Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-06-03

Aem the central administration and
That it is the prson-isand TO which al
tie worst criminals are sent. There
are probably not q dozen frrc-born in
dtviduals outside of tie convictS. ok
conrictS. their wives ana children, and
the officials and native tribes. On
January |. 1S3S, there were OH tn"
island 22, l6I cUnyicts and eX-colvicts.
or these 1850 were engaged i'll hard
labor, Ide.of this number alone no
fewer than 2S3!; We're convicted OF
murder, so that out Of the total number
of cOnvicts and cX-cuIvlcls {: moderate
estimate would give $500 as murder
ers,
or the 2S:;G nurdcrers the large pro.
portion of G3i were women. Perhaps
this is to he explained ny the brutality
of husbands Under the influence cf
drink and passion. for mary OF these
women Lad stabbed or poisoned their
partners in life. 1t is not surprising.
therefore. that Sakllalin is Il name not
10 be mentioned in st. Petersburg. To
. do SO is greater faux pas than 10
talk Of Botany Bay in Sydney. But
bad Us things were reported to he.
was fully aware that great strides had
been made in the rrrIrm Of prisons
anil prison management since the time
wien Mr. George Kennan visited them
on the mainland in 1SS5. hut though,
1t extremely probable that the foot
steps of reform had Jagged behind the
farther cast one tracked them. and
that on Sakhalin-if one could only
get there-thc condition OF affairs
would reflect the state OF things that
existed on the mainland ter years ago.
And SO l found it. No Euglislman.
with the exception of Mr.. de Windt.
who paid flying visit to the island
in 1856, when his ship called, had Wis
tied the prisons. and none had ever
penetrated into the far interior.
After sundry adventures and many
difficulties overcome, succeeded in
getting away from Nilolaevs,-, which
.-is- -sit,,a atna-eetIe mainland, near the
mouth Of the River --S1liur, 10 r1Ir- rsreeIrer:-
AT the very last moment l WAS pacing
the deck of a tramp steamer which
stood in about two miles from the
shore, and the captain was signalling
again and again. lie deSpaircd OF
being able to land me. though he good
naturedly delayed, and at length tiny
tug, used for dragging lighters loaded
with convicts, put out, and to my sur
prise was allowed to board 1t; but 10
sooner had ascended the steps of the
wooden jetty than a military officer
stepped forward and demanded N!
business. To him made reply III the
scantiest of Russian that l had letter
of introduction to an cX-convlct mer-
chant. His was strange ana Sau
story, for in early days lie had been
heir to large estates through which
the traveller from Berlin to st. Peters
burg passes. The only answer re-
ceiyed was that the eN-convict mer-
chant was now at the coal mines ana
would not return for another twenty
four hours, and that l must remain
there in custody. looked around the
log-built room ard thought l had slept
in. much worse places than that; then
I went to the door, but was stopped
by a sentry, of whom, however, dc
manded my baggage. From the win
dow I could see my ship p sparing Il
leave. and in this lay my great nope
for although tie authorities might l0cl
me up they would not be able to sen'
me away for some time.
Here I was Il prisoner. but how cIl