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

| got afraid. ] had the idea that perhaps
l also was in some way to blame, but
the next occurrence, as If on purpose,
reversed my ideas. | saw how the police
were meddling in the affairs and were
playing spy. [ had the pleasure of be-
ing summoned before the local court
where they tried to give me the idea that
the government could not stoop to the
students and would not do ! was in
the Moscow manege where l was sent
with many other students.
Tried to Break Doors.
There we sat three days guarded by
Cossacks and soldiers. There heard how
outside the the workmen and other peo-
pie tried to break the doors in order to re-
lease us, but we saw that against our de-
liverance there was a row of soldiers
ready to shoot our rescuers down. After
that we were sent to Butirshoe prison
and I became a convict. In this prison
l for the first time became acquainted
| with books ON revolution. For the first
time 1 heard the brave word revolution
At this time in Moscow there happened
a demonstration of the workmen who
were helping the students on the great
battle field of political reform At this
time the Holy Synod accommodated the
celebrated writer Tolstoy / knew Toll
his religious opinions, and now learned
that this favored writer was cursed for
sins which were not known to me. The
priests cursed Tolstoy openly. / learned
that there is no freedom of speech In RUS
STA. At this tirle st. ePtersburg students
were beaten numerically with whips at
the time of a demonstration on kazan
Square. SO after being involved In these
affairs I came out a man with revolution
airy inciinations. My destiny was decided.
Came Into Contact With Them.
"My coming to the way of thinking of
| active revolutionlsts was only a matter
of time. Only p month or two had passed
when / was arrested again in April 1901.
/ was accused Of being in possession OF
Illegal literature. Yes after my exclusion
from the university l gradually began
reading the books of socialstic nature,
and read illegal editions, becoming more
acquainted with the tasks of the revolu-
tionists, with their ways Of agitating and
began to feel myself In sympathy with
them. But when they arrested me so soon
after my Establishment from Moscow
had no time. in spite of my good wishes
and convictions, to show my activity. !
was arrested first for my convictions, for
my ideas and on account of this | could
not take an active part in the movement
After Establishment on account of my con-
victions 1 could not help being revolu-
ZIONIST
1.-THE government made me. revoln-
ZIONIST. 1t declared me to he outside the
law 1t forced me to the revoutionists
ranks The government was NOT the cause
of my being a socialist l became so
cialst by learning of the evils in society
and by learning the means Of healing
them. / became a socialist after | had
been a reyolutionist, and when ] became
socialist my revolutionary ideas became
stronger because when fighting for social
istic ideas | by force of circumstances
was Obliged to come I'm contact with the
resistance OF the government was
member of the party Of social democrats
and social revolutionists. / was ter
rorist and only the actions Of Messrs.
Sipagnine and Plehye gradually persuade
ed me of the necessity for armed reply
to the violence shown by these ministers.
What pains 1t cost the revolutonists 10
decide on this sad necessity Of terrorlstic
acts hung IN the air, although at the time
blood flowed and other violence was used
nearly daily, the society could not decide
to Introduce terror as one of its means.
The programme of the society reads as
follows: Without introducing teroristic
acts into our programme, we, the society,
leave them to the personal risk Of the
members Of the society
Relation Was Unsettled.
MY relation to terror at the time was
unsettled | admitted nat in some cases
terror was indispensable, but on account
Of the peaceful and productive labor of
the working classes. / did not feel justifi