The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-04-13
"Chuf:" A Tale
Of SakhaIin.
BY PAUL MARoossoN

White all over with the exception
of his left ear and the end of his
tail, broad betwixt the eyes, but with
peaked nose, rather slim legs, and
about the size Of a fox-terrier-such
is "Chuff."
or what particular breed or strain
of dogs he is, l am quite unable to
say. But he is a Giliak dog, and
what might be called a canine expert.
He has a record of over a hundred
sa'ble-skins, caught all by himself and
brought HON to his master He was
wont to set off into the taiga alone.
hunt till he caught a sable, then fetch
brought home to his master He was
sable-hunter at the little native viii
lage of Nucharo, in the northern por-
ton of the island of Sakhaklin, taught
him, and afterward presented him to
a young political exile, named Gregg
REV. And it is due to Chuff's skill
that Gregoriev escaped from Sakha-
lin and is now in America
The story OF Kosciusko Gregoriev
is not unlike that of thousands of
others in Russia, but none the less
pitiable on that account. He came Of
a good family in Russian Poland, and
was a student first at Prague, after
ward at Moscow. About a year be-
fore the coronation of the present
Tsar, Nicholas III. Gregoriev, then but
seventeen years OF age, was concern
cd In a public demonstration which
proved displeasing to autocratic auth
GRITTY 1t appears to have been lit
tie more than a boyish outburst OF
high spirits, such as in this country
or in England or France, the govern
ment would never think of noticing.
But not 80 with Russian autocracy.
For merely a few shouts in the
streets, forty of the students were
arrested After examination twelve
were tried for sedition, and five re-
ceived life sentences, three to Sredni
holymsk, the dreariest place on
GARTH" north of the arctic circle, in
Siberia. and two to the island of SAX
balm. Gregoriev was one of the lat
ter
Order is heavens first law, and
laws must be enforced. But even to
the most stanch advocate of law and
order there Is something abhorrent in
thus blighting FIVE young lives for
an ofrense so trivial. A life sentence
to Sredni Kolymsk, or to sakbalin
Is worse than death
GTegoriev's companion In exile
kristan Merroe, committed suicide bv
jumping from the convict TRANSPORT
Yaroslav, while 1t was on the wav
from Castries Bay to AIexandrovsk
in sakhahn.
ArtSr his arrival at Alexandrovsk
Gregorievy was first confined in the
testing prison." so called for four
weeks, then put at hard labor. in
fact, 1t would be better to call II
lnnuman labor. He was set to tow
logs for distance Of seven miles
along the beach. having to wade in
the sea. The logs we're from the
forest 70 the north Of the town. and
were used for building new stock.
ades. His load was three logs. drawn
oy rope over his shoulders. AL
ways the water was knee-deep. often
waist-deep, and this in October. when
In Sakhalin the temperature is but
few degrees above frost.
A guard with loaded carbine walk
ed along the beach with orders IN
make him hasten. and shoot him n he
attempted to escape
This Is not, as some might be led
u suppose, a fanciful picture OF Rms.
sian inhumanity but is quoted from an
attested statement OF the manner in
which prisoners are treated at Alex.
andrOvsk.
Wholly unused TO such hardship
Gregoriev fell I'll on the third dav
Of throat trouble, with fever. but
after lying unattended for a day in
his cell, was summoned before the
prison superintendent. CHARGED with
feigning illness. This omciaI was
none other than the notorious pat.
rim, whose name has grown Infamous
for cruelty In both hemisphores.
Yet he seems to have been n man
approved By the Russian government
since II was Patrln whom the Japan-
csc found in charge OF the sakhalin
prisons when they captured the island
In June last
Patriu is described as huge man.
six feet three inches In height and
weighing two hundred and thirty
pounds. Allowance must ever be
made for an Official who has TO deal
With hardened criminals There is
abundant evidence. however. that this
man, Patrin. habitually perpetrated