Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-11-01

work in helping to kill grand duke
and a minister OF state?" was asked.
NO" replied Mr.. Menschiko1.
"'Azeh was beast"
James Persitz, late an official In the
Russian secret police, now in New
York engaged in writing his memoirs,
gave an account Of his adventures as
a spy among terrorists.
"One society which joined in the
course OF my duty provided me with an
experience which shall never forget.
BY the fierceness OF my declarations
and the enegry displayed l rose un-
til was selected to carry out des-
perate deed involving the murder of
a number of prominent officials. Need
less to say, the plot was communicat-
ed by me to the Off Gals Of the secret
police. Communication with them
was. of course. extremely dangerous.
took the greatest possible care to
cover up the traces Of my handiwork,
but nevertheless the anarchist police
vertible evidence that was police
spy. Their method of doing this was
interesting.
The chief of the society wrote out
the details OF an attempt to be made
on a certain high official At time
when only the leader and We're in the
room he made some excuse for leav-
ing me alone for few moments. In
my eagerness to fulfill my duty rap
idly searched ever the papers he had
left, noting the place and the date
when the scheme was to be put into
execution. Shortly afterward the an
archist chief returned and pocketed
the documents.
ION the fateful night the chief in
formed me that the attempt had been
postponed. AS afterward found out,
some members OF the anarchist police
sent to survey the neighborhood had
detected signs Of the watching officials
and realized that their plans had been
divulged to the police by some traitor.
Since the chief Of the anarchists and
myself were the only two people who
had any knowledge of the 1ntendd
outrag-which, OF course, was simply a
sham affair prepared to trap me.
was Immediately known to them in
my true light as police spy"
After this. Mr.. Persitz says, he was
decoyed to lonely wood near Nos
COW, bound hand and foot by the ter
rorists and ordered to confess. AT
first. rendered desperate by my peril,
1 stoutly refused to admit my guilt.
shouting frantically. I deny it all!'
But with many curses and blows.
they told me that was already con-
victed. They ordered me to divulge
to them the secrets Of the political
police. This. however, I refused to
do. My captors then held a consulta-
ton and decided to follow the methods
of the inquisition and wiring from me
by torture the particulars they were
seeking. Pins were forced In
to all parts of my body, each tormen-
tor apparently vying with the others
to discover place which would pro-
duce the most excruciating pain.
The lash was applied in addition to
the pins. Then the captors, consid-
ering it vain to gain any information,
discussed methods Of killing the trail
tor. A handsome young Polish Jew
ess, says the narrator came forward
and exclaimed:
X. I have an excellent idea. All the
deaths you suggest are too quick. He
is tied let us lay him on the railway.
The Petersburg express will shortly
be due, and the Gus will have the
pleasure Of lying helpless while he
sees the train coming nearer and near
er. 1t will give him time to think
over his treachery.'
THE suggestion was heartily APP
proved. With many curse and blow
/ was promptly carried off and laid
across the rails of the Moscow-Peters-
burg, railway, being tied face upper
most to the rails by the ropes that
bound my hands behind my back. After
having brutally kicked me almost into
insensibility and wished me sarcastic
'goodby,' my onetime fellow anarch-
lists disappeared in the gathering dark
ness of the night
Slowly the minutes passed away,
and, at last. to my horror, heard the
rumble Of the approaching train.
Never shall forget the unspeakable
terror of that moment. Nerve racking
though the period OF suspense had
been, 1t was as nothing to this. Pres
entity the rumble grew to a roar, and.
turning my head, saw the lights of
the express approaching. Then think
lost all control OF myself. In fren-
~ Of fear redoubled my efforts to
escape, flinging myself this way and
that. Larger and larger grew those
glaring orbs of light, nearer and near.
er came the ponderous wheels. ] real
lied that had but a few moments
more to live. Making On effort, man
aged to lie calmly for brief second
or two; theu braced feet and Shout
ders and heaved upward with all my
remaining strength.
1.-THE cord parted. With one wild
scream of excitement rolled between
the rails. / remember deafening,
.thunderous roar and the approach of
hot blast, such as comes from the
opening of an enormous furnace door.
Then everything went red, and I
lapsed into insensibility."
Mr.. Persitz says he woke up in 4
hospital three months later, having
been delirous all that time. On ac'
count of the affair he was rewarded
with $500 qualification money" an in
crease of salary and a six months va.
oo%;op u,hjch hn rnont mostly in Italv