The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1908-10-24
RUSS|A'S JOAN Of
ARC AWAITS HERE
REVOLUTIONS CALL
Trina Shefte Ready to Give
Even Life to Aid Cause
of Liberty.
TELLS HER SAD STORY.
Cousins Slain, Brothers Hunt
ed and Herself Tortured by
Cars Soldiers.
TELLS HER SAD STORY.
BY Ethel Lloyd Patterson.


Only chance revealed to New Yorker.
the heroine who had risked her life for
cause, who has suffered physical tor.
ture rather than betray her comrades
and brought her from the obscurity Of
her Boston home into public notice
Plain Trina Shefte. called as a witness
in the case of Jan Janoff Pouren, Rus
sian Revolutionist, proves to be the
Russian Joan of Arc famed among the
Friends Of Liberty In Russia and loved
for her devotion to the cause.
Poorly, almost shabby, dressed, ner-
vous and shy. yet disnificd. she wss
found with party of revoiutiouists In
an East Forty-second stree: restauraa;
last night.
Cousins Slain by czs-.
There was no personal reason for ray
hatred of the Gear when first l Joined
the Russian Revolutionary movement"
she said.
Il had not as yet suffered personally.
but became interested through books
and pamphlets which were sent to my
brothers and my cousins. Then the
knowledge that my brothers had this
literature became known to the gov
ernment spies. They were prosecuted
and forced to hide. md my cousins
were shot-two OF them-one, Otto
FREDERICK. without any pretense of a
trial
After that l was a wild thing There
was no going back for me. / worked
fnF ha
one of the two members of the reyo
lutionary bureau which existed until
the early fall of 1905. My cousins had
charge OF township meetings at which
resolutions were adopted prohibiting the
sale of liquors at inns and denouncinR
the Russian spies. The Government
sought the minutes or these meetings.
and ii was then that 1 came to know
Jan Pouren.
Tortured Her in Vain.
My cousin who was shot had the
minutes. which came into the hands
of Pourcn. who passed them on to me.
and i destroyed them. Then / shell
tered Pouren while the authorities were
guarding every possible avenues of es-
cape.
After that it became my duty TO as
sign members of me revolutionary
militia 10 points in and about Sisigai
TO thwart The Cars soldiers. For this
i was arrested on Sept. =. 1906 On that
cay.-aaa ~ the remembrance the Inns
OF Trina Shefte went white-.'I was
beaten almost TO death by Russian
soldiers 10 make Inc reveal the names
OF my comrades
There was a pausc
Iney lei me go after they had tor.
tured me enough" she went on. and
i came here because ] knew that for the
present at least ] could be of no fur
ther service in Russia.
Ready for Summons.
II live quietly with my husband I,
Boston TWO OF my brothers nave
Joined us there, and we are waiting dny
by day for the call 10 so back and nut
eur shoulders 10 the wheel | was glad
OF this opportunity to come to New York
and testify for Jan Pouren, for IL made
me feel as though / was of some nse
TO the cause once more.
what would give 70 see the revolu-
ton succeed2" Trina Shefte repeated
What would ] NOT give?"
Her lips trembled and the tears coma
My lie is such liIle thing 10 gjws :,
she saia, but II - al have. would
give II, my all. In years and wears OF
torture and think them happy mo.
ments If ! could strike one shackie IRON,
the wrists OF Russia as FELL"