The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-23
In A RUSSIAN PRISON
PAUL ~ CHATLLC VISITS ONE
or THE Glars JtILS.
II Was In Arkangei. Was Large ana Clean
and Up 10 Daie-Prisoners Made to
Work and Paid u Third Of the Price
Of the Goods They Make - How
ImprisOned students We're Treated.

work anu PaIu IUIru u TIC rSicc
Of the Goods They Make - How
Imprisoned students We're Treated.
ARKAHoEL. Sept. o6.-Some days ago
ACCOMPANIED by the Adjutant Of the Gov
srnor of the Province of Arkangel and
Young Hollander who had travelled from
Moscow with me, visited the prison of
Solonboa In ArkanQel. The prison was a
large two-story building which could hold
nine hundred TO thousand prisoners con-
demned for q term of one To six years. The
sIperintendent received me very court
eo,isly and kindly showed Inc through the
prison. was struck az once by its clean
ness. The stairs we're Of stone, the corri-
dors wide the rooms of the prisoners large,
with high ceilings and we'll lighted by win
dows The rooms were already comforta-
bly, heated, though the thermometer was
several degrees above freezing point.
saw many empty rooms, there not being
quite three hundred prisoners These we're
dressed in woollen. grayish suits. The in
mates in each room varied in number from
seven or eight TO about twenty. A card on
the walls gave their names. The folding
beds with their mattress and blankets stood
upright along the walls. From the outside
the guards could look in. Every time we
entered n room the superintendent saluted
the prisoners by saying. Good morning, my
children They answered, we wish your
E1celency good health In many OF the
rooms saw books that had been given or
lent to the prisoners Some were taught
TO read and write. The prisoners are al
lowed to talk,
We visited the cells for solitary confine-
ment. They were few Some received
light through small windows or from the
corridor. Others were totally dark. In
the latter prisoner could not remain more
than a week. Men guilty Of insubordina-
ton or who had tried to escape were thus
punished | Jaw only three prisoners there;
one had terribly vicious face.
The kitchen and the bakery were In the
basement; both we're large. but, on account
Of incessant rains in one of the corners OF
the kitchen a very small amount of water
oozed out through the hard floor Black
bread had Just been baked-it was real
Russian black bread ate some and found
IL good ! am very fond Of this bread
becaus find It very healthy.
The infirmary had but few patients in
its two large rooms. The beds we're Tar
apart. The superintendent inquired OF
the sick how they were. The patients
who were able to get up wore long COM
Portable woollen dressing gowns and slip
ers. This sight reminded me that l had
never worn a dressing gown. and that the
late King Carl XIV. of Sweden and Norway
had never worn one The intirmary had
a special kitchen on the other side Of the
corridor, and special plates, dishes, cups
&c, which were porce lain lined. saw
several loaves Of white bread Tor the SICK
Near the infirmary was the medicine room.
where l saw surgical Instruments IN per-
feet order The sanitary arrangements
for washing, &c, were good. There was
room for conta gious diseases, but 1t had no
patient at that time.
The prisoners have 10 work. and those
who have no trade have 10 learn one.
visited the carpenters, cabinetmakers,
shoemakers, hatters, capmakers, tallors,
makers Of religious images, pasteboard
box and paper bag makers and The black
smith shop in the basement
The prisoners have a great incentive TO
work, for they are paid for il. They re-
ceive 80 per cent. of the price OF all the
goods sold Fifteen per cent. II given To
them Immediately to improve their 1000,
get little Injuries, &c, and the other half
is given to them " hen they leave the prison;
Thirty-hve per cent. goes TO the prison ana
IS per cent. to the crown,
Regulations: At O'Clock A. NJ. the bell
rings. The prisoners get up, wash and
dress, then 80 to prayers Aiterward tea
and bread re- served TO them In the tiining
room. At o'clock work begins ! side
and outside. Al ii clock dinner Is served,
Five times week they have meat Tor ON
ner , Wednesdays and Fridays hsh Dur
ing Lent they have fish, vegetables and
kasha, The latter is a popular fusNl
dish made Of buckwhcat When ready
10 be served, oil or butter is mixed with II.
The dinner and the exercise IN the yard
last one hour and half. Prisoners have
plenty Of fresh air for the yard L. large
and there ara no buildings around the IN
closure. In case Of bad weather. they can
so out or remain inside, as theS pieate'
After this they work until O'Clock III win
Ur and O'Clock in summer. From u to !
o'clock they have supper, tea and bread
or kasha, and exercise again IN me yafu,
then they 70 to prayers Ai'er 'hat tney
are counted, then shut up IN their rooms
at 0o'clock, and 90 To bed
Every Sundayand on hulidays the prison :
en- can sec their friends. In the centre OF
tine reception room are two wired screens
separated by n passage about three iett
WIDEN one sid are the prisoners, on the
ether their FIJI, nd-. Guards watch Tn"
passage 20 that nothing can be passed
on alTc~t imp ssihle thing on account OF
the smallnc>s 81 the meshe- and OF the
distance.
In the prison there j. an Orthodox ussian
Church. u Catholic Church, small Iio-
tcstant chapel and synagogue Inc
Russian church has service every Sunday'
we tl'PiN 'Nl'' u IN lN'lis "lhN ~ >
the Russian church tha suisr'n'cnd' nt
asked Inc il desired to hear the prisoners
belonging TO the choir sing. Upon my
replying in th" affirmative. they were sent
Tor and they sang for mo.
The day of my visit being saturday
was bathing dry for the pri-on'rs. In
Russia rich ard poor take a Russian bath
on that day Tho ba,hhous" was in the
yard. | saw IN large room a batch OF
prisoners enjoying their steaming bath
they were dripping with perspirauon
Some were rubbing their bodies WITH soap
others were pouring cold water over them
selves. In another room others were
dressing.
As we crossed the ward asked the super
intendent il the prisoners sometimes at
tempted TO revolt and If keepers were Killed
He replied that this had happened,
In the place whore the students had ncei
confined lately, on the upper story OF the
prison. I came 10 four large rooms that
were empty of prisoners. In one Of th'
rooms wns a long dining table with benches
in another were number Of beds. the tW'
other rooms were empty Inquired natur
ally about these four rooms, far removed
from those OF the prisoners, Tho supcrih
tendent replied: "Thcfc we're the rooms
of the students who had been sent here
for three months as "A punishment Tor th'
disturbances they had created in thei
universities and in the streets. They wer,
all sent home after their punishment. i
RENE inter well, he said there were thirty
They never werc mixed with the otho
prisoners. and added, this room was thel
Il 4 - Hi. III. ,s.V