The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-06
FROM PRISON TO OBLIVION
EX.GEN. STOFSSEL DOOMED TO
SELF.EFFACENENT.
Liberation OF Port Arthur's Commander
and EN.Admirai NebOsator-Th
Last Morning nj Imprisonment Car
10 Figure In a Military Spectacle.

free men again and are consigned to OBJ
livion. The Gear has closed the last chap
ter OF the story Of defeat as secretly and
silently as may be.
The two broken men are at large some
where in this city under a pledge Of self
efacement and warned against yielding
10 the temptation to fight their battles
over again. Stoessel is advised, and it
would apply equally TO his brother in mis-
fortune, to grow a different kind Of beard,
wear smoked spectacles, change his
name TO Schmidt and go abroad and live
for the rest OF his days in some unfre-
uuented. inexpensive town.
Their liberation from the Trouhetzkoi
bastion OF the Peter Paul fortress was a
curious spectacle. 1t was made amid the
10Y hell ringing Of the Cars birthday
celebrations. The two men had been
told over night that the act of grace was
signed. Each was originally sentenced
10 death for ~surrendering his command
10 the enemy; the condemnation was re-
duced by the Car to ten years confine-
ment in a fortress. and the pardon came
when Stoessel had served sixteen months
and Nebogatof two years.
Nine. Stoessel received at breakfast
the message that her husband would be
free TO Join her at noon. She sent a bag
gage van to the fortress at 10 O'Clock to
fetch his belongings "a sofa, table. some
chairs, books, clothes and rugs. Nebo-
eatofr had already collected his goods
only a kit bag of clothes and a score or
so Of his favorite books.
Stoessel, who had two apoplectic strokes
since he entered the fortress, could moi
pack for himself; he moves with difficulty
and cannot bend. He wore n dark civilian
suit, which he had been too excited to but
ton without help. Col. 1vanisohin, gov
ernor of the prison, called on the two and
asked them to accompany him for the last
time to the morning service in tho fortress
church. Nebogatofr said that he had not
strength enough TO GO: he had not slept
at all during the night.
Il don't want the public to stare at me-
he said. How do | know that l won't cry
like a child?- Stoessel said he felt very
we'll and would go.
Nebogatof's son came about II o'clock
and helped his father to pack. Nine.
Stcessel several times made the sign Of
the cross over her husband and put a soft
hi. on his head. He walked slowly to
church, leaning on a stick, but showed a
very happy demeanor
A messenger brought him a telegram.
1t was a MESA ge of congratulation from
Grinkevitch. who had been his commander
OF the Eagles Nest at Port Arthur. Then
Stoessel said TO another we'll wisher:
Il was never so happy as now. When
Gen. Komarof came to us yesterday after
noon and announced the act Of grace
Nebogatof and I could scarcely utter "A
word. Hooked at my companion and saw
the tears come dow his checks, then ]
noticed that I was weeping myself. |
really did not believe mat we would me
free 80 soon. When 1 saw mention of our
pardon in the newspapers 1 said 90 Ncbo-
gatof: i don't believe it. Well have
TO sit here another year or two
After | have been to church III come
back and see IL my wife has packed every
thing. Then my friend ksido will fetch
me in his automobile, We shall stay with
him for q time"
Nebogatoff was in the thrall Of deep
emotion. He paced quickly hither and
thither in his six yard square cell. A field
bed was fzed in the middle and an eating
table on the wall. There was = large Vcne.
tian window and you could see across
the garden the Neva. the Hermitage,
the Winter Palace, the Admiralty and
ST. Isasc's' Cathedral. While Stoessels
effects filed a van Nebogatof's were all
packed in two small boxes.
Il have been here two years n n
month" sald Nebogator, AS you see /
dry and warm. The windows look south
ward and give me plenty of light.
we had plenty to eat. Stoessel and ]
had our meals together. We could walk
as much as we liked in the garden. We
had pers and books and we had
tea whenever we wanted; and yet after
all God preserve any one from this i'm
~prisonment!"
The midday amor was fired in the
fortress.
Vow said NebogatoS, Il am a free
citizen. | was told that at noon am no
longer n prisoner
Col. Ivanischin entered the room in
a few minutes with an account book
which he laid on the table. Nebogatof
signed a statement that the catering had
been in order and that the charges were
correct. He received % rubles 20 kopecks
saved out OF the money allowed TO him
Tor food.
That will give me n cab fare and let
ne get quick home" he said.
The parting with lvanischin and the
man servant was very hearty. Neboga-
tof lit a cigarette and with his son walked
out OF the fortress n across the via
duct to ~Kamenostrof avenue. where he
mounted a tramcar and rode home to
The lodgings taken for him on the Fon-
'anka. He has no private fortune. no
pens!on, no rank and is not even eligi-
BILE as an inmate for a sailors home.
i will just rest a little he says. 4and
then see how l can arrange with Provi-
dence,'
Stoessel made his exit by motor car
have provided well for himself in China
ana the East; or the two it is the sailor
mat keeps the public sympathy. 1t is
counted to his credit that he saved 10
money while in the Admiralty.
II IL best that the curtain has rnng down
on this tragedy before the next martial
spectacle is presented to the public eye;
lhe blcentenary OF the battle OF Poltava,
Where Peter the Great defeated Charles
M. Of Sweden and secured for Russia
me territory that comprises her best
northwestern provinces Is to usher in a
REORGANIZATION of Russia's arms.
The new Minister Of War. Gen. Sutrom-
Inoh, viii accompany the Gar to the
hcene, and Nicholas II. will be made the
central figure in a brilliant pagea mt re-
e%nacting the glorious battle day. Part
ol the manGuvring troops will play the
part of Swedes. The historic Russian
regiments, whose fame dates from that
gay, the Prebrajensky and S~emenovsky
Guards and the Chevaliers- Gardes will
accompany the Gar on the thousand mile