davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11

The interest of the world in the
Russian penal system is awakened by
the capture of the island of Sakhalin
by the Japanese. From time to time
during the past quarter of a century
the civilized world has been shocked
beyond measure at the tales of cruelty
to which the Russian convicts in this
vast prison have been subjected, and
the depths of degradation to which
these once human beings have been
brought. But Russia has been careful
that but little of the true picture of the
island should reach the outside world,
and newspaper and magazine writers
from England, France and the United
States have made repeated attempts
to secure authentic descriptions Of the
conditions in this great prison land,
and of the atrocious cruelties prac-
ticed there, but none have ever been
fully successful. Much has been
guessed at, and the world would
scarcely credit these pictures of the
imagination.
1t has remained for a Russian to
give us a practically authentic pic
ture of Sakhalin, and though the pic
ture is tempered by seeing things
from the Russian standpoint, it is still
a picture that is so horrible that it
Staggers humanity. This story of the
horrors of Sakhalin has been pub
Iished in book form, and it is only
translated extracts from the book
that we can give here:
The First Impression.
First impressions are likely to be
very vivid. | shall certainly never
forget the moment when our steam
launch came alongside the jetty at
Korsakoffsk. The landing was crowd
ed with men. A few more steps and
l was lost in that sea which | so
yearned to fathom.
During the months l passed among
the convicts at Sakhalin l could not
free myself from two impressions
which held me in thrall, tortured me
and oppressed my soul like a heavy
burden. They still are holding my
soul under their ban and still are
depressing it. The first of these i'm.
presSions concerns my trip to SAX
halin. Our steamer, which trans
ported the convicts from Odessa, re-
minded me of huge barge, like those
used in our sea-coast towns for tow
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11
The Russian Prison Colony and Its
Terrible TRAGEDIES.
DESCRIBED BY A RUSSIAN WRITER
Terrible Cruelty of the Keepers and the Exc
cutioners- of Punishment That
Stagser ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "knout"
and How 1t Is Applied,

houses for officials are located on
the side of a rather steep hill. The
prison is long way up the noun.
tain. 1t is low one-story building,
and does not command the view nor
intrude itself upon the observer
Houses of settlers line both sides of
the hill. Nothing horrible, nothing
somber is revealed at first sight. You
are inclined to rejoice over the ap'
parent responsibility of the place
and driving up the road to Korsa-
koffsk you smile and think: We'll
this is very neat, very neat, indeed u
But wait! Sakhalin is a swamp,
the surface of which is covered by
pretty meadows. 1t looks charming.
ly green, but a step and you sink
in the, deep, cold, sticky and viscous
mire.
The remark about the neatness
hardly escapes your lips when you
hear around the corner the rafting of
chains. Harnessed to a cart, grasp
ing the shaft in their hands, convicts
are dragging refuse to the sea.
What a depressing sight to see men
doing the work of horses.
The road leads past the prison, and
one can see the grimy window panes
behind heavy iron bars. Right above
us is the hospital and directly oppo,
site the mortuary.
The Chain Prison.
The chain prison of Sakhalin is in,
tended for the criminals of the worst
kind. Officially it is called the prison
for the testing of convicts," while the
prison for convicts showing signs OF
reforming" or the free prison." is
used for convicts who have passed
the test of the chain prison"
Our chain prison is bad, very bad, "
remarked the inspector. I'VE are
building new one, but it will take
years to get it ready" =.
Attention." calls out a guard. A
rafting of chains, and the convicts
rise from the benches. On Easter
Sunday two of the convicts fed from
the prison, in spite of the fact that
the convicts in a body had given
their word of honor not to attempt
an escape. AS punishment, all of
them were put in chains. 1t is moist
and close. Not an attempt at venti-
lation. No attempt at making the
place habitable. No effort to make
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11
For the Fairs.

Minneapolis. fare plus so cents
is the round-trip rate granted by the
Great Northern, Northern Pacific and
the 500 roads on account of the state
fair, the so cents to cover cost of all
mission to the grounds The decision
was reached at conference of St.
Paul business men with officials of the
roads. Assurances were given that
every effort would be made to protect
against ticket scalping. Measures
similar to those adopted i n st. Paul
will be taken in Minneapolis. The an
nouncements of half rates is matter
of great satisfaction to the officials of
the fair.
The low rate tickets will be on sale
Saturday, Sept. Q, all over the north
west-in a general way 200 miles east
and south of the two cities and as far
west as the Missouri river-so that
people in the most remote sections can
get into town in time to see Dan Patch
go against his worlds record on Mon
day afternoon, the opening day of the
fair. Dan will positively appear only
on Monday, Sept. 4.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11

ing the refuse and dumping it into
the sea. And these convict stations
and settlements seemed to me like
monstrous dumping grounds.
1t made me sad to think that down
in the prison settlements and all
around me all traces of the human
which may have remained in this
refuse were irretrievably doomed to
perish.
The second impression concerned
Sakhalin itself.
My first steps on the island APP
parently took me back at least so
years in the history of Russia. The
grievous compulsory toll, the cringing
servility and doffing of caps and many
other signs brought to my mind the
days of serfdom.
The first impression Of Korsak-
offsk is distinctly pleasant. There
is nothing at the first glance to re-
mind you of the galleys. 1t is IA neat
little place. Two rows of pretty little
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11

that Tumanoff, tramp, was to be
hanged at Alexandroffsk for shooting
at guard. And now he came from
his settlement to apply for the pros
pective job.
Nobody can hang as we'll as L.
He had hanged Is men in Sakhalin
and, being specialist, hoped to earn
the three rubles. In the meanwhile
pending the execution, he hired him
self out to the wife of a settler to
mind her children. Such are the Gus
toms of Sakhalin. ..
Komleff came from Kostroma, in
central Russia, where he had studied
for the ministry, and was fond OF
Scriptura1 texts, particularly from the
Old Testament. He was sentenced
to 20 years hard labor for highway
robbery in broad daylight, and fol
attempted murder. He fed in 1882
from Sakhalin, but was caught al
the .narrowest point of the Tartar
straits, having almost crossed over
the continent. For this attempt he
received SO lashes with the knout, and
| his time was extended another &c
years. Executioners were very busy in
those days, and Terski, a famous SAX
hahn executioner, needed a helper
The convicts drew lots, and Komlef
was chosen for the post.
But Komleff still dreamed of free
dom. In 1889 he again broke Jail, was
caught again, and received Is years
additional.
"Fifty-five years hard labor" proud
ly exclaims Komleff. Besides, he was
sentenced to As lashes with the knout
Terski waited" on his pupil.
"Well, dear scholar, lay thee down
and will show thee how to knout,
said Tersld. And he showed" him
Thirteen years later Komleff said to
me, 81 am still rotting." He barred his
| back. His body looked as if it had
been scared and branded with hot
irons. 1t was terrible to see. Thick
white scars covered portion of his
back, and elsewhere instead of skin
was seen a thin reddish membrane
| Inc punishment muSl nave DSSu SOIu0
thing dreadful. Thus one execution
er TESTED with another. But soon Ter
ski was detected taking a bride from
a convict and promising to spare him
in consideration.
Terski was sentenced to 200 blows
with rods, and Komleff was called
upon to administer the punishment.
"You taught me to handle the
lmout. will show you what can be
done with rods" he grinned. Tersk
is rotting yet What he did to Kom
left was child's play to Komleff's re
taliation.
According to the law of Moses,
TESTED the .fiend, "eye for eye, tooth
for tooth. can knout. I was taught
how on my own carcass"
Convict Gubar, who had attempt
ed to escape, and who was sentenced
to be knouted for cannibalism. had
to be taken to the hospital after Al
of Komleff's blows. He died three
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11

existence tolerable Not even the
usual convict chests are to be seen
anywhere. Bare benches, filthy straw
mattresses are bundled together at
the head end of the benches. A
NANCY, lean cat plays among the
benches and purrs ingratiatingly. The
convicts are fond of animals, for they
alone regard them as human.
In the center of the room is table,
or rather a tall bench. 1t is triangu.
lar in shape, wet and dirty, COW
cred with bread crumbs and filthy tea
cans.
We enter a cell, where we find two
conyicts chained to barrows.
Lets see your instrument"
The rusty barrow squeaks, the
chains rattle, and the men attached
to the barrow show us the implement
of torture.
The barrow, which weighs about
100 pounds, is welded to the chain
around the convict's ankles.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11
News Notes.

Cokato-The building owned by
Isaac Neimi, of Calumet, Mich, and
occupied by Mike Jokela as general
store. was destroyed by fire.
Duluth-The attorney general is
threatening to bring suit to recover
$40, 900 alleged to be due for timber
trespass-
Minneapolis-Phil Carlin has been
appointed general organizer of the In
ternational Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners of America
Fertile-Hans Juelson, member of
the house of representatives OF this
state in 1898, from Norman county,
died at Blackduck, where he was on a
visit to his SON. Mr.. Juelsou had been
a resident of Sundal, Norman county,
for over twenty years.
Pipestone-George B. Br.okert and
daughter Josie, through their attor-
ney, have served notices of claim for
damages in the amount of $500 each
upon the city council.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11

mo, sir, never"
The physician looks wrathfully al
the imbecile. Look at me. Don't
you ever cough? Cough?" mo, sir;
l never cough!"
The doctor is beside himself with
anger. He throws a look of hatred
at the convict. His glance seems to
say: Lie, you devil, lie, why don't
you?" But the convict cannot see
through it. mo, sir; never"
The doctor sits down and calmly en-,
tiers: Heart failure" In his anger he
breaks the pen. The inspector looks
at the doctors certificate. Exempt
from corporal punishment. Take him
out" Everybody heaves a sigh OF
relief. "The damned IDIOT" said the
doctor later to me in confidence. 81
had a hard time to save him. He was
as sound as bell. But what could
l do? Eighty lashes mean sure death
What the devil do they mean by sen
fencing man to such punishment
The corporal punishment was ad.
ministered at five o'clock. We &C
companied the physician to the office
The horse" stood in the gangway
two bundles of rods carefully tied
together and about six feet long, lay
alongside the horse" Seven men
were lined up against the wall of the
doctors Office. The executioner stood
in the doorway with a knout in his
hand. The atmosphere was Cypress
i've. Forward" Ivan Wassjutin, a
very young fellow, almost boy, was
the first to come forward.
Behind him were two mountaineers
from Caucasus; Russian who had
escaped from Siberian prison fol
lowed the hillsmen. They had al
been sentenced to corporal punish
ment. The verdict was read out loud
all those present standing up. Then
followed the doctors examination and
the investigation of previous corporal
punishment, and the doctor signed the
report.
The document was handed to the
convict, who had to certify in advance
that he had received the punishment
The Russians obeyed and signed the
papers; the letters which composed
Wassjutin's signature were almost
an inch apart, for his hand did not
tremble, but fairly danced over the
paper. The Caucasians could neither
read nor write, and they did not un.
dorctand RuScian
Take your shirt off. Off with it,
The Caucasians failed to understand
A volunteer interpreted with many
gestures, attempting to show them
what was wanted. They stared sui
lenly, suspiciously, and without I'M
derstanding. Finally they slowly I'M
dressed. The doctor approached ono
of them with tube and an asculata-
ton hammer, but the Caucasians
jumped back terrified. Finally the
doctor gave up in despair.
1t was Bardunoff's turn. Were
you ever punished before?" mo, sir!'
Rub hip!" A guard rubbed Bardun'
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11
Died in Her Arms.

Duluth. Human interest was not
lacking at the examination of passen-
gers of the steamer America by Immi-
grant Inspector Dean upon her arrival
from Port Arthur.
Among her eighteen passengers
was Nellie johnson, a pretty Swedish
girl, who told the inspector that she
arrived in Canada several months ago,
to marry her sweetheart, who was
there winning a home for her. He
had prospered, but in his eagerness to
become rich he had overtaxed his
health and when she reached his side
his strength was at the last ebb and
died in her arms. She had $4,000
which he had saved up.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11
Not for the Drawine-Room.

A woman of recently acquired wealth
went into an art gallery and asked for
a painting of certain size. 81 have
just what you want" said the dealer
He showed her a beautiful animal
painting, but she looked at it for few
minutes and then shook her head: 'It
won't do" she said; II want this pic
ture for my drawing room" "But it's
a beautiful thing" ventured the dealer
mot for a drawing ROOM" announced
the woman, conclusively; you couldn't
have cow in a drawing room"
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-08-11
Didn,t Seem Imnossihle

"Do you think you could learn to
love me?" he asked the lady, as he
looked into her trembling orbs.
"Well," she said, archly, popular ed
ucation has advanced with such rapid
strides that one can almost learn any
thing in these days!"-Stray Stories.
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17
PROPOSITION IN FIGURES.

Members of the board were fur nished with copies of the schedule and there followed at times a heated inter change of views; the opposition. led by Mir. Donau. passing their objection on the ground of the sweeping character of the raise. It was well known that Messrs. Dosau and Bowman would op pose the plan of increase, but it was not definitely known that they would have any support.
 THE TEST VOTE.
 Finally, affairs were brought to a focus late in the afternoon by the in troduction by Mir. Wood of a resolu- tiOn embracing the foregoing schedule with the exception that the increase in Cochise county was made 1,500 per cent. The resolution also provided for an increase of 100 per cent. on inn provements on mines. When the adop ton of the resolution was moved, MT. Donau offered an amendment providing for beginning with the item of cUlti- vated lands, at the head of the printed list, and taking the items in the order in which they appeared there. The amendment was defeated by the fol- lowing vote:
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17

territory. He said that while he was no lawyer and would not controvert the opinion of the governor and the attorney general that the board had legal power to do this. the plan was so manifestIy unjust that he could not take part in it.
 It would be proper. MT. DOnau said, to increase the assessments of the properties of the big copper corpora tions, at whom the movement was chiefly aimed, if that could be done without working a hardship on other owners of patented mines which could not stand raise and which ought not to be raised.
 The Andrews law, said MT. Donau, provides that before a protesting property owner can have any standing in court he must pay the tax assessed. and then he may. if he can, recover at law That process would probably cover a period of from two to five years, and the delay itself in many cases would be ruinOus to owners of small patented mines. MT. Donau said he was confident that his course in this matter would be endorsed by his con- stituents of the First district and by
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17

fair minded men generally throughout the territory.
 He said that he had had no intima- tion until late in the afternoon of the probable action of the governor. Though he had expressed himself openly since the beginning of the con troversy, the first opportunity he had to record his vote against the measure came when the resolution of Mir. Wood was brought up. Soon after that the board adjourned for the day, and when he was leaving the capitol building he was called back and presented with the governors written request for his resignation. He went to the office of the governor. wrote out his Tesigna- tion and delivered it, thus severing his connection with the board of equaiza- tion.
 AN IMPERsoNAL ACTION.
 It is understood that the retirement of MT. Donau from the board implies no bad feeling either on the part of the governor or. on the part of MT. Donau On the contrary, the action of the eX- ecutive was coldly official and purely impersonal. It was represented to the governor that MT. Donau was uncom- promisingly opposed to carrying out the policy of the administration in ref
 
 votes on the various motions present. ed yesterday afternoon were suggested to the governor in proof of the asser- tion- that Mir. Donau in office was an insuperable obstacle to carrying through the measures before the board. No doubt was expressed at the executive office as to MT Donau's sin cerity, but the governor was forced to the conclusion that Mir. DOnau's place would be better filled by somebody more in harmony with the admins tration's views. The resignation was requested accordingly.
 The board met at the usual hour yes terday morning The forenoon session was devoted to a continuation of the informal discussion of the preceding days. Clerk Roberts, of the Yavapai board of supervisors. had arrived, bringing with him the duplicate as- sessment roll of that county, and there was also present Deputy Assessor Heron of Gila county, who said that the duplicate assessment roll of his county would be brought to the city this morning.
 County Assessors Luke of this coun- ty and John Bfndno of Graham county. and Mr. Heron were questioned by Attorney General Clark regarding their ideas of making assessments. The interrogatories related chiefly to the assessment of mines. Speaking of the old Dominion of Globe, MT. Heron said that it was worth probably $1O,- 900 ,OOO, but he said that he did not be- lieve that an assessment of more than $25O,OOO would be sustained by a court in case the company should institute a contest.
 COMING OF THE CRISIS. At noon the attorney general submit ted an opinion he had previously out lined, that the board had power to raise and lower the valuations of all classes of property in the territory, including , patented mines. This must be done in all other cases by counties, and the raising and lowering in each county must be uniform.
 ] As soon as the board met in the af- ternoon the actual work of raising tho assessments of the mines was taker up and the following schedule was i prepared, though it was not afterwarc submitted in quite it's original form:
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17
Jesus Lugo Tried to Drown Himself
 in the Canal.

Jesus Lugo will in all probability be tried today in the probate court on the charge of insanity. One of the most common symptoms of insanity is ap- parent in Lugo's cOnversation-he wants to kill himself. Not only this but in his mutterings he tells of many evils that are about to befall him and it is to escape these many supposed ills that he would take his life. Tn carrying out his desire Lugo came near to being successful and had it not been for the timely interference and restraint offered by one of the residents of Churchill addition he would no doubt now be in the un- known land beyond.
 Lugo was brought to the city last Saturday by one of the foremen of Grant Bros camp and placed in the Sisters hospital. At the time he com plained that his head and his heart were hurting him. Upon examination by a physician nothing wrong was dis covered but it was decided to keep him at the hospital for several days pending developments.
 About nine o'clock yesterday morn ing Lugo told one of the attendants that he was going to take his life and that he was tired of the life he was leau1lS. AI lIle lliIlS ne WEtS llONAtG- ably dejected but the attendant tried to cheer him up and thought she had been successful. Shortly after this he was missed from his ward, having es- capped during the momentary absence of the nurse. 4 search of the neigh borhood found him on the bank of the canal which runs in front of the hos pital and he was held by a gentleman who resides in the neighbOrhood and who said he caught him just in time to save him from drowning.
 The city authorities were called and Lugo was taken to the city hall where after a considerable wait Dr. Plath, the city health officer, attended him. The samo result came from the eX animation as that made at the hos pital and the man was pronounced to be physically in good condition. It was at this time that the insane the ory was offered and to settle the ques- ton of his sanity he will probably be
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17
Ayes-Donau. Solomon, Bowman.

Ayes-Donau, Solomon, Bowman.
 Nays-Hill, Wood, Parker.
 The original motion was then de- feated by the same division.
 A renewal of the motion of N. Donau carried, and on the motion - Mir Parker it was decided to accept the returns from the counties with reference to cultivated lands. The subject of uncultivated land was next taken up. but as all the data required was not yet at hand this was allowed to go over until today. The board ad- journed a little after i o'clock.
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17
BREAKS DOnau of Pima Resigns at Request of Governor I. F. WILSON SUCCEEDS
The Rupture Caused by Fir. DOnau'S Leadership Of Opposition to the Proposition to Raise the Assess ments of Patented Hines.

It was predicted a week ago by The Republican that the present session of the territorial board of equalization would be more stormy than any of it's predecessors. The accuracy of that prophecy was verified late yesterday afternoon, when, after a more or less violent discussion of the proposition to increase the assessment Of patented mines, the resignation of A. s. Donau, member from the First district. was requested. The board had just ad- journed, and MT. Donau, the leader of the opposition to the measure for rais- ing the assessments, was leaving the capitol grounds when there was hand ed to him the following communica- ton:
 August 16, 1905. 'Nfr. Alfred s. Donau, Phoenix: Dear Sir: l hereby request your immediate resignation as a member of the territorial board of equalization. Please answer at once.
 Yours respectfully,
 JOSEPH H. KIBBEY,
 Governor On receipt of the request, MT. Donau returned to the capitol building and went to the governors office, where he wrote the following answer: Hon. Joseph H, Kibbey, Governor of Arizona, Phoenix:
 sir: I hereby tender my resigna- ton as a member of the territorial board of equalization agreeabIy with your request of this day.
 Yours respectfully,
Arizona republican., 1905-08-17
STEAMER AFIRE AT SEA.

Norfolk Aug. 1S.-The steamship Dorchester of the Merchants & Miners Line, arrived today from Providence twenty hours late having found the Kershaw of the same line afire off Cape Henlopen yesterday morning The Kershaw proceeded to Boston un- der her own steam.