The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-07-13
The WHIPPING POST

many Russian political prisoners
emerged once more into the light of
day from the gloomy fortresses where
they had been confined, in some cases,
for years. Among these was one Mar
tha Grusenberg, who had been cap
tive in the fortress of Schlusselburg,
near Lake Ladogor, for over II years.
A Jewess by faith, she had unfortu-
nately dabbled in nihilism, and was
crushed by the juggernaut Of Russian
autocracy. Some 20 of the leaders of
the unsuccessful revolt in Moscow were
lately sent to the Schlusselburg await
ing them life of hardship and suffer
ings.
Prior to 1889 it appears the condi-
lions prevailing in the fortress were
comparatively humane, but in that
year new era of severity was initial
ed. Three important concessions were
withdrawn from the prisoners. They
were forbidden to read any books save
religious ones, they were forced to take
their restricted exercise daily alone,
and they were not allowed the use of
artificial light on the plea Of intended
Immediate installation of electric
light. All candles were removed from
the cells and what that means may
be imagined when it is remembered
that in mid-winter darkness sets in in
Russia as early as three o'clock in the
afternoon.
Prisoners Seldom Live Long.
The bad food served out to the pris-
oners is one reason why so few of
those sentenced to long terms of i'm
prisonment live to complete their SEN
fences. At one time the staple diet
was a sour, almost nauseous soup,
called "stschi." 1t was good enough
for the health, and when, under a pre-
tended attempt to improve the diet, it's
use was discontinued and other less
wholesome food substituted scurvy be-
came a regular visitor to the prison,
the result Of which Is that the inside
of the mouth becomes torn and LAGER
ated and the teeth begin to fall out
In many cases prisoners have lost all
of their teeth.
The prolonged darkness is fire.
quent cause Of mania, but those pris-
oners who retain their reason become
torpid, apathetic, and insensible to
physical pain. But the sense of hear
ing, under these conditions, becomes
extraordinarily acute. Many cells
have plastered walls, so that COM
municating by tapping on them be-
comes easy, but even those prisoners,
the walls of~whose cells are bare
stones, become experts at Interpreting
the taps heard on the locks of the
doors and converse with each other all
day.
Cell Occupied by Bakunin.
While wardens are venal enough to
accept brides from friends of prison.
ers to allow their charges to break
minor regulations, such, for instance,
as receiving letters from the world
outside, they were not to be induced
to connive at captive's escape. It
was too dangerous to them, as their
completely instantly would have been
suspected and they would run the risk
of having themselves to take the run
aways place. The forced inactivity of
the mind is insupportable
In the Schlusselburg fortress, the
Dresden dictator, Michael Bakunin,
the revolutionist of 1848, was once con-
fined. Car Nicholas, delighted at the
Importance Of the victim, ordered him
to receive better treatment than the
other captives, and consequently the
cell he inhabited was larger than the
ordinary ones, and to this day the
whole area of its whitewashed walls
Is covered with Bakunin's calculations,
to write down some OF which he, must
have stood on his bed, since they are
close under the ceiling, some nine feet
above the floor Sra. ID sso:.s> ~
It is unusual for prisoners to change
their cells. 80 that the one tiny goom Is
theiy home throughout their stay usu-