The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-08-10
SOLD|ERSOF LIBERATION
Sole Occupation of Organized
Bands of Ruffians.
SECRET POLICE AGENTS

SECRET POLICE AGENTS
Surgical Operations Performed to Inca.
pacitate Them for Service-Extra.
ordinary Increase Of "Free Tick.
ets"-Nothing impossible to the
Medical Specialist.
A sidelight is thrown on the burden
Of military c0nscription in Russia by
the proceedings In case which has
been followed In Odessa for many
days with exceptional interest The
attention Of the higher military au-
thorities In that town was called
some time ago to the extraordinary
Increase In the number Of free tick.
cts" made out by the divisional mill
tAry doctors In the names Of soldiers
Who had served but a short period of
their term with the colors. The in
vestigations set on foot by the mill
tary authorities were continued over
larger area with the assistance of
secret police agents, and many of the
soldiers to whom free tickets" had
recently been given were hunted up,
re-examined by special medical and
surgical stan, and vigorously cross
examined as to their previous health
and the manner in which they came
10 be physically or constitutionally
unfit to complete their term OF SER
vice. Several OF the rejected sol
diers acknowledged that individuals
whom they named. and whom they
had met sometimes in the vicinity of
their barracks, had induced them to
liberate themselves from their "un-
bearable burden" of service by lamp
ering with their health.
The military authorities have now
succeeded in arresting a well-organ-
lied band of rutfians, whose sole occu-
patton for years has been the ''libera-
ton of young Russian soldiers and
recruits from military service. At
the head of the society was a certain
kreek, who had under him several
pseudo-doctors and touting agents
The method employed by the latter
was to invite young soldiers singly to
tout enlarged on the burdens of Rus
sion military service, and the posi-
bility of the soldiers losing life in bat
tle or Of his being drafted to some
distant military district where he
would be liable to the severest pun
ishment for the slightest offence at
the hands of arbitrary non-commis-
zfa Npta
agent was satisfied that business was
assured with one soldier, he communi-
Gated with the head Of the society
without delay and set to work to in
veigle another. Kreek, the head"
would arrange an interview with the
latest acquisition, settle with him
what operation to perform upon him
In order to incapacitate him for mill
tary purposes, and fix the amount OF
money he should pay. The soldier
might II he liked choose to become
deaf. II so, the doctor" of the So
ciety would bore his ear and irretrev-
ably damage the tympanum. IL he
wanted a disease inoculated into his
system the means were at the dis
pOsal OF Kreek's medical specialist.
In short, II he wanted any organ Of
his body tampered with, Kreek mad q
surgical" specialist In his employ
ment to whom nothing was 'mpossi-
BILE.
The evidence adduced during the
protracted hearing of the case against
Kreek and others, and several SOL
diers who. in spite of their confession,
we're tried before the same court
martial. has proved that sums of f4O
even were received by Kreek for the
liberation" Of some of the Russian
rank and file. The details Of some
OF the operations performed by the
doctors" and surgeons" Of the band
are too nauseous for publication. The
guilt Of Kreek and two others has
been fully established. Kreek has &C.
eordingly been sentenced to depriva-
ton Of all personal. civil, and proper.
~ rights, and to two and a half
years servitude In correctional |
corps. Two members Of his society.
enc touting agent, the other a doc /
tor" have been sentenced to depriva-
ton Of all rights and to two years |
servitude In correctional corps,
while. among others, two of the SOL
Aiers who submitted to operations
have been sentenced to partial depri-
walton Of rights and to servitude in a
military disciplinary battalion for q
term of one year.-Kiefr Correspond.
ence London Times.