The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-05
NEW TERROR FOR FINLAND
Prince obolensky and his Bloody knout
erS VIII Rule.
Philadelphia North American.

Philadelphia North American
Inc official Gazette recently announced
that Prince Obolensky has made the ac-
ceptance Of his new post-governor Of
FINLAND conditional upon the right to
select his own executive officers.
That such right was accorded him there
was no doubt for he has chosen as his
chief aides Inspector Loom, called Iron
Nose and two others of the same stripe
known respectively Bloody Levi" and
''kaValSky, the Terror"
ALI OF which means that the revolution
IN Finland Is about to be smothered in
blood. for, like their new master, the in
spectors named are maniacs in the use of
the whip and knout. Between them they
nave shed more human blood than many
"gun-fodder" general in the field, and
have torn more backs with whip and cord
and lead-ball than any 100 other Russian
prlsonkeepers. Reason enough for their
enga cement by Obelensky, who, as gov
ernor of Charkoff, f1ayed thousands of
men, women and girls on the whipping
post because they objected to being muz-
zled In addition to being starved #sr
Obolensky has been forced to live in the
citadel like a prisoner of state, since Oc-
tober, 1907. when the revolutionary com
mlttee sentenced him to death 'for tear
ing mems and women's flesh with knouts
and giving their daughters to his Co.'S
sacks" ..........
a,
question Of time" read the committees
open letter, and, after that two attempts
upon his life were officially recorded in
the second of which Obolensky lost his
left hand. Yet the selection of these aids
for the subduing of poor Finland clearly
shows that the Charkoff methods are to
be duplicated In the struggling province,
where most Of the intelligence Of the vast
empire Is at home.
The essence of humanity'' argues
Iron Nose" us to spread terror among
all running amuck of the law. An un-
knouted prisoner does not know the
nature of punishment. Sentences must be
written on the bare back in welts and
sores that the car majesty be recognized.
The onlyl way to treat prisoners is to
set every man against every other" is
Lewis principle, "executioner upon vic
tim, victim upon executioner-a perpetual
mix-up, permitting of no secret under
standing. The whipper whipped will do
his utmost to pay back blow for blow
pang for pang-and little more besides.
haValsky, surnamed the Terror told
Count Melchin, the author, at the time
when Tolstoy and several celebrated Rus
sian physicians petitioned the czarina to
persuade the car to stop knouting:
Morals, health, dignity, what have they
to do with discipline? A law breaker, has
no right to expect humane trea tment, else
the prison becomes an old peoples home
or boarding school, / come from pris-
on inspectors family My father grand
father. uncles, all swung the knout lust
as am doing. I have been reared among
whips and loaded canes'
10 understand the terrible significance
OF the engagement of Iron Nose"
Bloody Levi" and the Terror it is but
necessary to add that in Russia the treat
ment Of prisoners wholly depends on the
inspectors, who for the most part are re-
cruited from the army's sub officers
corps. Inspectors are authorized to de-
cree up to ten strokes with the knout. or
up to thirty strokes by vinegar soaked
switch with the proviso, however, that
the punishment be noted in the Journal if
the prisoner demands it,