Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-08-02

KI MA L On, mere Is
NaN& no doubt about it-this is
" (G@ the wickedest city in the
~ - world! One would hardly
81 come to lrkutsk for rest
- y cure. With population of
10000 persons crammed
into couple of square miles on
bend in the Angara river, it produces
900 murders a year, with an average
OF one arrest for each so killings. And
FOR each ten arrests there are but five
convictions. This is not buncombe: il
Is transcription from the city's Grim
inal records. In one day this month
there % murders and attempted muir
ders within the city limits Then the
few citizens who didn't quite like so
much promiscuous murder began to
talk OF reviving their vigilance COM
mittee of other days. but those whose
memories harked back a little dis
suaded them, writes a correspondent
OF the New York World.
The vigilantes are worse than the
murderers!" was the burden of their
arguments, which were only too true.
A handful OF law abiding citizens
got up the idea Of a vigilance commit
tee not so long ago. The plan was
enthusiastically received-by Irkutsk's
ex-convict population and the asso-
ciated thugs themselves. They en-
rolled by the score, got together a
compact organization and volunteered
their service. The governor granted
them exceptional power-oh, now
crime would be stamped out In short
orderi
Now there is great deal OF defer
ence between an Irkutsk policeman
and a western guardian of the peace.
The difference is in price; the Irkutsk
policeman turns his head the other
way for a much smaller sum. But
then he only gets $40 a month and he
needs the extra money, no matter how
little 1t be.
How Vigilance Committee Worked.
Well, the first thing the new vigi-
lance committee did was to get the
police on their side-which was easy.
Then began the shooting of rich mer-
chants In broad daylight--they were
suspects. you know. Next, under cover
Of "house-inspection" and penal con
fiscation" burglary blossomed forth
on every hand. Very soon IT took all
the power the government commanded
to rid Irkutsk of this vigilance com
mittee which was only vigilant for its
own best interests.
Well" says lrkutsks none too
large law abiding population, they
we're no worse than the Cossacks."
which Is strictly true. For example:
A few years ago all the gold mined
in eastern Siberia had TO pass through
the government laboratory at Irkutsk
AS a matter of fact only about 40 per
cent of it did. The other 60 per cent.
went to the local Chinese dealers in
tea" and journeyed back TO the ce-
lestial empire in many and devious
ways-quite a quantity packed In the
corpses of cofined Cinnamon being re-
turned TO the east for burial among
their ancestors. In spite Of that leak
age a considerable quantity Of gold
managed to find its way into the lab
oratory. and having been cast into
ingots, was stacked up awaiting trans
portation to Russia and the mint.
After several night watchmen at the
institution had died sudden deaths the
authorities began TO perceive the coin
cidence and appointed a force of Cos
sacks to come in each evening to
guard the treasure. All went we'll for
time. Then one dark night the Cos
sack guards drank a glass OF hot
chat" lighted their cigarettes, turned
up their overcoat collars and disap-