The Washington times., 1904-07-18
RUSSIAN CRUELTY
IN FAR SIBERIA
EXileS Removed From the
Towns to Wild Country.
THEY ENDURE HARDSHIPS
! Fifty seven Barricade House and Send
Message to Phehve-Shot
Down Like Dogs.
THEY ENDURE HARDSHIPS

A recent extraordinary event in ST.
IBERIA throws fresh light upon the arbi-
trary methods of Russian administra-
ton. The facts have leaked out, though
great efforts have been made 70 sup
press them.
It seems that since the appointment
OF the new governor general of East
ern Siberia, Count Koutayssov, he has
issued a series OF oppressive DEGREES,
taking away one after another the few
privileges that the political exiles have
hitherto possessed, and making their
: lives at last almost uncomfortable.
In the province of Yakutsk they have
been ordered out OF the towns where
they had been quietly living in Danish
ment for years. and have been sent into
the widest regions. where there are
neither houses nor the necessaries of
life. They are forbidden under heavy
penalties 10 visit the towns 10 get food
or medical help. They are subject to
severe foggings. both in the prisons
where halts are made, and on the
march Small offenses, such as going
a short distance from their prescribed
place Of residence, are punished by an
arbitrary frightening of their term, and
sometimes by punishment to the re-
hottest and bleakest prison stations Of
Siberia. The exiles are now forbidden
10 visit one another. which has hitherto
been their only consolation. This is
especially hard on those who are trans
ferred abruptly from one place 70 an
other. often alta great distance.
Suffer Hardships.
The government provides them neither
with proper food nor with sufficient
oil
them with comforts for the journey; but
row they are forbidden TO see their
friends, either before starting or on the
march. Worst of all. the authorities
have announced that the exiles whose
terms have expired will no longer be
transported back to their homes by the
government This is equivalent TO
changing a sentence OF temporary exile
into one of Punishment for life, as few
Of the impoverished prisoners can make
the long journey. back from Siberia at
their own expense.
Believing that some energetic protest
was necessary 10 call attention 10 their
desperate situation, fifty-seven politiGSl
eXiles, men and women, recently barri-
caded themselves in a house in the town
fOf Narkutsk, and gave notice that they
would NOT come out until they were
promised some alnelioratiOn OF their con-
Phehve stating their grievances, and
urging that these oppressive measures
should be relaxed. They were besieged
by the soldiers, who fired, IL is said,
more than 1000 bullets. Kidding the
house with shot, killing some of the in
mates. and WOundlng others. The be-
sieged held out for three days before
they We're finally forced TO surrender.
The survivors have been thrown into
prison.
Great excitement has resulted. and
h. al
the Yakutsk district. Other colonies Of
eXiles, al Olekmine. NOchtuisk. Baya-
gantai. etc. have telegraphed to the
authorities AZ St. Petersburg that they
wish TO Join In the protest
A Private Letter.
The main facts have now got into the
European papers. Russian refugees in
New York City have lately received
from one OF the survivors a private let
ter. smuggled through the guards. Civ
ing more details. The exiles fortified the
house az we'll as they could:
AS material We used earth from the
garnet. which We carried down in bags
made from underclothing. and the brick
dust from the broken ovens" (The
roofs OF Russian peasant houses are COW
cred with layer Of earth, which filters
through the cracks.) ''All the men and
women worked necessarily, in a cloud OF
Dust, In impossible surroundings, amid
Scenes Of ruin. and in expectation OF
Renewed firing. The fortihcation saved
many lives, although the bullets that
wounded Medniak. KostiushkO and
Chatzkelevitch passed through it,
Those were awful minutes. Every win
dow riddled with dozens. of bullets. a
terrible cracking, as II the house was
falling 20 pieces. bricks flying from the
ovens as they We're shattered by the
bullets, and our comrades lying fiat on
the ground. In mOmentary expectation OF
death. Many wished 10 be struck
by bullet preferring a terrible end TO
horror without end.
Will Better Conditions.
Experience has convinced the exIles
that the only way 10 secure better con-
diuons is by actually counting death. as
IN this case. II will be remembered that
In 1853 the treatment OF the political
prisoners in Siberia became so unbear-
able that some Of those in Irkutsk made
q desperate resistance. as a protes,
particularly against the fioggIngs i'm
vogue A number Of men and WOmeu.
We're shot down, and OF the survivors
several were hanged and others sent
into more remote exile. But the affair
made great noise IN Europe and Amer
lea, and the pressure Of public opinion
compelled better treatment Of the exiles
Tor some years after.
The present desperate protest was IN
oeFtaken IN the hope OF a similar our
come. Whether any good will result
rom 70 viii depend largely on how much
attention the affair attracts outside OF