The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-19

years. half of which l passed in prison.
Even life In prison did not give me any
peace. During the search they broke my
arm and stretched my mouth only because
| wanted to destroy some papers. The
search was 80 disgusting that my re-
atives thought l was going mad and
would commit suicide The gendarmes
from personal hatred did not give me
peace even in prison. There they daily
searched me, a humliating search from
head to foot. Complaining to the Pro-
cureur did not help me, 1 was almost driv-
en- mad by the daily disgusting behavior
Of the gendarmes. To my complaints
they answered: IT Is none of your bust
ness
Interviews Made a Torture.
Interviews with relatives and my
mother were made n torture thanks to
the gendarmes. My mother was subject
ed to rough treatment and she was adj
vsed not to have anything TO DO with her
dsgraceful SON MY complaint on this
occasion was met with complain to the
chief of gendarmes
As as protest against this brutality I
tasted seven days. The governor who
came TO me told me that the life of one
student was nothing In comparison with
the interests of the state. lie was right
The year did not pass without seeing the
sacrifice Of many hundreds of lives for the
state. The result of my fast was that /
was sent to Samara prison. In Samara /
had a chance of meeting revolutionists
who were chosen from all parts of Russia.
From them from personal witnesses.
knew what had happened to me and
happened to others. l myself saw people
who were beaten In prisons and I'm police
courts, people who were my times COM
PEELED 10 hunt for many days together,
people who from want and prison life
went into consumption. Every day l
saw parties OF political prisoners going
to Siberia.
Read Literature In Prison.
while in prison / read revolutionary
literature. and thinking of all / had seen
and heard, ] became a social revolution
ist / had a heartrending feeling when
| heard of the fights going on in Wilma
and <harkof, and especially the shoot
ing of the Kharkon workmen / knew
that men were shot as enemies of the
state They were men who did not
even understand the word revolution.
They were only at fault because they
did not want their wages decreased. /
knew that people Of all classes and OF all
ages were beaten, women and children
also. We took II as a signal for battle.
We thought of the twenty eight collins,
the innumerable wounded, the two vol
leys by the 100 soldiers. Hearing of this
| tried to think of a battle scene, but
this picture was nothing In comparison
with the dreadful scene which was being
enacted by the government in the peace
full streets of small Russian towns. With
what helpless rage l walked about my
prison cell. How / knocked my head
against the walls and broke my hands
In trying to smash the prison windows.
and what seryile and bitter tears 1 wiped
from my eyes. / prayed to be able to
revenge 1t all. All, if l had freedom.
but when | got to know that the execu-
toner Of the inhabitants had perished /
breathed freely. God bless the men who
had done the deed. Bogdanovitch had to
perish. His existence fouled the air Like
storm 1t hung over us and all held
their breath and waited. Only Bagdano-
witch did not wait. Having obtained
Plehve's approval, this horrible execus
toner considered himself safe, visited
his mistress openly and walked in the
parks enjoying the spring Of life.
YES the government made of me,
peaceful citizen, a reyoutionist. A whole
row of murders and other crimes COM
mitted by ministers and their agents
forced me first to justify myself and
then to enter on the programme of ter
rorlsm. How / advanced from theory
to acts cannot tell. 1t would seem that
God had chosen me for this act. When
! ran away from Siberia l felt that spir-
its were behind me and would not leave
me either by night or day. whispering to
me, You must, you must When
thought of what was done by Minister
Plehve / felt that l had no right to my
peaceful life. BY killing Plehve / only
did what my conscience demanded of me.
and only regret that together with him.
his coachman persisted and that Captain
Tzvetzinsky was subjected to such a Sc
rious wound"