'--
'Sidorov" is called out by the governor
In quiet restrained voice. Siaoroy steps
unsteadtiy and with increasing tottTr and
gray. long felt coats. note his ltlss grow
ing pale and the fear IN his widely opened
eyes, as though he were a hunted wild
beast.
Lie DOWN. In the command. Hastily
making the sign Of the cross Ga his breast.
Ssdorov lies down at length on the bench.
and throws each arm around IL, he Is
then bound by leathern thongs to the
bench. and his hands are lied together be-
heath IL.
How many?'' asks the waraer charged
with r0un ting the strokes
Sixty" is the quiet answer OF she gov
ernor.
Lock cut" or Phil yourself together
forms the general remark or the knout-
wseieer, and the next moment the blows
are raining in fearful thnds upon The bare
back Of Ssdoroy, who ntters hcart-psercing
shrials. One, two. three--the wafsser calls
aloud the tale or the stripes, every ere or
which Kisses and leaves its mark on the
cusprit. The cry that Mt first followed
every stroke has gradually become an un-
broken howl ard roar. and readers must
have strong nerves II they can picture fnr-
ther all the nideousness OF this dsahoacai
This sort OF castigation Is inflicted upon
convfcts whenever II IL Ordained by law or
by the police and local authorities. The
dispenser Of blows Is always a fellow taken
from the prisoners themselves. and In his
hands the fate of the delinquent may DO
ra.r literally "a he. The klaat consists OF
thick wooden stick. TO which is fastened
"A strongly plated lash. about thirty
inches long and two inches wide, and
three lashes at It's end. convict who re-
tains the smallest degree of human feel
ing can never be induced TO undertake this
office. and thus only the most reprobate
and hardened criminals are chosen fer the
dread work. To these iHhuman creatures
the courts Of Russia intrust human life.
II e In their power 70 ;ni.iet only nghs
him a cripple for the rest OF his days. or to
send him 10 the grave on the spot. and
yet the officials never deem II necessary TO
rtlsa yAsty
experienced roggers are really skilled at
their work. II they wish 20 show any
mercy to the delinquent they rain blows
on his tody with the middle part of the
whip, while the cruel tips OF IL fall beyond
the prisoner ana on the bench; bat IL no
mas. 70 do % ITS fii plrnose In ,,e the hanns
OF skilled iogger the motions OF the
knout are - quick that they can scarcely
ee gny s1eq sy AZ the nnoner na
turally hcwls: but the difference In the
result IL very marked The frightened
form OF punishment can be bought, ana
woe to him who IL not able to propitiate
the fiog2er.
Permanent injury aud death as the re-
suits OF the kDouis were formerly by no
means rare. but now they are exceptions.
Very much depends also upon the person
atty Of the chief of the prison: IL he In
man OF the least kindly feeling he VIII NOT
allow the fioggfng 10 bc carried out to
yrewsome lengths: but, al. there many
such men tn be found on the outermost
The courts generally condemn 10 fog
ging confirmed criminals, fugitives from
Siberia and vagabonds. many OF whom
have received altogether from 80 to go
blows. An old Siberian tramp fnished his
curriculum vitae with the following words.
II have received all told lao stripes OF
the birch rod. go biows from the knout
and numbcrless furnishings by sticks" Az
IL TO be expected. the statistics of the ST.
berian prisons show the futsiity or these
punishments as corrective measures. In
proportion an the punsshments increase IN
number and cruelty an the re'apses and
beckslidiner into crime Increase Nosta'-
gia or intensified houesckness. IL ctrfously
strong in the inmates OF the Siberian pr.s-
ons and viii not be suppre ssed by the
most cruel system az whipping.
Hitherto We have dealt only with the
knout which in the rarer form Of punish
meuf and must he ordered by n court af
law. The usual corporal punishment by
means Of rods and sticks II somewhat diff
feyent, for they form the Alpha ana
Omega Of the corrective measures in nss
in Siberian prisons. This form of punish
r7e1st 10 regarded rather as mere baga-
teile ana vet its ererts are much worse
than those of the knout. fer II is melted out
TO all in the same measure: ,it needs not
to b@ ordained by a court OF Law. and the
victim undergoes no previous medical ex-
animation as TO his fitness TO bear ths
punishment: Every governor OF prisons
can gave thirty and every district gov
ernor 100 Of these blows at their sole dis
cretion. II IA The naked truth that even
criminals when gr4eyoiIsly ~ 90 not es-
cape this punishment female prisoner
in the district ~ korsa k0y WAS whipped
20 such an extent thar she fell down dead.
That the governors Of Siberian prisons ara
rot al! monsters. bur that there are IN ex-
cspti0nal eases kindly hearted men IL seen
sr the case OF Elptsgin, the former diree-
tor OF the prison at IrkutSk, ne went 40
far IN hss 6a4ntlees reforms a 70 entire
fy abolish punishment ~ whipping And
what was IRE rssuiss TIE prison ssec.p-
lire improved astonisaingly. Ianssfessigrs
and crimes almost ceased TO be the order
Of the day and attempts to escape became
a thing Of tae rast--Frorn the Nraisch. Q
81. Petersburg Medical weekly.
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